Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-07-31
UHAPTKR UxYu

rardB TRIAL
UHAPTER EXXVu.
The Peterborough Assize Court had
not been 30 crowded since an assize
nearly twenty years before, when q
murderer (now standing in pale and f.
rocious efigy at Madame Tussaud's)
was tried for crime which made all
England ring with execration upon his
name, By 10 o'clock there was left no
standing space throughout the whole
building, save where it had been special
| ~ reserved.
There were two or three reasons why
this trial should excite so much atten-
ton, chief among them the fact Of the
prisoner being no common man ("an
artist and gentleman" it was said),
and Of SO many people being mixed up
in the affair, Peterborough was not
often favored with the trial of . gentle
man, either for willful murder or man
slaughter, where the witnesses nearly
all belonged to the county families, and
where even the High Sheriff was him
self served with q subpoena SO Blea-
borough might well be excused for
exciting itself unusually, and
for crushing itself indefatigably in It's
untiring efforts to obtain seats in the
Criminal Court.
Down from the jail, through the sway
ing crowd, came the close van, with its
barred window and its guard of police.
and suggestive jests were hurled jaunti-
~ at Its Invisible occupants, as it turned
under the archway at the back Of the
Assize Court.
And presently, round to the front en-
trance, drove the Sherif's splendid car
riage, and the burly, scarlet-robed
figure Of the judge issued therefrom
into the midst of obsequious servants
and officials. He and the Sheriff en-
tered the court together, and to both Of
them the room seemed already q mass
Of restless faces.
Sir Neil'S eyes ranged along the crowd
cd gallery and about the building, intent
and anxious. Where was she? He
saw her at last, sitting beside Mrs. Es-
dale, near the witnesses, but 1t was many
minutes before he could bear to look In
her face after he had discovered her.
Cool and self-satisfied as he seemed in
his dignity, his heart thumped when he
saw her, sitting bowed and pale, her
eyes Axed upon her brothers face, SO
sadly hopeless and piteous In their gaze,
and filed with such great yearning and
such great love
Neil gaSed from her to Mrs. Esdaile.
almost appealingly, and the watc6ful.
careful tenderness Of that lady's face and
manner gave him feeling rs nearly ap-
preaching to gratitude as were any of
the feelings to which he was accustomed.
Then no gave q glance into the face Of
the man who stood alone in the rallied
OF space nearly in the center of the
court. One glance only, and his lips
curled; though something thrt felt like
pity began even then to stir his heart
He an Adhesion Standing there, .
prisoner at the bar, to answer for the
deadliest crime q man can commit; he to
call himself an Adhesion How scorn-
fully this crowd would jeer II they could
knowwhose name this murderer claimedl
Nell started, finding that he was losing
the address for the prosecution, Yes.
he had entirely lost the opening, The
prisoner had been banned as O forger.
and as . convict returned with ticket
OF leave nearly two years before. Every.
thing suspicious in his previous life had
been related in its worst aspect, before
the sheriff's attention was won entirely
to the CASE. Then he listened, moodily
and contsmptuously, while the prisoners
guilt was made evident terribly evident
to the dullest comprehension in the
court, as guilt can be made by o bar
rlster only and all the ti1ae, he was
Watching intently the listening face,
Seated together in the best position In
eha court were Lady Adhesion and Mar
jorie. Marjorie's head was not bowed
like LIna's, nor were her eyes fixed
yearningly upon the prisoner vet there
was something in the girls faces which
made them strangely alike to Neil.
though the touch Of sympathy which
would have explained the likeness to
him he could not understand.
a very ttresome companion was Lady
Adhesion to the girl beside her: she
perpetually wanted to be enlightened on
some particular point (rendered impos-
Eble by her deatness), got terribly ex-
cdted when Louisa Castillain appeared
In the witness-box, and gave promise at
last OF an lrrepressible attack of hyster-
les. Marjorie was struck with a new
idea to quiet her. She wrote few words
rapidly on her tablets, and passed them
on. They were:
"NOl is looking angrily across at us.
de means that We are not to talk or
make . sensation; We will discuss it all
quietly at home afterward."
Lady Adhesion nodded assent to thia.
and sat quite still, silepced by the whole
some awe Of her sons displsasure. look
ing admfringly over to where he sat
with folded arms and contemptuous lips.
ss he listened to Miss Castillain's evil
dence, 80 coldly, clearly and oircumstsn-
tally given. Marjorie listened too, her
eyes dark with passion, end the broolwss
drawn down close above them.
Col. Stuart sat with his head leaning
on his hand, and never once looked up.
Jack Esdaile stood beside his uncle.
listening eagerly, while his breathing
grew quick AMI irregular. Louisa had
hearty reached the end Of her long, un.
hurried narrative; had described wildly
the murder khe had Witnessed in the val