ouched the floor, it came in contact with a chair, which was thrown
over with a loud noise. Before he could reach a large cane, for which he
was making, a heavy blow from the robber laid him senseless.

When again conscious, Mr. Acres found himself still in total darkness.
On attempting to move, there was an instant, almost intolerable pain in
his head, as if from a violent blow. On lifting his hand and placing it
upon the spot where the pain seemed most severe, it came in contact
with a cold, slimy mass of what he at once knew to be blood. His first
effort to rise was accompanied by a feeling of faintness, that caused
him to stretch himself again upon the floor, where he lay for some time
endeavouring to collect his scattered senses. After he had fully
comprehended the meaning of his alarming situation, he made another and
more successful effort to rise. Sitting up in the middle of the room,
and straining his eyes into the darkness, he began to see more and more
distinctly each moment. He was soon satisfied that he was alone. It did
not take long after this to arouse the whole house. An examination
resulted in ascertaining the fact that his secretary had been robbed of
five hundred dollars in gold.

By daylight, the whole neighbourhood was aroused, and some twenty or
thirty men were in hot pursuit of the robber, who was arrested about
twenty miles away from the village and brought back. The money taken
from the secretary of Mr. Acres, was found upon his person, and fully
identified. The man proved to be quite young, seeming to have passed but
recently beyond the limit of minority. But even young as he was, there
was a look of cruel and hardened villany about him, and an expression of
settled defiance of all consequences. He gave his name as Frederick
Hildich. A brief examination resulted in his committal to await the
result of a trial for burglary at the next court.

The day of trial at length came. The action of the court was brief, as
no defence was set up, and the proof of the crime clear and to the
point. During the progress of the trial, the prisoner seemed to take
little interest in what was going on around him, but sat in the bar,
with his head down, seemingly lost in deep abstraction of mind. At the
conclusion of the proceedings, when the court asked what he had to say
why the sentence of the law should not be pronounced upon him, the
prisoner slowly arose to his feet, lifted his head, glanced calmly
around f