'Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, you find a'--here he stopped and turned it over to read what was on the back, a task which occupied several seconds; but he completed the sentence as if no break had occurred--'true bill against'--another pause, he was looking for the name concealed amid the mazes of technical phraseology. This time the foreman rashly attempted to help him out by murmuring, 'Joseph Hall.' The clerk of arraigns turned round and glared at him, then resumed his investigation, and finally brought out the name in a tone of triumph, as of one who gloried in overcoming obstacles, and was not to be baffled by any indictment in the power of man to draw--'Joseph Hall, for stealing a coat of the value of thirty shillings; also for receiving the same, knowing it to be stolen.' He then turned again, and bestowed an impatient nod on the waiting foreman, who withdrew, a crushed and miserable man. 'Put up Joseph Hall,' was the next command. The governor of the gaol leant forward and repeated the order to a warder, who had already heard it perfectly and dived below, apparently through the solid floor of the court. The next moment Mr. Hall appeared, with easy nonchalance, and leant forward in a graceful attitude on the bar of the dock, while the clerk of arraigns proceeded to acquaint him with the crime of which he was accused. Exhibiting no surprise at this piece of information, which, considering he had been lying under the accusation for two months, was perhaps hardly to be wondered at, Mr. Hall in emphatic tones pronounced himself innocent. 'What?' said the clerk of arraigns, stretching anxiously forward. Mr. Hall repeated his sentiments. 'What does he say?' exclaimed the clerk of arraigns, appealing to the court generally for assistance. The response was a loud but confused roar of voices from the Junior Bar, out of which the only clear sound that penetrated to the unfortunate man's brain was the word 'guilty.' 'He says he's guilty!' he remarked to his clerk, in what he intended for an aside, but which was perfectly audible over the whole building. At this point the judge, becoming impatient, leant over and tapped the clerk of arraigns on the shoulder. He turned round. 'He pleads guilty, my lord,' he said, thinking that the judge wished for information. 'No, he doesn't, Mr. Hughes. He said "Not guilty,"' answered the judge. Mr. Hughes was nearly beside himself by this time. Leaning forward in the direction of the prisoner, he shouted fiercely: 'What _do_ you say? Are you guilty or not?' 'No,' came in tones loud enough for him to hear at last. 'Then _why_ can't you speak distinctly? The names you are about to hear called are those of the jurors who are to try you if you have any objection to them or any of them you shall make it as they come to the book to be sworn and before they are sworn and you shall be heard. John Henry Mugglewrath, stand up.'