e,--for he had quite got the ear of the House,--a certain
impressive good sense, a habit of saying nothing that was not necessary
to the occasion, had chiefly made for him the high character he enjoyed;
but in the law courts it was perhaps his complaisance, his peculiar
courtesy, of which they who praised him talked the most. His aptitude to
get verdicts was of course the cause of his success. But it was observed
of him that in perverting the course of justice,--which may be said to
be the special work of a successful advocate,--he never condescended to
bully anybody. To his own witnesses he was simple and courteous, as are
barristers generally. But to adverse witnesses he was more courteous,
though no doubt less simple. Even to some perjured comrade of an
habitual burglar he would be studiously civil: but to a woman such as
Euphemia Caldigate, _alias_ Smith, it was certain that he would be so
smooth as to make her feel almost pleased with the amenities of her
position.

He asked her very many questions, offering to provide her with the
comfort of a seat if it were necessary. She said that she was not at
all tired, and that she preferred to stand. As to the absolute fact of
the marriage she did not hesitate at all. She was married in the tent
at Ahalala in the presence of Crinkett and Adamson, and of her own
female companion, Anna Young,--all of whom were there to give evidence
of the fact. Whether any one else was in the tent, she could not say,
but she knew that there were others at the entrance. The tent was
hardly large enough for more than five or six. Dick Shand had not been
there, because he had always been her enemy, and had tried to prevent
the marriage. And she was quite clear about the letter. There was a
great deal said about the letter. She was sure that the envelope with
the letter had come to her at Ahalala by post from Sydney when her
husband was at the latter place. The Sydney postmark with the date was
very plain. There was much said as to the accuracy and clearness of the
Sydney postmark, and something as to the absence of any postmark at
Nobble. She could not account for the absence of the Nobble postmark.
She was aware that letters were stamped at Nobble generally. Mr. Allan,
she said, had himself handed to her the copy of the register almost
immediately after the marriage, but she could not say by whom it had
been copied. The letter purporting to be from Mr. Allan to her husband
was no doubt, she s