“Well, it is only for a short time; the sessions will soon be on, and there you’ll have justice done you, let us hope.” “Umph! Hope told a flattering tale, mother. But, hark ye! I want to see the lawyer to give him the necessary instructions for preparing my defence. Do you hear? I must see him.” “I’ve arranged all that. He will be here in a day or two’s time. Don’t fret or worry yourself; we are doing all we can for you.” “I have no doubt of that; but it’s hard to be cooped up here.” While this conversation had been taking place there was a hubbub of voices from the other prisoners and their friends. Interviews of this nature are in many cases painful in the extreme, especially when the friends or relatives of a prisoner are introduced into the interior of a gaol for the first time. At the expiration of the time appointed for these visits, Peace and his companions returned to their respective cells. Soon after this he had an interview with his solicitor, to whom he explained the whole of the circumstances connected with the alleged attempted burglary at the “Gothic Cottage.” His legal adviser took notes for the preparation of his brief, and told his client that the line of defence he purposed adopting would in all probability be deemed an answer to the charge, and that he looked forward with confidence to an acquittal, unless some further incriminating evidence was presented in the course of the trial. “You have all the facts, sir,” returned Peace, “but of course there is no telling what that infamous old woman will swear.” “Oh! we don’t intend letting her have it all her own way,” observed the lawyer. “She’ll be subject to a searching cross-examination.” Peace was in much better spirits after the interview with his lawyer, who had said, in the course of conversation, that it was as trumpery a case as he had ever had to do with. The day of trial at length arrived. The prosecutrix and her witnesses were in court when Peace was placed in the dock. After a few preparatory remarks from the counsel for the prosecution, Mrs. Pocklington was sworn. She deposed to the facts already known to the reader, her evidence being in substance much the same as that given before the bench of magistrates. Mr. Serjeant Jawkins rose and proceeded to cross-examine the prosecutrix. “When did you become aware of the fact that a burglar――as you are pleased to call the prisoner――was endeavouring to effect an entrance into your house?” “When I opened the drawing-room window.” “And pray, madam, what was your reason for opening your window?” “I heard a scraping noise at the front door, and suspected there was something amiss.” “And you saw the prisoner at the door of the house?” “Yes.” “Which he was endeavouring to open?” “Certainly――so I imagined.” “We don’t want to know what you imagined. Will you swear that he was endeavouring to open it? Now be careful in your answers.” “It appeared to me that he was doing so. The door was partly open.”