tears.) I had my child to provide for, and no man to help me! What
was I to do? A servant must live.

_Prisoner._ Then why not let her mistress live, whose bread she has
eaten? My lord, shall not this false witness be sent hence to prison for
perjury?

_Wiltshire._ Certainly not. What woman on earth is expected to reveal
her own shame upon oath? 'T was not fair nor human to put such
questions. Come, madam, leave torturing this poor creature. Show some
mercy; you may need it yourself.

_Prisoner._ Sir, 'tis not mercy I ask, but justice according to law. But
since you do me the honor to make me a request, I will comply, and ask
her but one question more. Describe my apartment into which you showed
Thomas Leicester that night. Begin at the outer door.

_Ryder._ First there is the anteroom; then the boudoir; then there's
your bedchamber.

_Prisoner._ Into which of those three did you show Thomas Leicester?

_Ryder._ Into the anteroom.

_Prisoner._ Then why did you say it was in my chamber I entertained him?

_Ryder._ Madam, I meant no more than that it was your private apartment
up stairs.

_Prisoner._ You contrived to make the gentlemen think otherwise.

_Judge._ That you did. 'T is down in my notes that she received the
pedler in her bedchamber.

_Ryder_ (sobbing). God is my witness I did not mean to mislead your
lordship: and I ask my lady's pardon for not being more exact in that
particular.

At this the prisoner bowed to the judge, and sat down with one
victorious flash of her gray eye at the witness, who was in an abject
condition of fear, and hung all about the witness-box limp as a wet
towel.

Sergeant Wiltshire saw she was so thoroughly cowed she would be apt to
truckle, and soften her evidence to propitiate the prisoner; so he asked
her but one question.

"Were you and the prisoner on good terms?"

_Ryder._ On the best of terms. She was always a good and liberal
mistress to me.

_Wiltshire._ I will not prolong your sufferings. You may go down.

_Judge._ But you will not leave the court till this trial is ended. I
have grave doubts whether I ought not to commit you.

Unfortunately for the prisoner, Ryder was not the last witness for the
crown. The others that followed were so manifestly honest that it would
have been impolitic to handle them severely. The prisoner, therefore,
put very few questions to them; and, when the last witness went down,
the case looked very formidable.

The evidenc