There had been a moment's pause after Rachel's "I thought so," and then

the chairman spoke to the counsel for the prosecution. "Mr. Murray, can

you carry the case any further by other witnesses? At present I see no

case to go to the jury. You will see that the witness not only does not

set up any case of embezzlement, but rather loads to an inference in the

contrary direction."

"No, sir," was the answer; "I am afraid that I can add nothing to the

case already presented to you."

Upon this, the chairman said, "Gentlemen of the Jury,--The case for the prosecution does not sustain

the indictment or require me to call on the prisoner for his defence,

and it is your duty to find him not guilty. You will observe that we

are not trying a civil action, in respect of the large sum which he has

received from the young lady, and for which he is still accountable to

her; nor by acquitting him are you pronouncing that he has not shown

himself a man of very questionable honesty, but only that the evidence

will not bring him within the grasp of the criminal law, as guilty of

embezzlement under the statute, and this because of the looseness of

the arrange ments, that had been implied instead of expressed. It is

exceedingly to be regretted that with the best intentions and kindest

purposes, want of caution and experience on her part should have

enabled the prisoner thus to secure himself from the possibility of a

conviction; but there can be no doubt that the evidence before us is

such as to leave no alternative but a verdict of not guilty."

The very tenderness and consideration of the grey-haired Sir Edward

Morden's tone were more crushing to Rachel than severe animadversions

on her folly would have been from a stranger. Here was she, the Clever

Woman of the family, shown in open court to have been so egregious

a dupe that the deceiver could not even be punished, but must go

scot-free, leaving all her wrongs unredressed! To her excited, morbid

apprehension, magnified by past self-sufficiency, it was as though

all eyes were looking in triumph at that object of general scorn and

aversion, a woman who had stepped out of her place. She turned with

a longing to rush into darkness and retirement when she was called to

return to her mother, and even had she still been present, little would

she have recked that when the jury had, without many moments' delay,

returned a verdict of "Not Guilty," the prisoner received a strong, stem

reprimand from Sir Edward, to whom he replied with a bow that had in it

more of triumph than of acceptance.

Burning tears of disappointment were upon Alison's cheek, the old

hopeless blank was returning, and her brother might come back in

vain, to find his enemy beyond his reach. Here was an end alike of his

restoration and of Ermine's happiness!




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