girl, said that
she was dying. When examined, she deposed that Marian, when she left
home, had worn a blue merino dress--and, yes, she always wore a little
locket ring on her finger. Drooping and fainting as she was, Miriam was
allowed to leave the court-room. This closed the evidence of the
prosecution.

The defense was taken up and conducted with a great deal of skill. Mr.
Romford enlarged upon the noble character his client had ever maintained
from childhood to the present time--they all knew him--he had been born
and had ever lived among them--what man or woman of them all would have
dared to suspect him of such a crime? He spoke warmly of his truth,
fidelity, Christian zeal, benevolence, philanthropy and great public
benefits.

I have no space nor time to give a fair idea of the logic and eloquence
with which Mr. Romford met the charges of the State's Attorney, nor the
astute skill with which he tried to break down the force of the evidence
for the prosecution. Then he called the witnesses for the defense. They
were all warm friends of Mr. Willcoxen, all had known him from boyhood,
none would believe that under any possible circumstances he could commit
the crime for which he stood indicted. They testified to his well-known
kindness, gentleness and benevolence--his habitual forbearance and
command of temper, even under the most exasperating provocations--they
swore to his generosity, fidelity and truthfulness in all the relations
of life. In a word, they did the very best they could to save his life
and honor--but the most they could do was very little before the force
of such evidence as stood arrayed against him. And all men saw that
unless an _alibi_ could be proved, Thurston Willcoxen was lost! Oh! for
that _alibi_. Paul Douglass was again undergoing an awful temptation.
Why, he asked himself, why should he not perjure his soul, and lose it,
too, to save his brother's life and honor from fatal wrong? And if there
had not been in Paul's heart a love of truth greater than his fear of
hell, his affection for Thurston would have triumphed, he would have
perjured himself.

The defense here closed. The State's Attorney did not even deem it
necessary to speak again, and the judge proceeded to charge the jury.
They must not, he said, be blinded by the social position, clerical
character, youth, talents, accomplishments or celebrity of the
prisoner--with however dazzling a halo these might surround him. They
must de