windows and high ceiling. The judge was seated on a raised platform.
Beneath him in front sat three other court officials. Near where I stood
was a gentleman wearing a robe and wig. I was surprised to find that
this was my lawyer. How was it I had an attorney? Where did he come
from?

Amongst the witnesses, I saw Bob and his two friends, the landlord of
the Old Oak Tavern, and some men whom I did not know. Then on another
stand opposite, amongst several other persons, I saw the policeman who
had arrested me. The public prosecutor in a few words stated the crime.
A robbery had been committed in St. George's Church. The thieves, a man
and a child, had climbed up a ladder and broken a window to get in. They
had with them a dog to give the alarm. At a quarter after one, a late
pedestrian had seen a light in the church and had at once aroused the
sexton. Several men ran to the church; the dog barked and the thieves
escaped through the window, leaving the dog behind them. The dog's
intelligence was remarkable. The next morning the animal had led the
policeman to the race-course where he had recognized his master, who was
none other than the accused now standing in the prisoner's dock. As to
the second thief, they were on his trail, and they hoped to arrest him
shortly.

There was little to be said for me; my friends tried to prove an alibi,
but the prosecutor said that I had ample time to meet my accomplice at
the church and then run to the Old Oak Tavern after. I was asked then
how I could account for my dog being in the church at quarter after one.
I replied that I could not say, for the dog had not been with me all
day. But I declared that I was innocent. My attorney tried to prove that
my dog had wandered into the church during the day and had been locked
in when the sexton closed the door. He did his best for me, but the
defense was weak. Then the judge said that I should be taken to the
county jail to wait for the Grand Jury to decide if I should, or should
not, be held for the assizes.

The assizes!

I fell back on my bench. Oh, why had I not listened to Mattia.

CHAPTER XXX

ESCAPE

I had not been acquitted because the judge was expecting the arrest of
the man who had entered the church with the child. They would then know
if I was this man's accomplice. They were on the trail, the prosecutor
had said, so I should have the shame and sorrow of appearing in the
prisoner's dock at the Assizes beside _hi