Cruel As The Grave

But Sybil really was not a woman to give way to any weakness without an

effort. She got up and tried to engage herself by examining the two

little rooms that were to be her dwelling place for a day or a week, as

chance might direct.

There was not much to interest her. The furniture was poor and old, but

neat and clean, as anything under the care of pale Rachel was sure to

be. Then Sybil looked about to try to find some stray pamphlet or book,

that she might read. But she found nothing but a treatise on tanning and

an old almanac until, happening to look behind the glass on the chest of

drawers in the inner room, she discovered a small volume which she took

to be the New Testament. She drew it from its hiding-place and sat down

to read it. But when she opened the book, she found it to

be--"Celebrated Criminal Trials."

At once it seemed to have a fearful interest for her, and this interest

was terribly augmented when, on further examination, she discovered that

a portion of the work was devoted to the "Fatal Errors of Circumstantial

Evidence."

To this part of the book she turned at once, and her attention soon

became absorbed in its subject. Here she read the cases of Jonathan

Bradford, Henry Jennings, and many others tried for murder, convicted

under an overwhelming weight of circumstantial evidence, executed, and

long afterwards discovered to be entirely innocent of the crimes for

which they had been put to death. Sybil read on hour after hour. And as

this evening, while sitting in solitude and idleness and thinking of her

home and all its charms, she had first realized the bitterness of her

exile, so now, in reading these instances of the fatal effects of

circumstantial evidence upon guiltless parties, she also first realized

the horrors of her own position.

She closed the book and fell upon her knees, and weeping, prayed for

pardon of those fierce outbursts of hereditary passion, that had so

often tempted her to deeds of violence, and that now subjected her to

the dread charge of crime. Yes, she prayed for forgiveness of this sin

and deliverance from this sinfulness, even before she ventured to pray

for a safe issue out of all her troubles.

Relieved, as every one feels who approaches our Father in simplicity and

faith, she arose from her knees, and sat down again before the fire to

wait for the return of her husband.

He came at length, looking really tired now, but speaking cheerfully as

he entered the room.

"I have been gone from you a long time, dear Sybil, but I could not help

it. I had to go to Portsmouth in search of our ship," he said, as he put

his hat on the floor, and sat down at the fire.