Counsel.--"Did you remark if his hands bled at all after he came down?" Witness.--"No, Sir, I did not see them bleed. They seemed quite white, as they always were: whiter than most gardeners' hands." In answer to other questions, she proceeded to state that the prisoner took a Dutch hoe with him when he went out, and had none when he came back; that about half-past ten he was called away to speak with Mr. Tracy, and then she heard of the murder; that she went up to his room during his absence, to see if anything wanted putting to rights, when she found his coat, all bloody on the sleeve, thrown over a chair, and the marks of bloody hands upon the towel. "When he came back," she deposed, "he seemed very sad, but not so astray-looking as before; and he told her that the gentleman who had been murdered was a friend of his, and that he should have to go down and give evidence before the coroner. He bade me wake him, too, if he overslept himself," continued the witness; "for he said he had walked a good way in the course of the day, and was very tired." Here ended the examination by the counsel for the prosecution; and a momentary consultation was seen to take place between Sir ---- and his junior. "No, no; go on," said the great barrister; "no one could have done it better. I am perfectly confident in your judgment." "But I am somewhat fatigued," said Mr. B----; "and as it is of so much importance, I would rather you undertook it." "Very well; to relieve you, but for no other reason," said Sir ----, and he rose to cross-examine the witness himself. "When I remind you, witness, he said, that you are upon your oath, it is simply because I believe you to have a sincere affection for your master, as every one has who has the honour and pleasure of knowing him; and I wish you to understand that nothing can so well serve him as the plain, undisguised truth. Give, therefore, clear and unhesitating answers to my questions, that the court, convinced of your sincerity, may attach due weight to your testimony. Did the prisoner, when he returned to his cottage, make any attempt to conceal the blood upon his hands or coat?" "Oh dear no, Sir," replied the witness; "he held his hands straight before him, and came at once to the light." Counsel.--"When you saw the coat, did it appear to you that any attempt had been made to wash out the blood upon the arm." Witness.--"No, Sir. There it was, plain enough." Counsel.--"Did you remark any scratches or wound upon his hands?" Witness.--"Yes, Sir, they were a good deal scratched, specially the left. There was a good big tear in that." Counsel.--"Now, you say, he came in first about half-past four. How long did he stay?" Witness.--"Some quarter of an hour or twenty minutes." "But you say he went away at five," said the barristers; "how can that be?" The woman looked puzzled. "Why, I heard half-past four go just before he came in, by the church clock; and clocks differ you know Sir."