"
Still, although there was greater sympathy than before with Ned,
there were few, indeed, who doubted his guilt.
After Ned was removed from court he was taken back by the chief
constable to his house, and ten minutes later he was summoned into
the parlor, where he found Charlie and Lucy waiting him. Lucy,
who was now ten years old, sprang forward to meet him; he lifted
her, and for awhile she lay with her head on his shoulder and her
arms round his neck, sobbing bitterly, while Charlie clung to his
brother's disengaged hand.
"Don't cry, Lucy, don't cry little woman; it will all come right in
the end;" but Lucy's tears were not to be stanched. Ned sat down,
and after a time soothed her into stillness, but she still lay
nestled up in his arms.
"It was dreadful, Ned," Charlie said, "having to go into court as
a witness against you. I had thought of running away, but did not
know where to go to, and then Mr. Porson had a talk with me and
told me that it was of the greatest importance that I should tell
everything exactly word for word, just as it happened. He said
every one knew there had been a quarrel, and that if I did not
tell everything it would seem as if I was keeping something back
in order to screen you, and that would do you a great deal of
harm, and that, as really you were not to blame in the quarrel, my
evidence would be in your favor rather than against you.
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