ently seated themselves as at a funeral, "will one of
you assist me in this?"

Captain Pendleton, who had just reentered the room, came promptly up.

"By the way, did you send for the coroner, sir?" demanded the old Judge,
intercepting him.

"Yes, sir, I did," curtly answered the Captain.

"Then I shall sit here until his arrival," observed the Judge settling
himself for a nap in his easy-chair.

"That old fellow is in his dotage!" growled Captain Pendleton to
himself, as he tenderly lifted the head and shoulders of all that
remained of poor Rosa Blondelle. But at the touch of her cold form, the
sight of her still face, tears of pity sprang into the young soldier's
eyes. Rosa had been a fine woman, and her body was now no light weight.
It took the united strength of Captain Pendleton and Mr. Berners to bear
it properly from the parlor to the chamber, where they laid it on the
bed, and left it to the care of Sybil and Miss Tabby, who had followed
them.

Mr. Berners then pulled the Captain into an empty room and whispered
hoarsely:

"Did I understand you to tell the Judge that you had sent a messenger
for the coroner?"

"Yes; but mind, I sent an old man on an old mule. It will be many hours
before he reaches Blackville; many more before the coroner gets here.
Good Heaven! Berners, I _had_ to do that! Don't you see the awful danger
of your innocent wife?" exclaimed Captain Pendleton, in an agitated
voice.

"_Don't_ I see it? I am not mad, or blind. But you, in the face of this
overwhelming evidence--you believe her to be innocent?" demanded Lyon
Berners, in a tone of agonized entreaty.

"I _know_ her to be innocent! I have known her from her infancy. She
might have flown at a rival, and torn her to pieces, in a frenzy of
passion; but she could never have struck a secret blow," answered
Captain Pendleton, emphatically.

"Thanks! Oh, thanks for your faith in her!" exclaimed Lyon Berners,
earnestly.

"But now! _Do_ you not see what is to be done? She must be got out of
the house before the coroner or any officer of justice arrives," said
Captain Pendleton, earnestly.

"Oh, this is so sudden and terrible! It is an avalanche--an earthquake!
It crushes me. It deprives me of reason!" groaned Lyon Berners, sinking
into a chair, and covering his face with his hands.

"Lyon, my friend, arouse yourself! Rise above this agony of despair, if
you would save your imperilled wife! She must fly from this house within
an