'Of course you mean to bring this in as motive?'

Mr. Prescott: 'Yes, my lord.'

The Judge: 'It is a very important matter. If the jury were satisfied
that the prisoner did not know of these purchases, and if there were
no other motive suggested, it might have a very great effect on their
minds.' [At this point the jury tried to look as if something were
having a great effect on their minds, and did not altogether succeed.]
'Perhaps you had better not say anything about the jewels now. You
will have another opportunity after you see what your evidence is.'

Mr. Prescott: 'If your lordship pleases. Well, then, gentlemen, I will
come at once to the night when this crime was committed.'

Here Mr. Pollard was observed to write something on a slip of paper
and hand it to his leader. Mr. Prescott stopped to glance at it, and
then went on:

'I may, however, mention one thing before leaving the question of
motive, and it is this. I shall be able to prove to you that the
deceased on one occasion, in the presence of a witness, made some
promise or offer to the prisoner as to remembering her in her will. It
is, of course, for you to say what weight you will attach to that
circumstance.'

Here the jury tried to look as if they knew what weight to attach to
it, and again utterly failed.

'On the first of June a nephew of Miss Lewis's, and her only surviving
relative, as I am instructed, and who will be called before you,
arrived at Porthstone. He had just returned from Australia, and went
to see his relative. He dined there, and spent the evening. At 10
o'clock he came away to his hotel and at once retired to bed.

'The deceased lady had also retired to her room, and from the evidence
there can be no doubt that she undressed and got into bed. She was
last seen alive a few minutes after ten. The murder was discovered the
next morning at nine. Between those hours the crime must have been
committed.

'The female servants followed their mistress. At half-past ten the
butler fastened the front-door. He will describe the fastenings to
you, and he will also tell you of a peculiarity in the latch, about
which I shall have something to say presently.'

The counsel then went on to detail the events narrated in his brief,
only throwing in an observation now and then as he went along. When he
had described the evidence of the removal of the body by the window,
he said:

'And now we come to one of the difficulties in the case. If t