s sure to punish that wicked thief who stole his watch."

"One would think so: much will depend upon the way Mr. Bumpkin gives his
evidence; much on the way in which the thief is defended; a good deal on
the ability of the Counsel for the Prosecution; and very much on the
class of man they get in the jury box."

"But the case is so clear."

"Yes, to us who know all about it; but you have to make it clear to the
jury."

"There's the watch found upon the man. Why, dear me, what can be clearer
or plainer than that?"

"True; that's Mr. Bumpkin's evidence."

"And Mr. Bumpkin saw him take it."

"That's Bumpkin again."

"Then Mr. O'Rapley was with him."

"Did you not hear that he is not to be called; the Don doesn't want to be
seen in the affair."

"Well, I feel certain he will win. I shall not believe in trial by jury
if they let that man off."

"You don't know what a trial at the Old Bailey or Quarter Sessions is. I
don't mean at the Old Bailey before a real Common Law judge, but a
Chancery judge. I once heard a counsel, who was prosecuting a man for
passing bad money, interrupt a recorder in his summing up, and ask him to
tell the jury there was evidence of seven bad florins having been found
in the prisoner's boot. As guilty knowledge was the gist of the offence,
this seemed somewhat important. The learned young judge, turning to the
jury, said, in a hesitating manner, 'Well, really, gentlemen, I don't
know whether that will affect your judgment in any way; there is the
evidence, and you may consider it if you please.'"

"One more thing I should like to ask."

"By all means."

"Why can't they get Mr. Bumpkin's case tried?"

"Because there is no system. In the County Court, where a judge tries
three times as many cases in a day as any Superior judge, cases are tried
nearly always on the day they are set down for. At the Criminal Courts,
where every case is at least as important as any Civil case, everyone
gets tried without unnecessary delay. In the Common Law Courts it's very
much like hunt the slipper--you hardly ever know which Court the case is
in for five minutes together. Then they sit one day and not another, to
the incalculable expense of the suitors, who may come up from Devonshire
to-night, and, after waiting a week, go back and return again to town at
the end of the following month."

"But, now that O'Rapley has taken the matter up, is there not some hope?"

"Well, he seems to have