The Argosy — page 392: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Village Blacksmith. 371 “Tt is no use your nudging, Reuben; I came to look at her and I mean to do it.” Whereupon Reuben subsided and left his sister alone, since his reproofs only drew the attention of others to her conduct. The truth was Mrs. Canter had all along strongly suspected, in the first place that the diamonds were not stolen at all, and in the next that Mrs. Ryot-Tempest knew where they were. ‘These impressions had grown so strong during the past week that they became fixed ideas. She no longer suspected, she felt certain she was right ; and she meant to watch Mrs. Ryot-Tempest narrowly to see if she betrayed during the progress of the case any sign of being guilty of knowing what had become of the diamonds. ‘‘] shall know by her face whether they are really stolen or not ; and once I know that for certain, I’ll find out where they are,” said Mrs. Canter to herself as Mrs. Ryot-Tempest took her seat. The proceedings began by Mr. Deedes stating the case for the prosecution, which involved a great deal of repetition of the action brought against Vera the previous week. Briefly stated, his speech amounted to this: “ T am here,” he said, “ to ask that this Court may commit for trial at the next assizes Mark Brown for perjury committed here last week, when it will be remembered he brought an action against my client, Miss Ryot-Tempest, for wounding him with intent to kill. That case was dismissed, and I asked for process against him for perjury. On that occasion he swore that he surprised Miss Tempest in the act of handing her step-mother’s jewel-case from her father’s dressing- room window to Reuben Foreman, whom he also swore to have seen in Miss Tempest’s company at a time when, as was then proved by several witnesses, he was elsewhere. That last deposition would be sufficient to prove Mark Brown guilty of perjury. I was also able last week to prove to the satisfaction of this Court that Miss Ryot- Tempest was walking in her sleep when the report of the revolver, fired as she states by Mark Brown himself, awoke her. To-day I am happy to say I am in a position to entirely confirm the evidence of Miss Ryot-Tempest read to the Court last week; and I have the written testimony of thirty-four ladies who were witnesses a few days ago of Miss Ryot-Tempest’s somnambulistic powers, which I will now read before I call a new witness who will prove beyond a doubt that Mark Brown was really guilty of the crime he has impudently endeavoured to fasten upon an innocent young lady.” Here Mr. Deedes read the statement of the nuns and also Vera’s account of what had happened on the night of the robbery; and having then briefly stated that the magistrates had dismissed the case against Vera at once and had granted a summons against Mark Brown for perjury, he called William Freeman, who he stated had turned Queen’s evidence. Mrs. Canter saw Mrs. Ryot-Tempest turn very pale when Freeman was put in the box; but fear rather than frustrated revenge seemed to ECOnnicloooks (SO) an