t forward a bottle
that had been in his pocket. "It's first-rate stuff," he said. "The
master gave it me."

The Judge summed up and charged the jury. As Joe Filmer described
his address afterwards, "He said that there were six things again'
her, and about a half-a-dozen for her; there was evidence as went
one road and evidence as went t'other way. That she was either
guilty or not guilty, and the gem'men of the jury was to please
themselves and say wot they liked."

Thereupon the jury withdrew.

Now when the twelve men were in the room to which they had retired,
then the foreman said:--"Well, gents, what do you think now? You
give us your opinion, Mr. Quittenden."

"Then, sir," answered the gentleman addressed, an upholsterer. "I
should say 'ang 'er. It won't do, in my opinion, to let wives think
they can play old Harry with their 'usbands. What the gentleman
said as acted in the prosecution was true as gospel. It won't do
for us to be soft heads and let our wives think they can massacre
us with impunity. Women ain't reasonin' creatures, they're hanimals
of impulse, and if one of us comes 'ome with a drop too much, or
grumbles at the children bein' spoiled, then, I say, if our wives
think they can do it and get let off they'll up wi' the flat iron
and brain us. I say guilty. Ang 'er."

"Well, sir," said the foreman, "that's your judgment. Now let us
hear what Josias Kingerle has to say."

"Sir," said the gentleman addressed, who was in the tannery
business, "if she weren't so good-lookin' I'd say let her off."

As an expression of surprise found utterance Mr. Kingerle proceeded
to explain.

"You see, gentlemen of the jury, and you, Mr. Foreman, I have a
wife, and that good lady was in court, an' kept her eye on me all
the time like a rattlesnake. I couldn't steal a peep at the prisoner
but she was shakin' of her parasol handle at me, and though she
didn't say it with words yet I read it in her eye, 'Now then, Josiah,
none o' your games and gushes of pity over pretty gals.' It's as
much as my domestic felicity is worth, gentlemen, to say not guilty.
My wife would say, and your wives would all say, 'O yes! very fine.
Because she was 'andsome you have acquitted her. Had we--' I'm
speakin' as if it was our wives addressin' of us, gentlemen--'Had
we been in the dock, or had there been an ugly woman, you would
have said guilty at once.' So for peace and quietness I say guilty.
'Ang 'er."

"Well, Mr. Kingerle," s