"If on this evidence, weakened not a little by the position of the knife and the traces of blood, and met by the prisoner's declaration, which accords with that single branch of the evidence, you have a doubt, it is your duty to give the prisoner the full benefit of that doubt, as I have endeavored to do; and if you have no doubt, why then you have only to support the law and protect the lives of peaceful citizens. Whoever has committed this crime, it certainly is an alarming circumstance that, in a public inn, surrounded by honest people, guarded by locked doors, and armed with pistols, a peaceful citizen can be robbed like this of his money and his life." The jury saw a murder at an inn; an accused, who had already robbed in that inn, and was denounced as his murderer by the victim. The verdict seemed to them to be Cox, of impunity. They all slept at inns; a double they had never seen; undetected accomplices they had all heard of. They waited twenty minutes, and brought in their verdict--Guilty. The judge put on his black cap, and condemned Daniel Cox to be hanged by the neck till he was dead. CHAPTER III After the trial was over, and the condemned man led back to prison to await his execution, Bradbury went straight to 13 Farringdon Street and inquired for Captain Cowen. "No such name here," said the good woman of the house. "But you keep lodgers?" "Nay, we keep but one; and he is no captain--he is a City clerk." "Well, madam, it is not idle curiosity, I assure you, but was not the lodger before him Captain Cowen?" "Laws, no! It was a parson. Your rakehelly captains wouldn't suit the like of us. Twas a reverend clerk, a grave old gentleman. He wasn't very well-to-do, I thinks his cassock was worn, but he paid his way." "Keep late hours?" "Not when he was in town; but he had a country cure." "Then you have let him in after midnight." "Nay, I keep no such hours. I lent him a pass-key. He came in and out from the country when he chose. I would have you to know he was an old man, and a sober man, and an honest man: I'd wager my life on that. And excuse me, sir, but who be you, that do catechise me to about my lodgers?" "I am an officer, madam." The simple woman turned pale, and clasped her hands. "An officer!" she cried. "Alack! what have I done now?" "Why, nothing, madam," said the wily Bradbury. "An officer's business is to protect such as you, not to trouble you, for all the world. There, now, I'll tell you where the shoe pinches. This Captain Cowen has just sworn in a court of justice that he slept here on the 15th of last October." "He never did, then. Our good parson had no acquaintances in the town. Not a soul ever visited him."