A Final Reckoning

e evening that week; and that he had promised to bring his tools over, to do a little job of carpentering; he also detailed his visit to the lane, and the result of his obs

e is one of the last persons in the world whom I should consider capable of the crime with which he is charged. As to his having any animosity to Mr. Ellison, I can swear that, on many differ

ance when he entered; that he was very pale, and seemed scarcely able to walk. He had asked him the nearest way to Lew

viously; that his general conduct had been most excellent, and that he was remarkably quick and intelli

," Reuben's counsel asked, "were you aware that the

enfold answered; and Reuben, with

did you h

lison himself, who called

me to call upon y

id she could only afford 20 pounds, and I thought that was an end of the matter until, a few days later, Mr. Ellison called upon me, and said that he had heard from the schoolma

his mind, at having been guilty of a piece of injustice. Over and above the 30 pounds, he gave me six pound ten; in order that I might pay the boy half a crown a week, for the first year, which he said would be a matter of consequence to his mother. He requested me on no account to let Mrs. Whitney know t

mentioned the fact to anyone; and the sum of 20 poun

, as Mr. Penfold gave his evidence; and Reuben looke

, sir, with

d adding that he knew the lad never entered a public house, but spent his evenings almost entirely at home

ted in any material particular. That he met the rest of the party in the lane was likely enough. He may have returned there with t

; but after the evidence which Mr. Penfold has given, of the kindness of that gentleman's heart, you will readily understand that no great stress can be laid upon this. The matter, so far from being trivial, as my friend represents it, is highly important; inasmuch as here we find that, again, the dogs have been poisoned just as on the first occasion. It is clear tha

ison awoke, when the thieves entered their room, it is probable that much more evidence would be forthcoming. It is, however, for you to weigh the probabilities of the case. You h

xperience told him that many criminals were men of unusual intelligence. Stress had been laid, by the counsel for the defence, upon the fact that the prisoner was not known, at any time, to have consorted with suspicious characters; but this, after all, was only negative e

Ellison for poisoning a dog, and that on the night of the robbery other dogs were found poisoned, and that probably by some one acquainted with the locality, could not but hav

Opinion was divided as to what the verdict would be. When the counsel for the defence sat down, the general opinion was that the prisoner would be certainly acquit

which had, four years ago, been brought against him. Reuben was in the habit of what he called arguing things out by himself; and as he stood there, wait

nto the box. The crier shouted for order, and there was not a sound heard,

, gentlemen, until you

, and one the other. W

ge replied. "You m

the public trooped out. Two hours later, as the jury did not return, Reuben Whitney was ta

the court," he said. "They a

kly filled, as the news spread through the town. Several of the member

ired. But as Reuben's eye rested on Jacob Priestley, whom he had at once recognized among the jury, the smith gave him an encouraging wi

as to the verdict you find i

ord," the for

prisoner guilty

ilty, m

e judge said tartly. "It i

, that eleven were one way and one the other, the belief had been general that the majority were fo

ock, and as he moved out his friend the schoolmaste

euben. I am indeed rejoiced, a

ce, for his sudden liberation had shaken him, more than

Reuben," Mr. Ellison said, put

previous evening, and had driven over again the first th

the first. I was glad indeed to hear the verdict; f

me for that old business. It has been the unfortunate cause of getting you into this affair. H

from the first; and even had I done so, your goodness, of which I only heard yes

hat matter is made up. And now I will not keep you, fo

al, but had retired when the jury left to consider their verdict, being completely overcome with agitation and excitement. The schoolmaster had slept in the house, and had persuaded her not

er; and promised them to return in a day or two. When he again came ov

ad, out to Australia. I have talked against it till I am hoarse, but

has generally a good deal to say for his side of a question,

at have you to s

; and if a small matter like that did me such harm, what will this do? If I had been proved to be innocent, it would have been different; but as it is, I believe nine people out of ten in court thought I was guilty; and

innocence. Mother says we might settle somewhere else, where we ain't known; but I should never feel safe. Year

e for me. I have no doubt I shall find work of some sort, out there. I am a pretty good workm

at sea will kill her, and then she has all sorts of ideas in her head about the natives. However I hope that, in two or three years' time, I sha

ys, and I will die here. I am not going to tramp all over the world, and settle down among blac

force of his reasoning. It was true that many people still considered him guilty. It was true that this story migh

no more trouble than you have here. Besides, every year the white population is increasing, and the black diminishing. Six months' voyage is not so dreadful as it seems. And though I do

is story might follow him. And I have no doubt he would do well out there. He is a good workman for his age and, as he says, can turn his hand to

tney said, beginning to cry. "I thought you would have

ppy in seeing him suffer. Great as the loss would be to you, I believe that you would be happier here, alone, than you would be were you to see him

?" he asked, seeing that Mrs. Whitney mad

rpenter, and I should think I ought to get my passage for my work. Anyhow, I have got

determination, ceased to oppose it; and began to busy herself in preparation

bye to Mrs. Shrewsbury. He stopped as he passed the smit

tter here than in the dock at Lewes, eh? I h

Shrewsbury; so I looked in as I passed, knowing as you were one of those who fou

wink, from the box, to let you know as it were all right; but my eye! wh

n on a stool, to indulge i

he game?" R

man, and a Cockney sort of chap he be.

e you are

as how?

he's guilty, in

ys I. 'I believes he's as

t seeing as I wasn't going to give in, Sto

d that, even if I didn't feel sure myself, I ought to go as the others went. So I didn't say much, but I sits mysel

old on easy till Tuesday. That's how I looks at it. This young chap ain't had nothing to

s and they got desperate like, for only one or two of them had put anything into their pockets, thinking that the matter was s

of you as changes your mind can

emselves. It might have been two o'clock when one o

ldren to think of, and it don't matter to me whether this chap goes to Botany Bay, or whet

and when it got light I could see as

another chance has lessened my stock of bread and bacon pretty conside

of us agin three, we goes at them and tells them how wrong it is as we was all to suffer from

tables waiting for us, as three men should keep the rest from tucking i

they would have pitched into Stokes and the other two, if they hadn't have given in. So they comes round

hall not forget your kindness; though what made you so sure of

about that there vardict, afore I went into court; for I should never have made head or tail of all that talk, and the fellows with white hair on the top of their heads as kept bobbing up

are on this j

miss,'

oing to find Reuben Whit

out it,' says I. 'Folks s

I told her natural that, the squire's being a good landlord, I wouldn't disoblige him on no account; and she might look upon it as good as settled that you sh

in his innocence on the part of the jury, but by the intervention on his behalf of the girl w

Ellison come out of her father's gate along the road with her basket, as

sbury told me, yesterday, you were going to leave Lewes and emigrate. I am glad,"-and she hesitate

met you; for I have just learned, from Jacob Priestley, that it is to you I am indebted t

flushed

to have spoken about it. I told

me. I am very glad he has spoken; for I shall carry away with me, across the sea, a deep gratitude, which will last as long as I live, for the ki

ss Ellison, and render

gently. "I hope you may do well,

ing her, until she entered one of the cottages. Then,

ore by the carrier's waggon, and had slept at the inn where it stopped. His parting with his mother had been a very sad one, but Mrs. Whitney had so far come round as to own that she thought that his plan was perhaps the bes

gh Mr. Shrewsbury, directly he heard that he was going, offered to help towards paying h

reat country, one of these days; and you are just the fellow to make your way in it. I am sorry you wouldn't l

ebt, now, that I would rather not go further into it. I am old enough now to make my own w

can transplant a young tree, easily enough; but you can

suppose I shall hear through Shrewsbury,

most of the vessels. He had already gone on board three or four, which were loading for Australia, but in none

ked a sailor, who was passing

"She warps out of dock tonight, and takes o

tenced for transport

rt of cargo. I have been out with such a load before,

escape of forming one of a similar party. However, he stepped on

carpenter for t

o was to have gone has been taken ill. But you are too young for the berth. Why

oing any ordinary jobs, either in carpentering or smith

" the mate said. "You will find him at Mr. T

carpenters were scarce, the time was short, and there was a difficulty in obtaining men for convict ships. Therefore, after reading the very w

had his chest taken down to the docks; and went on board the Pa