hour was this?" inquired Mr. Guthrie.

"It was a few minutes before ten. The clock struck very soon after the
boy left. I remember it well, because his lordship's supper had been
ordered for ten, and the waiter just entered to lay the cloth when the
lad left, and his lordship sat down to supper at ten precisely. After the
supper-service had been removed, his lordship went to his writing-desk
and wrote for an hour, and then sealed and dispatched a packet directed
to the _Liberal Statesman_. I took it myself to the Post-Office, to
ensure its being in time for the midnight mail. It was then about
half-past eleven o'clock. I was gone on my message for about five
minutes. On my return I found my master where I had left him, sitting at
his writing-desk, arranging his papers. But when I entered he locked his
desk and said he would go to bed. I waited on him at his night toilet.
And then, as the inn was very much crowded, I slept on a lounge in my
master's bed-room. The house was full of noise; so many of the Scots
were present, making merry over the approaching marriage of their
chieftain's son. Neither my master nor myself rested well that night.
I arose early to see my master's bath. The marquis arose at eight
o'clock."

Such was the substance of James Kerr's testimony, which perfectly
corroborated that of the lad Ferguson, and greatly damaged that of Rose
Cameron.

The hotel waiter happened to be among those who had cast all their
worldly interests to the winds, abandoned their callings of whatever
sort, and come at all risk of consequences to be present at the trial.
He was found in the court-room, called to the witness-stand, sworn and
examined.

His testimony corroborated that of the two last witnesses, and utterly
broke down that of Rose Cameron.

There was further consultation between the Bar and the Bench. Finally the
testimony of the Crown's witness was set aside, and a warrant was made
out for the arrest of Rose Cameron, otherwise Rose Scott, upon the
charge of perjury.

The warrant was sent out to the sheriff's room, to which, after leaving
the witness-stand, Rose Cameron had been conducted.

And now the crowd in the court-room, composed chiefly of neighbors,
friends, kinsmen, and clansmen of the young Duke of Hereward, breathed
freely.

The thunder-cloud had passed.

Their hero was vindicated. Truly they had never for an instant doubted
his integrity, much less had they suspected him of a heinous, an