FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120  
121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  
s of innocence, and gave herself up, fairly challenging a trial! It is not likely, therefore, that she would run away, if released upon bail." "Quibbles, sir! quibbles! I know of no exceptions to this rule! Mr. Sheriff, remove the prisoner." Mr. Fortescue drew Sybil's arm within his own, and whispered to her: "I will take you back to the Judge's room, where we will remain while Sheridan goes before the Court and puts in an application for bail." Sybil drew her veil again before her face as she was led from the magistrate's office back to the Judge's room, where she found her young escort, still anxiously awaiting her. "It is all right, Raphael," she said, "or rather it will be all right very soon! Will it not, Mr. Fortescue?" "I trust and believe so, madam." "The magistrate insisted that my case was not a bailable one, and indeed I knew that much myself; but the Judge said that he would admit me to bail, and he can do so, can he not?" anxiously inquired Sybil. "The magistrate told you the truth; and besides, he had no power to act in the matter of releasing you on bail; but your case is a very exceptional one, Mrs. Berners, and the judge has very great discretionary powers, which I am sure he will stretch to the utmost in your behalf." "I hope without risk to his own position." The high sheriff smiled. "Judge Ruthven," he said, "is the most distinguished jurist, as well as the most honored judge and the most popular man that ever presided in our courts. His proceedings become precedents. He can venture to do a great deal. He can afford to risk much!" While they talked thus together, Mr. Sheridan reentered the room, with a very cheerful expression on his countenance. "All will be well," he said, brightly. "Mr. Sheriff, I bear you the Judge's order to bring your charge into court. Mrs. Berners, you will meet some friends there, and will, with them, enter into a recognizance for your appearance at court when called to trial." Sybil promptly arose and gave her hand to Mr. Fortescue, who drew it within his arm and led her out of the room, and then from the hotel to the court-house. The court-room was, comparatively speaking, empty. The crowd that had collected to hear a trial for forgery, which was just ended in the acquittal of the prisoner, had dispersed at its close; and no one remained but the presiding judge, the officers of the court, a few lawyers and a group of gentlemen. As Sybil
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120  
121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Fortescue
 

magistrate

 

prisoner

 
Sheridan
 

Berners

 

anxiously

 

Sheriff

 

talked

 

lawyers

 

cheerful


reentered

 
gentlemen
 

presided

 
popular
 
honored
 

distinguished

 

jurist

 

courts

 

afford

 

venture


precedents

 

proceedings

 

presiding

 

promptly

 

acquittal

 
called
 

comparatively

 

speaking

 

collected

 

forgery


appearance

 

Ruthven

 
charge
 

remained

 

brightly

 

countenance

 

officers

 

recognizance

 

dispersed

 

friends


expression
 
remain
 

whispered

 

application

 

escort

 
office
 

remove

 
challenging
 
fairly
 

innocence