excitedly　on　the　table；　as　his　son　paused　and　looked　at　him。
  〃The
  doctor　who　attended　the　dying　man　was　not　of　your　way　of
  thinking；〃　remarked　Bashwood　the　younger；　dryly。　〃He　called　in
  two　other　medical　men；　and　they　all　three　refused　to　certify　the
  death。　The　usual　legal　investigation　followed。　The　evidence　of
  the　doctors　and　the　evidence　of　the　servants　pointed　irresistibly
  in　one　and　the　same　direction；　and　Mrs。　Waldron　was　committed　for
  trial；　on　the　charge　of　murdering　her　husband　by　poison。　A
  solicitor　in　first…rate　criminal　practice　was　sent　for　from
  London　to　get　up　the　prisoner's　defense；　and　these　'Instructions'
  took　their　form　and　shape　accordingly。What's　the　matter？　What
  do　you　want　now？〃
  Suddenly　rising　from　his　chair；　Mr。　Bashwood　stretched　across　the
  table；　and　tried　to　take　the　papers　from　his　son。　〃I　want　to　look
  at　them；〃　he　burst　out；　eagerly。　〃I　want　to　see　what　they　say
  about　the　captain　from　Cuba。　He　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；
  JemmyI'll　swear　he　was　at　the　bottom　of　it！〃
  〃Nobody　doubted　that　who　was　in　the　secret　of　the　case　at　the
  time；〃　rejoined　his　son。　〃But　nobody　could　prove　it。　Sit　down
  again；　dad；　and　compose　yourself。　There's　nothing　here　about
  Captain　Manuel　but　the　lawyer's　private　suspicions　of　him；　for
  the　counsel　to　act　on　or　not；　at　the　counsel's　discretion。　From
  first　to　last　she　persisted　in　screening　the　captain。　At　the
  outset　of　the　business　she　volunteered　two　statements　to　the
  lawyerboth　of　which　he　suspected　to　be　false。　In　the　first
  place　she　declared　that　she　was　innocent　of　the　crime。　He　wasn't
  surprised；　of　course；　so　far；　his　clients　were；　as　a　general
  rule；　in　the　habit　of　deceiving　him　in　that　way。　In　the　second
  place；　while　admitting　her　private　correspondence　with　the　Cuban
  captain；　she　declared　that　the　letters　on　both　sides　related
  solely　to　a　proposed　elopement；　to　which　her　husband's　barbarous
  treatment　had　induced　her　to　consent。　The　lawyer　naturally　asked
  to　see　the　letters。　'He　has　burned　all　my　letters；　and　I　have
  burned　all　his；'　was　the　only　answer　he　got。　It　was　quite
  possible　that　Captain　Manuel　might　have　burned　_her_　letters　when
  he　heard　there　was　a　coroner's　inquest　in　the　house。　But　it　was
  in　her　solicitor's　experience　（as　it　is　in　my　experience　too）
  that；　when　a　woman　is　fond　of　a　man；　in　ninety…nine　cases　out　of
  a　hundred；　risk　or　no　risk；　she　keeps　his　letters。　Having　his
  suspicions　roused　in　this　way；　the　lawyer　privately　made　some
  inquiries　about　the　foreign　captain；　and　found　that　he　was　as
  short　of　money　as　a　foreign　captain　could　be。　At　the　same　time；
  he　put　some　questions　to　his　client　about　her　expectations　from
  her　deceased　husband。　She　answered；　in　high　indignation；　that　a
  will　had　been　found　among　her　husband's　papers；　privately
  executed　only　a　few　days　before　his　death；　and　leaving　her　no
  more；　out　of　all　his　immense　fortune；　than　five　thousand　pounds。
  'Was　there　an　older　will；　then；'　says　the　lawyer；　'which　the　new
  will　revoked？'　Yes；　there　was；　a　will　that　he　had　given　into　her
  own　possessiona　will　made　when　they　were　first　married。
  'Leaving　his　widow　well　provided　for？'　Leaving　her　just　ten　times
  as　much　as　the　second　will　left　her。　'Had　she　ever　mentioned　that
  first　will；　now　revoked；　to　Captain　Manuel？'　She　saw　the　trap　set
  for　her；　and　said；　'No；　never！'　without　an　instant's　hesitation。
  That　reply　confirmed　the　lawyer's　suspicions。　He　tried　to
  frighten　her　by　declaring　that　her　life　might　pay　the　forfeit　of
  her　deceiving　him　in　this　matter。　With　the　usual　obstinacy　of
  women；　she　remained　just　as　immovable　as　ever。　The　captain；　on
  his　side；　behaved　in　the　most　exemplary　manner。　He　confessed　to
  planning　the　elopement；　he　declared　that　he　had　burned　all　the
  lady's　letters　as　they　reached　him；　out　of　regard　for　her
  reputation；　he　remained　in　the　neighborhood；　and　he　volunteered
  to　attend　before　the　magistrates。　Nothing　was　discovered　that
  could　legally　connect　him　with　the　crime；　or　that　could　put　him
  into　court　on　the　day　of　the　trial；　in　any　other　capacity　than
  the　capacity　of　a　witness。　I　don't　believe　myself　that　there's
  any　moral　doubt　（as　they　call　it）　that　Manuel　knew　of　the　will
  which　left　her　mistress　of　fifty　thousand　pounds；　and　that　he　was
  ready　and　willing；　in　virtue　of　that　circumstance；　to　marry　her
  on　Mr。　Waldron's　death。　If　anybody　tempted　her　to　effect　her　own
  release　from　her　husband　by　making　herself　a　widow；　the　captain
  must　have　been　the　man。　And　unless　she　contrived；　guarded　and
  watched　as　she　was；　to　get　the　poison　for　herself；　the　poison
  must　have　come　to　her　in　one　of　the　captain's　letters。〃
  〃I　don't　believe　she　used　it；　if　it　did　come　to　her！〃　exclaimed
  Mr。　Bashwood。　〃I　believe　it　was　the　captain　himself　who　poisoned
  her　husband！〃
  Bashwood　the　younger；　without　noticing　the　interruption；　folded
  up　the　Instructions　for　the　Defense；　which　had　now　served　their
  purpose；　put　them　back　in　his　bag；　and　produced　a　printed
  pamphlet　in　their　place。
  〃Here　is　one　of　the　published　Reports　of　the　Trial；〃　he　said；
  〃which　you　can　read　at　your　leisure；　if　you　like。　We　needn't
  waste　time　now　by　going　into　details。　I　have　told　you　already　how
  cleverly　her　counsel　paved　his　way　for　treating　the　charge　of
  murder　as　the　crowning　calamity　of　the　many　that　had　already
  fallen　on　an　innocent　woman。　The　two　legal　points　relied　on　for
  the　defense　（after　this　preliminary　flourish）　were：　First；　that
  there　was　no　evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　possession　of
  poison；　and；　secondly；　that　the　medical　witnesses；　while
  positively　declaring　that　her　husband　had　died　by　poison；
  differed　in　their　conclusions　as　to　the　particular　drug　that　had
  killed　him。　Both　good　points；　and　both　well　worked；　but　the
  evidence　on　the　other　side　bore　down　everything　before　it。　The
  prisoner　was　proved　to　have　had　no　less　than　three　excellent
  reasons　for　killing　her　husband。　He　had　treated　her　with　almost
  unexampled　barbarity；　he　had　left　her　in　a　will　（unrevoked　so　far
  as　she　knew）　mistress　of　a　fortune　on　his　death；　and　she　was；　by
  her　own　confession；　contemplating　an　elopement　with　another　man。
  Having　set　forth　these　motives；　the　prosecution　next　showed　by
  evidence；　which　was　never　once　shaken　on　any　single　point；　that
  the　one　person　in　the　house　who　could　by　any　human　possibility
  have　administered　the　poison　was　the　prisoner　at　the　bar。　What
  could　the　judge　and　jury　do；　with　such　evidence　before　them　as
  this？　The　verdict　was　Guilty；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　the
  judge　declared　that　he　agreed　with　it。　The　female　part　of　the
  audience　was　in　hysterics；　and　the　male　part　was　not　much　better。
  The　judge　sobbed；　and　the　bar　shuddered。　She　was　sentenced　to
  death　in　such　a　scene　as　had　never　been　previously　witnessed　in
  an　English　court　of　justice。　And　she　is　alive　and　hearty　at　the
  present　moment；　free　to　do　any　mischief　she　pleases；　and　to
  poison；　at　her　own　entire　convenience；　any　man；　woman；　or　child
  that　happens　to　stand　in　her　way。　A　most　interesting　woman！　Keep
  on　good　terms　with　her；　my　dear　sir；　whatever　you　do；　for　the　Law
  has　said　to　her　in　the　plainest　possible　English；　'My　charming
  friend；　I　have　no　terrors　for　_you！_'　〃
  〃How　was　she　pardoned？〃　asked　Mr。　Bashwood；　breathlessly。　〃They
  told　me　at　the　time；　but　I　have　forgotten。　Was　it　the　Home
  Secretary？　If　it　was；　I　respect　the　Home　Secretary！　I　say　the
  Home　Secretary　was　deserving　of　his　place。〃
  〃Quite　right；　old　gentleman！〃　rejoined　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃The
  Home　Secretary　was　the　obedient　humble　servant　of　an　enlightened
  Free　Press；　and　he　_was_　deserving　of　his　place。　Is　it　possible
  you　don't　know　how　she　cheated　the　gallows？　If　you　don't；　I　must
  tell　you。　On　the　evening　of　the　trial；　two　or　three　of　the　young
  buccaneers　of　literature　went　down　to　two　or　three　newspaper
  offices；　and　wrote　two　or　three　heart…rending　leading　articles　on
  the　subject　of　the　proceedings　in　court。　The　next　morning　the
  public　caught　light　like　tinder；　and　the　prisoner　was　tried　over
  again；　before　an　amateur　court　of　justice；　in　the　columns　of　the
  newspapers。　All　the　people　who　had　no　personal　experience
  whatever　on　the　subject　seized　their　pens；　and　rushed　（by　kind
  permission　of　the　editor）　into　print。　Doctors　who　had　_not_
  attended　the　sick　man；　and　who　had　_not_　been　present　at　the
  examination
  of　the　body；　declared　by　dozens　that　he　had　died　a　natural
  death。　Barristers　without　business；　who　had　_not_　heard　the
  evidence；　attacked　the　jury　who　had　heard　it；　and　judged　the
  judge；　who　had　sat　on　the　bench　before　some　of　them　were　born。
  The　general　public　followed　the　lead　of　the　barristers　and　the
  doctors；　and　the　young　buccaneers　who　had　set　the　thing　going。
  Here　was　the　law　that　they　all　paid　to　protect　them　actually
  doing　its　duty　in　dreadful　earnest！　Shocking！　shocking！　The
  British　Public　rose　to　protest　as　one　man　against　the　working　of
  its　own　machinery；　and　the　Home　Secretary；　in　a　state　of
  distraction；　went　to　the　judge。　The　judge　held　firm。　He　had　said
  it　was　the　right　verdict　at　the　time；　and　he　said　so　still。　'But
  suppose；'　says　the　Home　Secretary；　'that　the　prosecution　had
  tried　some　other　way　of　proving　her　guilty　at　the　trial　than　the
  way　they　did　try；　what　would　you　and