I described how I had traced the men from England to their hiding-place abroad, and the various attempts that had been made to prevent their extradition, and had just referred to a certain statement one of the prisoners had made to me soon after his arrest, when an interruption caused me to look behind at the rows of spectators.

At the further end of the bench, nearest me, were two men; one was evidently tall, the other very short.

The taller was the possessor of silvery white hair and a long and venerable beard.

He was a handsome looking man of about forty, and my first glance at him told me that he was blind.

As I have said, his companion was a much smaller man, with a smooth, almost boyish face, a pair of twinkling eyes, but a mouth rather hard set.