30. THE TESTIMONY OF ARCHIE FEARN
31. EZEKIEL ASHWORTH, HERBALIST
32. IN THE CONDEMNED CELL
33. THE HOME-COMING
34. JUDGE BOLITHO'S CONFESSION

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

PROLOGUE

Three young men sat in an old inn not far from the borderline which
divides England from Scotland. They were out on a holiday, and for
more than two weeks had been tramping northward. Beginning at the
Windermere Lakes, they had been roaming amidst the wild mountainous
scenery which is the pride and joy of all lovers of beauty who dwell in
that district. For two of them the holiday had practically come to an
end, and now, smoking their pipes after dinner in the old inn, they
were reviewing their experiences.

"I envy you, Douglas," said one whose holiday was practically finished.
"We have to get back to work but you have yet nearly three weeks before
getting into harness again. It must be glorious, too, this going into
Scotland."

"Yes," said the other, "and somehow Scotland is different from England.
I believe, if I knew nothing about the geography of the district, that
directly I put my foot on Scottish soil I should know it. Everything
is different there: the outlook on life, the customs, the laws and the
prevailing sentiments of the people. Why, we cannot be far from Gretna
Green now--think of the scenes which took place around here a few years
ago!"

"Have the laws changed much in relation to marriage?" asked the first
speaker. "You are studying for the Bar, Douglas, you ought to know."

The young man who had not yet spoken was different from the others. He
was cast in a more intellectual mould, and, although bronzed by the sun
and wind of the Cumberland Hills, his demeanour suggested the student.

"I really don't know much about Scottish laws," he replied, "they are
so different from those of England. It is wonderful how people living
so close together could have framed laws so entirely dissimilar. Of
course, marriage laws have been a curious business both in England and
Scotland. Before Lord Hardwicke's Act the marriage arrangements in
England were very peculiar, but with that Act things took a different
course. In Scotland, however, I believe they remained pretty nearly
the same as before. As a matter of fact, marriage in Scotland is very
difficult to define."

"In what way?"

"Well, I believe, even now, a marriage is valid even although there are
no witnesses, no minister, no religious ceremony, an