Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-09-15

teresied IN what was going on.
The night crept slowly on. The day was
approaching and still no verdict.
The clerk had fallen asleep; the cons,ables
sat noddine on tie steps that led up 10 the
bench the counsel had gone out, and were
solacing themselves at a neighboring hotel with
cigars and punch, discussing The trial and the
news Of The time, with an occasional Joke and
story by way Of enlivenment The candles
had burned down, and the long wicks obscurod
the light, so that it was difficult to see across
the courtroom. The low hum Of couversa-
iion had given place TO profound silence, and
now all was hushed, as II the same repose that
blessed others, guilty or innocent, were bless
ing the prisoner and the court alike.
But an observer, had there been one, would
have been startled at the scene which the court
room now presented in all this stiffness.
The judge, from letting his gray eye rove
around the room, had when he saw that no one
observed him, fixed iion The prisoner, who sat
in large chair, erect rs before. She had re-
moved the veil from her face, and sat uncovered
with her gaze fixed on his counicnance.
Neither could see the expression Of the others
ihfts isAlh hhtN ttial ulC othIi Nde l'ohlHP
but neither gave any Indication Of the knowl-
edge. Her face was calm, but full Of deep,
ardent, earnest love, mingled with impending
anxiety. Could bis have been distinguished,
the similtude would have been startling.
Slowly the night wore on. A liule before
daylight stir announced the coming Of the
jury. As they entered, the courtroom re-
sumed lis former appearance. The lights we're
trimmed the constable awoke the clerk rous-
ed himself 10 call over the names Of the jury.
But they had only come for instruction.
"ln what the court had said about character,
were they TO understand that lack Of evidence
of the prisoners good character was presump-
tive evidence of bad character 7"
II was a nice question, and, in the present
instance, terrible one. For father to di-
rect jury in determining the character Of his
daughter on presumptive evidence, was work
requiring no small mental determination. But
he did it calmly, repeating what he b ad said
before, and saying in substance that though no
evidence of bad character, it was entitled 10
its weight in connection with the other evidence
in the case.
Day broke on the city, and light stole into
the court-room-gray, and feeble, and cold a,
the first, flushing up at length into the full glo-
ny of the sunrise. Men were now asionished
to observe what a change the night had made
in Judge Cameron's counienanee. He was
haggard, worn, and thin. He looked twenty
years older than on the previous day. The
prisoner remained invisible.
At seven o'clock the Jury entered. Man by
man answered to his rame, and the clerk de-
manded their verdict.
None leaned more eagerly forward 10 hear
it than the Judge. The prisoner alone seemed
unmoved. Her counsel sat with trembling hand
waiting the announcement.
1t was given al length
"NoT GUILTY"
She threw back the veil from her face, and
it was magnifcen, now in its splendid beauty.
First she thanked the jury with a look which
was enough, and then suddenly rose and turned
to the Judge.
Bot he was not visible. He had again fal-
len. She was the first by his side and when
the astonished officers attempted TO remove her
she shook them off with the astounding declara.
tion: ale is my father ~
Fourteen years more passed rapidly away
Judge Cameron had resigned his scat on the
bench, sold his possessions in - County, and
disappeared from the neighborhood in which
his active lifo had bccn passed. None knew
the reason for all this change. 1t was sudden
and executed with as much rapdiiy as it wa.
conceived. His place 10 the county and in pub
lie life was occupied by John Bromley, who, b,
dini of political management, had conlrived tC
be elected to Congress, and almost, although no
quite, TO be appointed to the judgeship made
vacant by the resignation of Mr. Cameron.
Bromley was in no respect tho equal of thu
latter. He was in all respects his Inferior
He was man Of low instincts and low associ
atons. Educated, indeed, and accomplished
as the world esteems accomplishments, possess
ed of many fascinating ways Of hypocrisy, an'
well fitted to be the deceiver Of such franl
| girl as was Kate Cameron, now long forgotten
in the community. Sometimes, indeed, il
hours Of unusual freedom over his wine will
boon companions, John Bromley had hinted a
his conquest over the splendid beauty of th'
country ten years before, and had left it TO b
inferred that he had been base enough to de
ceive and abandon her. But he was neve
known 10 recur to such subjects when sober
and dark cloud olied rested on his face when
he shond have been most gay. He was ar
accomplished scoundrel, and won his way as
such men can do.
Steadily and stealthly he had absorbed al
the wealth Of his grandfather, and deprived hi
cousins Of their shares of it. BY one and an
- ID. a. r