rs. His heart sank
within him at the prospect of this ordeal, and he felt as though he
would give anything to run off and hide himself until the trial was
over.

Shortly after eleven o'clock, Mr. Hobart, who had just got back that
morning, told him to accompany him to the police-court. In profound
perturbation Terry obeyed. It would be his first appearance as a
witness, and he had the vaguest possible notions as to what would be
required of him.

They found the court-room already crowded, for the case attracted a
good deal of attention. It was a bare gaunt room, whose principal
virtue lay in its being well lit. Along the farther end ran a dais,
upon which stood three desks, with a big black sofa behind; while over
all hung a canopy bearing the royal arms of Great Britain.

As the market clock sounded out eleven strokes, a door at the side of
the dais opened, and the stipendiary magistrate, the presiding genius
of the place, appeared. He had rather an imposing port, which was
helped by his full gray beard and large gold spectacles. Behind came
Mr. Drummond and Mr. Brown, who at his invitation took seats upon the
sofa.

Having adjusted himself comfortably at the central desk, he directed
the clerk, who sat in an enclosure behind him, to open the court.

A number of "drunk and disorderly" cases, which were represented by a
row of men and women in various stages of rags and frowziness, had
first to be disposed of, the routine being to call up the policeman who
had made the arrest, listen to his statement, and without further
inquiry impose fines of "five dollars, or twenty days," or "ten
dollars, or forty days," according to the gravity of the offence.

At length the dock was cleared of its unsavoury tenants, and the clerk
called the case of "The Queen versus John Connors."

A perceptible stir and murmur ran through the crowd when Connors came
forward. He certainly had not the appearance of a criminal, and
despite his evident distress at his situation, there was nothing in his
bearing to indicate guilt. He had secured the services of Mr. Morton,
the leading criminal lawyer, and was permitted to take his seat beside
him, instead of being placed in the dock. There seemed something
reproachful in the glance he gave his employers, as though to say, "You
ought to have had more faith in me than to put me here."

The preliminary formalities being gone through with, the examination of
the witnesses was entered u