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excitedly on the table； as his son paused and looked at him。
〃The
doctor who attended the dying man was not of your way of
thinking；〃 remarked Bashwood the younger； dryly。 〃He called in
two other medical men； and they all three refused to certify the
death。 The usual legal investigation followed。 The evidence of
the doctors and the evidence of the servants pointed irresistibly
in one and the same direction； and Mrs。 Waldron was committed for
trial； on the charge of murdering her husband by poison。 A
solicitor in first…rate criminal practice was sent for from
London to get up the prisoner's defense； and these 'Instructions'
took their form and shape accordingly。What's the matter？ What
do you want now？〃
Suddenly rising from his chair； Mr。 Bashwood stretched across the
table； and tried to take the papers from his son。 〃I want to look
at them；〃 he burst out； eagerly。 〃I want to see what they say
about the captain from Cuba。 He was at the bottom of it；
JemmyI'll swear he was at the bottom of it！〃
〃Nobody doubted that who was in the secret of the case at the
time；〃 rejoined his son。 〃But nobody could prove it。 Sit down
again； dad； and compose yourself。 There's nothing here about
Captain Manuel but the lawyer's private suspicions of him； for
the counsel to act on or not； at the counsel's discretion。 From
first to last she persisted in screening the captain。 At the
outset of the business she volunteered two statements to the
lawyerboth of which he suspected to be false。 In the first
place she declared that she was innocent of the crime。 He wasn't
surprised； of course； so far； his clients were； as a general
rule； in the habit of deceiving him in that way。 In the second
place； while admitting her private correspondence with the Cuban
captain； she declared that the letters on both sides related
solely to a proposed elopement； to which her husband's barbarous
treatment had induced her to consent。 The lawyer naturally asked
to see the letters。 'He has burned all my letters； and I have
burned all his；' was the only answer he got。 It was quite
possible that Captain Manuel might have burned _her_ letters when
he heard there was a coroner's inquest in the house。 But it was
in her solicitor's experience （as it is in my experience too）
that； when a woman is fond of a man； in ninety…nine cases out of
a hundred； risk or no risk； she keeps his letters。 Having his
suspicions roused in this way； the lawyer privately made some
inquiries about the foreign captain； and found that he was as
short of money as a foreign captain could be。 At the same time；
he put some questions to his client about her expectations from
her deceased husband。 She answered； in high indignation； that a
will had been found among her husband's papers； privately
executed only a few days before his death； and leaving her no
more； out of all his immense fortune； than five thousand pounds。
'Was there an older will； then；' says the lawyer； 'which the new
will revoked？' Yes； there was； a will that he had given into her
own possessiona will made when they were first married。
'Leaving his widow well provided for？' Leaving her just ten times
as much as the second will left her。 'Had she ever mentioned that
first will； now revoked； to Captain Manuel？' She saw the trap set
for her； and said； 'No； never！' without an instant's hesitation。
That reply confirmed the lawyer's suspicions。 He tried to
frighten her by declaring that her life might pay the forfeit of
her deceiving him in this matter。 With the usual obstinacy of
women； she remained just as immovable as ever。 The captain； on
his side； behaved in the most exemplary manner。 He confessed to
planning the elopement； he declared that he had burned all the
lady's letters as they reached him； out of regard for her
reputation； he remained in the neighborhood； and he volunteered
to attend before the magistrates。 Nothing was discovered that
could legally connect him with the crime； or that could put him
into court on the day of the trial； in any other capacity than
the capacity of a witness。 I don't believe myself that there's
any moral doubt （as they call it） that Manuel knew of the will
which left her mistress of fifty thousand pounds； and that he was
ready and willing； in virtue of that circumstance； to marry her
on Mr。 Waldron's death。 If anybody tempted her to effect her own
release from her husband by making herself a widow； the captain
must have been the man。 And unless she contrived； guarded and
watched as she was； to get the poison for herself； the poison
must have come to her in one of the captain's letters。〃
〃I don't believe she used it； if it did come to her！〃 exclaimed
Mr。 Bashwood。 〃I believe it was the captain himself who poisoned
her husband！〃
Bashwood the younger； without noticing the interruption； folded
up the Instructions for the Defense； which had now served their
purpose； put them back in his bag； and produced a printed
pamphlet in their place。
〃Here is one of the published Reports of the Trial；〃 he said；
〃which you can read at your leisure； if you like。 We needn't
waste time now by going into details。 I have told you already how
cleverly her counsel paved his way for treating the charge of
murder as the crowning calamity of the many that had already
fallen on an innocent woman。 The two legal points relied on for
the defense （after this preliminary flourish） were： First； that
there was no evidence to connect her with the possession of
poison； and； secondly； that the medical witnesses； while
positively declaring that her husband had died by poison；
differed in their conclusions as to the particular drug that had
killed him。 Both good points； and both well worked； but the
evidence on the other side bore down everything before it。 The
prisoner was proved to have had no less than three excellent
reasons for killing her husband。 He had treated her with almost
unexampled barbarity； he had left her in a will （unrevoked so far
as she knew） mistress of a fortune on his death； and she was； by
her own confession； contemplating an elopement with another man。
Having set forth these motives； the prosecution next showed by
evidence； which was never once shaken on any single point； that
the one person in the house who could by any human possibility
have administered the poison was the prisoner at the bar。 What
could the judge and jury do； with such evidence before them as
this？ The verdict was Guilty； as a matter of course； and the
judge declared that he agreed with it。 The female part of the
audience was in hysterics； and the male part was not much better。
The judge sobbed； and the bar shuddered。 She was sentenced to
death in such a scene as had never been previously witnessed in
an English court of justice。 And she is alive and hearty at the
present moment； free to do any mischief she pleases； and to
poison； at her own entire convenience； any man； woman； or child
that happens to stand in her way。 A most interesting woman！ Keep
on good terms with her； my dear sir； whatever you do； for the Law
has said to her in the plainest possible English； 'My charming
friend； I have no terrors for _you！_' 〃
〃How was she pardoned？〃 asked Mr。 Bashwood； breathlessly。 〃They
told me at the time； but I have forgotten。 Was it the Home
Secretary？ If it was； I respect the Home Secretary！ I say the
Home Secretary was deserving of his place。〃
〃Quite right； old gentleman！〃 rejoined Bashwood the younger。 〃The
Home Secretary was the obedient humble servant of an enlightened
Free Press； and he _was_ deserving of his place。 Is it possible
you don't know how she cheated the gallows？ If you don't； I must
tell you。 On the evening of the trial； two or three of the young
buccaneers of literature went down to two or three newspaper
offices； and wrote two or three heart…rending leading articles on
the subject of the proceedings in court。 The next morning the
public caught light like tinder； and the prisoner was tried over
again； before an amateur court of justice； in the columns of the
newspapers。 All the people who had no personal experience
whatever on the subject seized their pens； and rushed （by kind
permission of the editor） into print。 Doctors who had _not_
attended the sick man； and who had _not_ been present at the
examination
of the body； declared by dozens that he had died a natural
death。 Barristers without business； who had _not_ heard the
evidence； attacked the jury who had heard it； and judged the
judge； who had sat on the bench before some of them were born。
The general public followed the lead of the barristers and the
doctors； and the young buccaneers who had set the thing going。
Here was the law that they all paid to protect them actually
doing its duty in dreadful earnest！ Shocking！ shocking！ The
British Public rose to protest as one man against the working of
its own machinery； and the Home Secretary； in a state of
distraction； went to the judge。 The judge held firm。 He had said
it was the right verdict at the time； and he said so still。 'But
suppose；' says the Home Secretary； 'that the prosecution had
tried some other way of proving her guilty at the trial than the
way they did try； what would you and