irritated than if Saunders had been Harrow
bowling at him, or the Robin sparring with him.
The serjeant, who was a gentleman, indicated
some little regret at the possible annoyance he
was causing him. Alfred replied, with a grand
air of good fellowship, "Do not think so poorly
of me as to suppose I feel aggrieved because you
are an able advocate and do your duty to your
client, sir."

The Judge.—That is very handsomely said. I
am afraid you have got an awkward customer, in
a case of this kind, brother Saunders.

Serjt. S.—It is not for want of brains he is
mad, my lord.

Alfred.—That is a comfort, any way. (Laughter.)

When counsel had done with him, the judge
used his right, and put several shrewd and unusual
questions to him: asked him to define
insanity: he said he could only do it by examples:
and he abridged several intelligent madmen,
their words and ways; and contrasted them
with the five or six sane people he had fallen in
with in asylums; showing his lordship plainly that
he could tell any insane person whatever from a
sane one, and vice versa. This was the most
remarkable part of the trial, to see this shrewd
old judge extracting from a real observer and
logical thinker those positive indicia of sanity
and insanity, which exist, but which no lawyer
has ever yet been able to extract from any
psychological physician in the witness-box. At last
he was relieved, and sat sucking an orange
among the spectators; for they had parched
his throat amongst them, I promise you.

Julia Dodd entered the box, and a sunbeam
seemed to fill the court. She knew what to do:
her left hand was gloved, but her white right hand
bare. She kissed the book, and gave her evidence
in her clear, mellow, melting voice; gave it
reverently and modestly, for to her the court was a
church. She said how long she had been acquainted
with Alfred, and how his father was adverse,
and her mother had thought it was because they
did not pass for rich, and had told her they were
rich, and with this she produced David's letter,
and she also swore to having met Alfred and
others carrying her father in a swoon from his
father's very door. She deposed to Alfred's
sanity on her wedding eve, and on the day his
recapture was attempted.

Saunders, against his own judgment, was
instructed to cross-examine her; and, without
meaning it, he put a question which gave her
deep distress. "Are you now engaged to the
plaintiff?" She looked timidly round, and saw
Alfred, and hesitated. The serjeant pressed her
politely, but firmly.

"Must I reply to that?" she said piteously.

"If you please."

"Then, no. Another misfortune has now
separated him and me for ever."

"What is that, pray?"

"My father is said to have died at sea: and
my mother thinks he is to blame."

The Judge to Saunders.—What on earth has
this to do with Hardie against Hardie?

Saunders.—You are warmly interested in the
plaintiff's success?

Julia.—Oh yes, sir.

(Colt aside to Garrow.—The fool is putting
his foot into it: there's not a jury in England
that would give a verdict to part two interesting
young lovers.)

Saunders.—You are attached to him?

Julia.—Ah, that I do.

This burst, intended for poor Alfred, not the
court, baffled cross-examination and grammar
and everything else. Saunders was wise and
generous, and said no more.

Colt cast a glance of triumph, and declined to
re-examine. He always let well alone. The
judge, however, evinced a desire to trace the
fourteen thousand pounds from Calcutta; but
Julia could not help him: that mysterious sum
had been announced by letter as about to sail,
and then no more was heard about it till Alfred
accused his father of having it. All endeavours
to fill this hiatus failed. However Julia, observing
that in courts material objects affect the
mind most, had provided herself with all the
pieces de conviction she could find, and she
produced her father's empty pocket-book, and said,
when he was brought home senseless, this was
in his breast-pocket.

"Hand it up to me," said the judge. He examined
it, and said it had been in the water.

"Captain Dodd was wrecked off the French
coast," suggested Mr. Saunders.

"My learned friend had better go into the
witness-box, if he means to give evidence," said
Mr. Colt.

"You are very much afraid of a very little
truth," retorted Saunders.

The judge stopped this sham rencontre, by
asking the witness whether her father had been
wrecked. She said " Yes."

"And that is how the money was lost,"
persisted Saunders.

"Possibly," said the judge.

"I'm darned if it was," said Joshua Fullalove,
composedly.

Instantly, all heads were turned in amazement
at this audacious interruption to the soporific
decorum of an English court. The transatlantic
citizen received this battery of eyes with
complete imperturbability.

"Si-lence!" roared the crier, awaking from a
nap, with an instinct that something unusual had
happened. But the shrewd old judge had caught
the sincerity with which the words were uttered;
and put on his spectacles to examine the speaker.

"Are you for the plaintiff or the defendant?"

"I don't know either of 'em from Adam, my
lord. But I know Captain Dodd's pocket-book
by the bullet-hole."

"Indeed! You had better call this witness,
Mr. Colt."

"Your lordship must excuse me; I am quite
content with the evidence."