When the counsel for the defence sat down, the general opinion was that the prisoner would be certainly acquitted; but the speech of the counsel for the prosecution, and the summing up of the judge, had caused a reaction, and few doubted now that the verdict would be guilty.
So Reuben himself thought.

It was he felt hard that, standing there to be tried for burglary, the decision should, in fact, depend upon that unjust charge which had, four years ago, been brought against him.

Reuben was in the habit of what he called arguing things out by himself; and as he stood there, waiting for the verdict, he tried to put himself in the position of the jury; and he felt that, in that case, he should have difficulty in coming to a decision.
It was not until after the lamps had been lighted that the jury returned into the box.

The crier shouted for order, and there was not a sound heard, as the foreman told the judge that they were not agreed upon their verdict.
"Then you must go back, gentlemen, until you are," the judge said.
"We are eleven one way, and one the other.

Won't that do, my lord ?" "No, sir," the judge replied.