officer of the law meanwhile proceeding
to hunt up Squire Miller. During his absence, Ketchum addressed some
remarks to the prisoner, and endeavored to engage him in conversation,
but without success, Holden receiving his advances with coldness,
and evidently averse to establish the relation of even speaking
acquaintanceship. Ketchum finding all efforts vain, at last desisted,
and Holden sat in silence, brooding over his own thoughts.

Upon Basset's return, he was accompanied not only by the justice, but
also by Pownal, who had accidentally heard of the arrest, and by two
or three other persons attracted by curiosity. Pownal immediately
walked up to his friend, and, grasping his hand, expressed his
interest, and tendered his services.

"I know not," said Holden, in reply to his expressions of sympathy,
"why I am to be made a gazing-stock for curious eyes; but the Lord's
will be done."

Pownal requested to see the warrant, and for the first time learned
the nature of the accusation; he then sent a messenger after Mr.
Tippit, and that gentleman, in compliance with the summons, soon made
his appearance. Him Pownal engaged to defend the prisoner. By this
time the little office was filled with an inquisitive crowd, eager to
hear the eloquence of the counsel, and to watch the vibrations of the
scales of justice, among whom Judge Bernard might be seen seated
by the side of the prisoner. Any person entered and departed as he
pleased, the room being, for the time of the trial, converted into a
public place; and while preparations were being made preliminary to
the opening of the court, the spectators amused themselves with making
observations to each other.

"What have they took Holden up for?" said a man to Mr. Davenport, who,
of course, was present.

"I hear it is for profane speaking and reviling," answered Davenport.

"If everybody was to have his desarts," said our friend, Tom Gladding,
squirting a stream of tobacco juice over the floor, "I guess, some
others would be worse off," and he looked sharply at Davenport.

"It is time such things should be punished," said Davenport. "People
begin to act as if there was no law in the country."

"Don't you be quite so hard on a fellow," said Tom. "I recollect
the time before you were convarted, squire, when you swore like a
trooper."

The face of Davenport faded into a dusky grey with anger, and he
looked as if he would have liked to annihilate the audacious Tom, but,
by