Litchfield enquirer., 1881-05-19

admitted, by his instruction, that he had not l only been in London that day, but in the city.
 He added, however, that he had never been
 in Lombard Street, though undoubtedly he
 had passed in front of the Mansion House
 No attempt was made to shake the cashiers
 testimony in cross-examination. All that was elicited in favour of the prisoner was the dark
 ness of the day in question, which raised l some faint probability that the man of busi- ness might have been honestly mistaken.
 Lurcher had been called to prove that his | master always carried the key of the bureau about his person. had hoped he might have ! been subjected to severe cross-examina- tion, but that satisfaction was denied me. learned afterwards that Abraham himself had expressed himself decidedly on the point, and l refused to be overruled. A question or two, however, was slipped in, and, as had reason
 to hope, thrown in with intention. Should the future bring Lurcher's complicIty in this
 infany to light, they would suffice to found an indictment for perjury.
 1 When the jury withdrew, there was a
 period of suspense, which, by encouraging it. I lusive hopes, seemed simply to be gratuitous l torture. Persuaded of the truth as l was,
 felt that only one verdict was possible. It | Guilty, but strongly recommended to
 mercy" and the jury were careful to explain the recommendation. It was not only on account of the culprit's antecedents, but be- cause there was every reason tS suppose that he must have had the intention of replacing the me ney. They might have added, per-
 haps, that they still had douEts as to his guilt, | though there was no getting over the strength l of the evidence
 | The judge listened to the foreman with WIS.,
 ible emotion. Then he said that, under the | circumstances, he would defer sentence till the morrow. It was wisely done, and kindly meant; and yet 1 felt that 1 would have rather, for my own part he helped my
 unfortunate friend to happy de-
 ham,. When did bend forward his
 back was turn, d. and he was gazing with
 intense self forgetfulness in the direction of | Miss Molyneux. When the court had emptied, and the prisoner had been removed, saw her l totter to her feet bv the help of her father, l who gently led her out of court AS learned
 afterwards, she tainted in the passage don't know what the ordinary rules may be in such circumstances, but easily obtained &C., cess to my friend. If he were guilty, it was a
 black case of embeZzlement, and yet every
 body seemed to feel kindly to him. Perhaps | the prison authorities were uncOnSciOusly | mystiied, and could hardly make sure of
 their real opinion. The interview alarmed as
 much as it distressed me. Not that Cox did
 not bear up manfully though the blow had
 been crushing Hope had doubtless been | uC 1duCIcu, duu uOW uc Nds
 half stunned. lie was striving hard to divert
 his thoughts and yet whenever they returned
 to the reality, his face was wrung by a spasm | of anguish. The effort at distraction could
 not be sustained, and if he began to brood, 1 the consequences might be of the gravest. He had always been used to an active life, to the open air, and the freshness of the country. Confined In solitary cell, or in the company of the lowest ccnvicts, she would lose heart and health altogether.
 | If he thought of himself and his own fu- ture, he only spoke of them in relation to Miss | Molyneux. He made anxious inuuires as to how she was bearing the blow; and though 1 stretched my conscientce to give reassuring report, he evidently trembed from the effects l of the shock. And the lifelong separation,
 when we were on the eve of being happy!" he added-'and when 1 knew the value of the treasure some villain has robbed me of." Be- fore or afterwards it was the only outbreak of anger at his secret emeny that 1 ever heard l from him. It reused my less Christian feelings l to the uttermost. 1 vowed vengeance, not | for the first time, and swore to myself, that though Quckett might be at fault, 1 should persevere in our unsuccessful quest, and leave | no stone unturped.
 That we should succeed, sooner or later, hardly doubted, and so I said to him, with the l fulness of conviction. What feared was that success might cone too late, and that his char acter might be rehabilitated when the mis- chief was irreparable. He made an effort to | seem to believe me, that he might send me away in happier frame of mind; and indeed was downcast enough when I tried to bid
 him cheerful good night.
 1 1 did not care to go straight to Miss Molly neux, though promised to see her again that .evening. l was anxious to be about and do- ing yet what was t ere to be done Thought l might as well speak to Quickett, if he were visible. Of course he was at Guildford, in waiting upon MT. Lurcher, and we had ar ] ranged for occasional meetings at the little public house he was patroniZing. The land
 lady told me that "Mr. Thompson" was out; so turned mp steps towards the country, and started for sharp walk. In such a frame of mind as mine, the restlessness of ex- | citement takes various forms. Far from
 bringing relief, exercise worried me, and turn ing out of the lane. and slipping through a gap in the hedge, threw myself on the grass under an oak tree. Mechanically 1 pulled out pipe and filled it, but the fumes of the tobacco were anything but soothing. They associated themselves somehow with the
 Maine and the Danube, be,-with times when had been smoking placidly with Abraham in the snuggery in his little cottage, and when cheerful future had been stretching before him, in spite of the clouds of his financial l misfortune. And thence, by a natural train | of association, my mind followed up the | career of Mir. Lurcher, tracking his turnings l and windings like ferret, and scenting out | particular instances of his ingratitude. 1 cannot say that became more certain of his | infamy than had been before ; but can say, and feel little shame in the confession, that 1 hated him with more concentrated Latred | than ever
 | suppose ''talk of the devip and ''think of | the deviI' may mean pretty much the same thing. The sound of voices disturbed me in my reverie, ,-the voices of man and woman, who overcoming along the lane in angry al- tercation; and the voice of the man was un. | mistakabiy that of Lurcher, though the lady hadthe lions share of the conversation. "Hush Far Gods sake, don't speak so loud. You don't know who may be hearing." The pair seemed to come to a stand still be. hind the hedge.
 And don't care neither say again, you must let us have money for Toms def fence, or it will be the worse for you" She went on in the same strain in shrill falsetto, and her companion had to raise his own tones to make himself heard at ali. Yet he was protesting in a paintive and implor. ing whine. So help me, have change for 8 sovereign, and don't know where to turn for more. He sent me money only last week, and it's gone, and have passed pretty nigh everything dare part with up the spout"
 ''You knew where to find money before"
 That's over, as you know very we'll wish h---" -
 But what the rascal wished did not hear, for they moved on, and he spoke more quiet ly, For once played the spy. and peeped round the corner of the hedge. but only caught glimpse of the woman. Nor did I think it worth while to follow. I should surely get news as to the lady from Quickett, and nowl was more anxious to see him than ever. And this time did meet "Mr. Thomp. son" sauntering along eisurely at the entrance to tue town. He was attired in decent black, and looked like respectable lawyers clerk.