On the actual day Adrien Leroy took his place in the dock, listening
through the day with unwearied calm to the long speeches made by the
counsel on both sides.
Witness after witness was called; but none could shake the evidence of
Harker's clerk, who swore to seeing Leroy actually sign the bill in
question, on the twenty-second of the preceding month.
Towards the end of the case, when both judge, jury and counsel were
tired out by the conflicting statements, a note was sent to the
barrister for the defence by a veiled lady, who had sat in the back of
the court during the whole day's proceedings.
He opened it carelessly, but after a swift glance at the few lines which
it contained, his face brightened. Resuming his usual confident tones,
he desired that a new witness might be called, namely Lady Merivale.
At the name Adrien started forward, but it was too late. A lady in
black, pale but composed, entered the witness box, and was duly sworn.
Calmly she gave her evidence, stating that she had visited her aunt,
Lady Rose Challoner, at Hampton Court on the twenty-second of the
previous month, and while there had met Mr.
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