esh
in its beams, and the heart of man revives to form new schemes of future
enjoyment. Such is life.

CHAPTER XXIII.

And hast thou sought me in this dreary cell,
This dark abode of guilt and misery;
To win my sadden'd spirit back to earth
With words of blessed import?--S.M.

The assizes were rapidly approaching. Conscious of his innocence, as far
as the murder of his father was concerned, Anthony Hurdlestone looked
forward to his trial with firmness and composure. There never was a
greater mass of circumstantial evidence brought against a prisoner than
in his memorable case.

Holding an elevated position in society, his trial created a great
amount of interest and curiosity among all ranks, and the court was
crowded to excess. The youth of the criminal, his gentlemanly bearing,
his fine expressive countenance, his thoughtful mild eye and benevolent
brow excited surprise in the beholders, and gave rise to many doubts as
to his being the murderer; and the calm dignified manner in which he
listened to the evidence given against him tended greatly to increase
the interest which was expressed by many in his awful situation.

Grenard Pike was the first witness called, and he deposed,

That on the evening of the tenth of October, between the hours of eight
and nine, he and the elder Hurdlestone were seated at a table counting
money into a mahogany brass-bound box. He (Grenard) saw a tall figure
pass the window. Mr. Hurdlestone instantly called out, "Grenard, did you
see that man?" and he (the witness) answered, "Yes, it is your son." Mr.
Hurdlestone replied, in some alarm, "I told him to come to-night; but I
did not think that he would take me at my word. What can he want with
me?" The next moment a pistol was fired through the casement. The ball
passed through Mr. Hurdlestone's shoulder. He fell to the floor across
the money-box, exclaiming, "My son! my cruel son! He has murdered me for
my money; but he shall not have my money!" Witness looked up, and saw
the murderer, by the light of the moon, standing by the window. He could
swear to the person of Anthony Hurdlestone. Thinking his own life in
danger he made his escape into a back room, and got out of the window,
and ran as fast as he could to the village, to give the alarm and
procure a surgeon. When he returned he found the prisoner leaning,
apparently conscience-stricken, over the corpse. He offered no
resistance when seized by the consta