inal! the thing seemed impossible.

"This is very good of you, Mr. Thurwell," he said in a low but clear
tone. "I scarcely expected that I should be permitted to see visitors."

Mr. Thurwell grasped his hand, and held it for a moment without
speaking. He had all an Englishman's reticence of speech in times of
great emotion, and it seemed to him that there was nothing that he could
say. But silence was very eloquent.

"I have brought Mr. Dewes with me," he said at last. "He wants to see
you about the defence, you know. The high sheriff's a friend of mine, so
I got him to pass me in at the same time; but if you'd rather see Dewes
alone, you'll say so, won't you?"

There had been an acute nervous force working in Bernard Maddison's face
during that brief silence. At Mr. Thurwell's words, a change came. He
dropped his visitor's hand, and his features were still and cold as
marble, and almost as expressionless, save for the lightly drawn lips,
and lowered eyebrows, which gave to his expression a fixed look of
power.

"That is very kind and thoughtful of you, Mr. Thurwell, and I am sorry
that you should have had the trouble to no purpose. I have nothing to
add to my previous decision. I will not be represented by either lawyer
or counsel."

Mr. Dewes moved forward out of the background, and bowed. He was a
handsome, middle-aged man, looking more like a cavalry officer than a
solicitor. But, as everyone knew, so far as criminal cases were
concerned, he was the cleverest lawyer in London.

"You are relying upon your innocence, of course, Mr. Maddison," he said;
"but it is a very great mistake to suppose that it will establish itself
without extraneous aid. You will have the Attorney-General against you,
and you must have some one of the same caliber on your side. The old
saying, 'Truth will out,' does not apply in an assize court. It requires
to be dragged out. I think you will do well to accept my services.
Roberts holds himself open to take the brief for your defence, if I wire
him before midday."

"I seldom change my mind," Bernard Maddison said quietly. "In the
present case I shall not do so. If it seems to me that there is anything
which should be said on my behalf, I shall say it myself."

There was a short silence. Mr. Dewes looked at Mr. Thurwell, and Mr.
Thurwell looked both perplexed and worried.

"Maddison, you must admit that yours is an extraordinary decision," he
said at last. "You must forgive me if I