The herald., 1898-06-26


capers, pigeon wings, slips, slides and
pirouettes. that it was really an art in
itself And her agility was surprising.
With her tail on her arm, her tiara
blazing and her bird d-of- paradise nod
ding violently, Lady Hawkshaw's small.
high bred feet twinkled. She was a
large woman, too, and she proved that
her boast about her legs was well
founded When she came face to face
with Sir Thomas Vernon in the dance,
instead of turning him, she folded her
arms and sailed around him, carefully
avoiding touching his hand. And he,
the old sinner, being acquainted with
that ancient style of dancing, made a
caper so exactly like her ladyship's,
with so grave a countenance, that the
whole ballroom was in litter. But al
though the people might laugh at Sir
Thomas excellent mimicry, the senti-
ment was totally against him, and he
found difficulty in getting gentlemen to
notice him, or ladies to dance with him.
At last it was over and we returned
to our lodgings, and the next day but
one we were on our way to the Assize
Hall for the trial of Giles Vernon.
Within that place of judgment all was
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tices in their robes and wigs sat like
statues; and, presently. when we were
all seated and Tile crier had pronounced
the court open, Giles Vernon was
brought in, and placed in the prisoners
dock. He looked pale from his late con-
flnement but 1 thought I had never
seen his plain features SO really hand
some. He bowed respectfully to, the
judges, then to the assembled people,
who very generally returned his salu
tation with every mark of politeness.
The judges then opened the case, and
the first witness called was Lady Ara
bella Stormont.
| In a moment, she entered, leaning
upon the arm Of Sir Thomas Vernon,
and was by him escorted to her place
in the wi,ness-box.
Her beauty was almost unearthly
She wore a black gown and simple
white cap, under which the curls Of her
rich hair shone like FURNISHED gold
She was perfectly composed, and after
being sworn, began her story in man.
ner the most quiet and calm. A perfect
stiffness reigned through the vast room,
and every one in it caught her lowest
word.
and straightforward. She related the
circumstances of her being dragged off
while coming out of the playhouse at
Scarborough; Of finding herself alone
in the chaise with Giles Vernon, who
told her he was taking her to Scotland
to marry her; that she struggled vio-
lently and endeavored to get out Of the
chaise, and that she was withheld by
Lx,C ho rrt h
wrists, causing blood to flow; and final
| ly, that when she began to scream
Giles put his hand over her mouth and
stifled her cries. She said that this con-
duct was kept up the whole night, until
they reached Gretna Green at daylight;
that all the time Giles was imploring
her to marry him, then threatening to
kill himself or her; and that she told
him many times she preferred death to
marriage with him; and at last. on
reaching Gretna Green, she defied him
and escaped from him.
| Giles Vernon bore the ordeal unflinch-
ingly, and when at intervals she looked
toward him with quiet hatred n her
glance, he gazed steadily back at her.
| She was then to be cross-examined
A few questions were asked her by the
|
of the three defending Giles. One query
was, whether she had ever given him
reason to think she would marry him,
to which she replied:
"No; never in my life.'
| She was then asked If there was an
other gentleman in the case, and for
the first time she showed confusion.
Her face grew crimson, and she re-
| <,;Io ~
pressed, and she was soon permitted
to retire. When she passed out of the
hall, she was the divinest picture Of
beauty and modesty ever saw.
After the examination Of the post
boys and other witnesses for the prose-
cution, was called as the first witness
for Giles. l told the circumstances Of
our agreement to run away with the
two charmers of our hearts: and the
fact that had been SO readily forgiven,
not only by Daphne herself, but by Sir
Peter and Lady Hawkshaw, 1 saw pro-
duced good effect. But when I was
asked by the other side if 1 had ever
seen, or if Giles had ever claimed, any
Willingness on Lady Arabellas part to
go off with him, broke down misera-
bly,. My testimony did Giles but little
SOOu, L rear.
| Sir Peter Hawkshaw was the next
witness. 1t was plain from the start
that he desired to help Giles, and like
wise that he knew very little of the af
fair until it was all over. But he proved
most entertaining, if discursive, wit
ness.
Sir Peter evidently thought the wit
ness-box wa his own quarterback, and
he proceeded to harangue the court in
his best manner as a flag officer.
The judges, out of respect to him,
made no great effort to subdue him, and
he had the satisfaction of telling his
story his own way. When the opposi-
tion took him in hand, they found,
though, that he could very well keep to
the subject-matter. and they did not
succeed in getting anything Of the
slightest consequence out of him. When
he stepped down, saw that he had in
reality done much more good to Giles
cause than 1 had, although he knew
| little about the facts, and I knew all.
| Then came Lady Hawkshaw's testi-
mony. Sir Peters was not O patch on
it. Like him, she really had no materi-
al testimony to give, but with shrewd-
ness equal to his, she made a very
good plea for the prisoner. She began
with a circumstantial account of her
own marriage to Sir Peter, in which the
opposition Of her family was painted
in lurid hues. In vain was she again
and again checked; she managed to tell
her tale against the vigorous opposi-
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