One of the editor's jackals came down to Kingscote, and there and elsewhere picked up a few facts concerning Mr.Fortescue's antecedents and habits, which he served up to his readers in a highly spiced and amazingly mendacious article, entitled "old Fortescue and his Strange Fortunes." But the sting of the article was in its tail.

The writer threw doubt on the justice of the verdict.

It remained to be proved, he said, that Griscelli was a burglar, and his death accidental.

And even burglars had their rights.

The law assumed them to be innocent until they were proved to be guilty, and it could be permitted neither to Mr.Fortescue nor to any other man to take people's lives, merely because he suspected them of an intention to come in by the window instead of the door.