Desirous of relieving him of all apprehension relative to a possible misconstruction of his motives and conduct, she left one hand in his, and laid the other with a caressing touch on his arm; an unprecedented demonstration, which at any other time would have surprised and charmed him. "Ah, what a melancholy sight! So much delicate refined beauty, in this horrible lair of human beasts! Lennox, let us hope that the mercy of God will call her speedily to His own bar of justice, before she suffers the torture and degradation of trial, by earthly tribunals." She felt the slight shudder that crept over him, the sudden start with which he dropped her hand, and bent once more over the cot. "God forbid she should die now, leaving the burden of her murder on my soul!" His countenance was averted, but the ferver of his adjuration filled her with a vague sense of painful foreboding. "Is it friendly to desire the preservation of a life, whose probable goal seems the gallows, or perpetual imprisonment? Poor girl! In the choice of awful alternatives, death would come here as an angel of mercy." Leo took Beryl's hand in hers, and tears filled her eyes as she noted the symmetry of the snowy fingers, the delicate arch of the black brows, the exceeding beauty of the waving outline where the rich mahogany-hued hair touched the forehead and temples, that gleamed like polished marble. "Is it friendly to wish an innocent girl to go down into her grave, leaving a name stained for all time by suspicion, if not absolute conviction of a horrible crime?" Mr. Dunbar spoke through set teeth, and Leo's astonishment at the expression of his countenance, delayed an answer, which was prevented by the entrance of Mrs. Singleton. "Miss Gordon, your uncle wishes to know whether you are ready to go home; as he has an engagement that calls him away?" Did Leo imagine the look of relief that seemed to brighten Mr. Dunbar's face, as he said promptly: "With your permission, I will see you safely down stairs, and commit you to Judge Dent's care." Standing beside the cot, she watched Mrs. Singleton measure the medicine from a vial into a small glass. When the warden's wife knelt down, and putting one arm under the pillow elevated it slightly, while she held the glass to the girl's lips, Beryl attempted to push it aside. "Take it for me, dear child; it will make you sleep, and ease your pain." The beautiful eyes regarded her wistfully, then wandered to the face of the lawyer and rested, spellbound. "Here, swallow this. It is not bad to take." Mrs. Singleton patted her cheek and again essayed to administer the draught, but without success. "Let me try." Mr. Dunbar took the glass, but as he bent down, the girl began to shiver as though smitten with a mortal chill. She writhed away, put out her shuddering hands to ward it off; and starting up, her eyes filled with a look of indescribable horror and loathing, as she cried out: