Sometimes I have carried a valuable bill home
in my snuff-mull, when it was empty by chance."
"Where had you the five pounds?"
"I am not sure, but I think in my left waistcoat pocket."
"And you gave it on demand? It was not rifled from you?"
"I thrust it into the villain's hand, and ran."
"Well, we must confront you with the supposed robber," said the captain.
"But you seem to be in choler, and I caution you against a precipitate
judgment. You may naturally think the admission of the young men enough,
and that may make you see what perhaps may not be to be seen. I confess
the admission of _three_ to be more than the law wants or wishes; yet
there are peculiarities in this case that take it out of the general
rules." Stewart then nodded to an officer, who went out and returned.
"There stands the prisoner."
"Charles S----th!" ejaculated the uncle: "my own nephew! execrable
villain!"
And he looked at the youth with bated breath and fiery eyes.
There was silence for a few minutes. The officials looked pitiful. The
mother hung down her head; and little Jeannie leered significantly,
while she took the strings of her bonnet, tied them, undid them again,
and flung away the ends till they went round her neck; nay, the playful
minx was utterly dead to the condition of her brother who stood there,
ashamed to look any one in the face, if he was not rather like an
exhumed corpse; and we would not be far out if we said that she even
laughed as she saw the curmudgeon staring like an angry mastiff at the
brother she loved so well.
Pages:
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257