“You are sure, Miss Munro, of the innocence of the prisoner so sure that you are willing to swear to it.  Such is your conviction, at least; for, unless you saw the blow given by another hand, or could prove Mr. Colleton to have been elsewhere at the time of the murder, of course you could not, of a certainty, swear to any such fact.  You are not now to say whether you believe him capable of such an act or not.  You are to say whether you know of any circumstances which shall acquit him of the charge, or furnish a plausible reason, why others, not less than yourself, should have a like reason with yourself to believe him innocent.  Can you do this, Miss Munro?  Can you show anything, in this chain of circumstances, against him, which, of your own knowledge, you can say to be untrue?  Speak out, young lady, and rely upon every indulgence from the court.”

Here the judge recapitulated all the evidence which had been furnished against the prisoner.  The maiden listened with close attention, and the difficulties of her situation became more and more obvious.  Finding her slow to answer, though her looks were certainly full of meaning, the presiding officer took another course for the object which he had in view.  He now proceeded to her examination in the following form:—­

“You know the prisoner?”

“I do.”

“You knew the murdered man?”

“Perfectly.”

“Were they frequently together since the appearance of the prisoner in these regions?”

“Frequently.”

“At the house in which you dwell?”

“Yes.”

“Were they together on the day preceding the night of the murder?”

“They were—­throughout the better portion of it.”

“Did they separate at your place of residence, and what was the employment of the prisoner subsequently on the same day?”

“They did separate while at our house, Mr. Colleton retiring at an early hour of the evening to his chamber.”

“So far, Miss Munro, your answers correspond directly with the evidence, and now come the important portions.  You will answer briefly and distinctly.  After that, did you see anything more of the prisoner, and know you of his departure from the house—­the hour of the night—­the occasion of his going—­and the circumstances attending it?”

These questions were, indeed, all important to the female delicacy of the maiden, as well as to the prisoner, and as her eye sunk in confusion, and as her cheek paled and kindled with the innate consciousness, the youth, who had hitherto been silent, now rose, and without the slightest hesitancy of manner, requested of the maiden that she would say no more.