Truly they had never for an instant doubted his integrity, much less had they suspected him of a heinous, an atrocious crime.

Still, it was an immense relief to have the black shadow of that bloody charge withdrawn.
There was but one more witness for the prosecution to be examined; that witness was no less a person than the young Duke of Hereward himself.
He was called to the stand, and sworn.
Every pair of eyes in the court-room availed themselves of the opportunity afforded by the elevated position of the witness-stand, to gaze on the man who had so recently been the subject of such a terrible accusation; and all admired the calmness, self-possession, and forbearance of his conduct during the fearful ordeal through which he had just passed.
He simply testified as to the finding of the dead body, the position of the corpse, the condition of the room, and so forth.

He was not subjected to a cross-examination, but was courteously notified that he was at liberty to retire.
He resumed his former seat.
The case for the prosecution was closed.
Mr.Kinlock, junior counsel for the prisoner, arose for the defence.

He made a short address to the jury, in which he spoke of the slight grounds upon which his unhappy client had been charged with an atrocious crime, and brought to trial for his life.

The law demanded a victim for that heinous crime, which had shocked the whole community from its centre to its circumference, and his unfortunate client had been selected as a sin offering.