roceedings with the strictest
regularity. The proper applications were made forthwith to a justice of
the peace, and the justice issued his warrant. That night Silas was
committed to prison; and an officer was dispatched to arrest Ambrose in
New York.

For my part, I did the little I could to make myself useful. With the
silent sanction of Mr. Meadowcroft and his daughter, I went to
Narrabee, and secured the best legal assistance for the defense which
the town could place at my disposal. This done, there was no choice but
to wait for news of Ambrose, and for the examination before the
magistrate which was to follow. I shall pass over the misery in the
house during the interval of expectation; no useful purpose could be
served by describing it now. Let me only say that Naomi's conduct
strengthened me in the conviction that she possessed a noble nature. I
was unconscious of the state of my own feelings at the time; but I am
now disposed to think that this was the epoch at which I began to envy
Ambrose the wife whom he had won.

The telegraph brought us our first news of Ambrose. He had been
arrested at the hotel, and he was on his way to Morwick. The next day
he arrived, and followed his brother to prison. The two were confined
in separate cells, and were forbidden all communication with each
other.

Two days later, the preliminary examination took place. Ambrose and
Silas Meadowcroft were charged before the magistrate with the willful
murder of John Jago. I was cited to appear as one of the witnesses;
and, at Naomi's own request, I took the poor girl into court, and sat
by her during the proceedings. My host also was present in his
invalid-chair, with his daughter by his side.

Such was the result of my voyage across the ocean in search of rest and
quiet; and thus did time and chance fulfill my first hasty foreboding
of the dull life I was to lead at Morwick Farm!

CHAPTER VII. THE MATERIALS IN THE DEFENSE.

ON our way to the chairs allotted to us in the magistrate's court, we
passed the platform on which the prisoners were standing together.

Silas took no notice of us. Ambrose made a friendly sign of
recognition, and then rested his hand on the "bar" in front of him. As
she passed beneath him, Naomi was just tall enough to reach his hand on
tiptoe. She took it. "I know you are innocent," she whispered, and gave
him one look of loving encouragement as she followed me to her place.
Ambrose never lost his self-