“If her brother, at the age of thirty, has no son, named John, she will come into possession of half a million.” Dick knew what was coming, and he braced himself for the issue. “Mr. Birch, have you intended, expected, or desired to marry Miss Hungerford?” “I object, your honor,” protested Mr. Darling, with as much violence as respect for the bullet-headed magistrate would permit. Again Mr. Lowe explained that this evidence was essential to establish the fact of, and the provocation for, the murder; and again the blockhead on the bench permitted him to proceed. He repeated his question. “I neither intended nor expected--I desired.” “Have you not acknowledged that you were attached to her?” “In the confidence of friendship, I did,” he replied, glancing at Dr. Bilks, who was now having his revenge for the severe cross-examination to which he had been subjected, and under which he had been so terribly exercised. “Was there anything to prevent your marriage with Miss Hungerford--are you aware of any impediment?” “I am not.” “Would her mother or her brother have objected?” “I think not.” “The marriage, then, was possible, and even probable?” “It was possible.” “Was it not probable?” “I am not capable of judging.” “You were attached to the lady, and you are aware of no impediment. Did you not, therefore, expect to marry her?” “I hoped to do so--I hardly expected it.” “You intended to marry her--did you not, Mr. Birch?” “I could not intend to do what it was not possible for me to do alone,” replied Dick, with entire self-possession. “On your own part, then, you intended to marry her, and you knew of no impediment? Was this your position?” “It was then, but it is not now?” “Why not now?” “These events have made it impossible.” Even the magistrate, who sat, wood upon wood, on the bench, did not think “this line” was competent, and Mr. Lowe began to draw nearer to the real question; but in the course of his explanation to the court, he artfully reviewed the point he had apparently established--that the witness wished to prevent Hungerford’s marriage with the prisoner’s sister, in order that the contingent half million of dollars might come into her (Julia’s) possession, and thence into his own hands, when she became his wife; thus showing the strong motives which Dick had for meeting Buckstone privately. “Mr. Birch, were you with the deceased on The Great Bell, just before the murder?” “I was not.” “You were not?” demanded Mr. Lowe, apparently confounded by the answer. “I was not.” “When did you last see Buckstone?” “On The Great Bell, nearly a year ago.” “Haven’t you seen him recently?” “I have not.” “On your oath, do you say you were not with him on the night of the murder?” “On my oath, I do say so.” “Where were you at that time?” “In Mr. Hungerford’s house, at Pine Hill.” “What time did you retire that night?” “At about ten o’clock.” “Did you go out of the house that night?”