The rest of the speech was lost in the dark recesses of the Gaelic language, as Dr. Cameron strode after the bulky form of the turnkey. One good result of this visit was that Alec was removed next day to the hospital ward of the prison. FOOTNOTES: [1] To bear. [2] Troublesome. CHAPTER XXXIII. THE TRIAL. A thick, murky fog hung over London on the morning of Alec Lindsay’s trial. Waves of chill mist rolled up from the river, and met the sulphurous vapours which filled the air. The sun was not visible at all. In every street and building gas was flaming, as if it had been midnight. Rain or snow would have been a relief from the stifling yellow vapour; but neither fell. The cold, clammy, omnipresent fog reigned supreme. As it happened, Hubert Blake had slept at his uncle’s the night before. He had, of course, determined to be present at the trial; and when he came down to breakfast, an hour earlier than usual, he was surprised to see that both Sophy Meredith and Miss Elmwood were dressed ready to go out. ‘You are not thinking of shopping on a day like this?’ asked Hubert in some surprise. ‘No, indeed,’ answered Sophy, almost indignantly. ‘We are going to the court.’ Blake said no more at the time; but when Miss Elmwood had left the breakfast-room to put on her bonnet, he returned to the subject. ‘I really think you had better stay at home,’ he said, in a matter-of-fact way. ‘It is quite unnecessary for you to be there, and it may be a very painful scene.’ Sophy’s fingers were trembling nervously, as she played with the sugar-tongs. She was obliged to fold her hands, and pause for a second or two before she answered: ‘I think, if there is ever a time when one should stand by one’s friends, it is when they are----’ And then she stopped, as if she could not trust herself to say more. ‘Yes, of course; but, you see, you can’t do Lindsay any good by going; probably he won’t even know you are there. It is not as if you were a relation of his.’ It was all true enough; and Sophy felt only too keenly that her action would seem ridiculous; yet she was none the less determined to go. She had nothing to say in reply, and sat searching her mind for some excuse, while the tears that would no longer be restrained rapidly filled her eyes. Blake saw her agitation with surprise. ‘I had no idea she was so tender-hearted,’ was his first thought. ‘Can it be that--that Lindsay is something more than a friend to her?’ was his second. ‘She is older than he is, but not so very much older, after all. It would not be so very surprising, if it were so. It would be----’