f
the reverend gentleman her uncle. Still, he said, there was further
venom to be added to the bolt, and he showed that the two had parted
after the rejoicings on Portsdown Hill with a challenge all but
uttered between them, the Whig upholding religious liberty, the Tory
hotly defending such honour as the King possessed, and both parting
in anger.

Young Mr. Oakshott was never again seen alive, though his family
long hoped against hope. There was no need to dwell on the strange
appearances that had incited them to the search. Certain it was,
that after seven years' silence, the grave had yielded up its
secrets. Then came the description of the discovery of the bones,
and of the garments and sword, followed by the mention of the
evidence as to the blood on the grass, and the prisoner having been
seen in the neighbourhood of the castle at that strange hour. He
was observed to have an amount of money unusual with him soon after,
and, what was still more suspicious, after having gambled this away,
he had sold to a goldsmith at Southampton a ruby ring, which both
Mr. and Mrs. Oakshott could swear to have belonged to the deceased.
In fact, when Mr. Cowper marshalled the facts, and even described
the passionate encounter taking place hastily and without witnesses,
and the subsequent concealment of guilt in the vault, the purse
taken, and whatever could again be identified hidden, while
providentially the blocking up of the vault preserved the evidence
of the crime so long undetected and unavenged, it was hardly
possible to believe the prisoner innocent.

When the examination of the witnesses began, however, Sedley showed
himself equal to his own defence. He made no sign when Robert
Oakshott identified the clothes, sword, and other things, and their
condition was described; but he demanded of him sharply how he knew
the human remains to be those of his brother.

"Of course they were," said Robert.

"Were there any remains of clothes with them?"

"No."

"Can you swear to them? Did you ever before see your brother's
bones?"

At which, and at the witness's hesitating, "No, but--" the court
began to laugh.

"What was the height of the deceased?"

"He reached about up to my ear," said the witness with some
hesitation.

"What was the length of the skeleton?"

"Quite small. It looked like a child's."

"My lord," said Sedley, "I have a witness here, a surgeon, whom I
request may be called to certify the propo