"Catinka!" he said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" "I came down to see the trial," she replied. "I saw the body of the poor girl, and I desire to behold the wicked murder man." "You won't see him here, then. No one knows who killed Miss Lester." "But this doctor----" "Is innocent," interrupted Lovel. "The trial is a mere farce. When Dr. Lester is discharged we must look for the real assassin. Can you help us?" "I, my dear?" Catinka shrugged her shoulders. "No; I told to that good Mexton all that I know. Where is he?" "At Barnstead--on business." "And my good friend, Mr. Herne?" "Yonder he is, standing beside that clergyman." "The priest? And who is that priest?" "Mr. Chaskin, the Vicar of Barnstead." "He is a ver' handsome man," said Catinka, calmly. "Hush, Mistar Lovel; we will listen to what they say. Lester is in his place, and his lawyer talks." "No, no; that is counsel for the Crown." "Ah; but, my friend, it is no matter, no matter at all." To this speech Lovel made no reply, as he was listening intently to the opening speech of the counsel for the Crown. This barrister--an eminent man in his profession--set forth all the circumstances of the crime, detailing the supposed movements of the prisoner on the night of the murder, and ended with an allusion to the witnesses he proposed to call in order to prove his guilt. Then one by one those who had appeared at the inquest, including Lovel and Iris, gave their evidence, which, as may be guessed, incriminated Lester in a very decided fashion. To the majority of the spectators, ignorant of what had been discovered since the inquest, it seemed probable that Lester was guilty, that he would be convicted, sentenced, and ultimately hanged. Thinking thus, those present in the court were astonished to see how serene was the demeanour of the prisoner. Dr. Lester, dressed in mourning for his child--a fact which the female portion of the audience resented as hypocrisy--stood quite composed in the dock, and paid the greatest attention to the accusations which were leveled against him. Only once did he wince, and that was when allusion was made to his drunken habits and frequent states of dangerous frenzy induced by intoxication. Otherwise he was unmoved. "You say this one not wicked!" whispered Catinka to Lovel, who had returned to his seat after giving his evidence. "I think they all say he kill that poor daughter." "Wait till you hear both sides of the question," replied Lovel, in the same low tones; "the doctor has yet to make his defence."