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142
THE KNIFE.

Harvey, crying, "I do not want to have my knife again without paying."

On the female, the appearance of the child produced no effect. The testimony of James's father proved that the exchange had taken place the very day before the murder.

The chain of evidence was now complete, and the counsel for the prosecution stated that he had no more questions to put.

The prisoner was then asked whether he had aught to say in his defence, and especially in explanation of the remarkable fact so providentially brought to light? He sullenly owned to having bought the knife, but said he had dropped it out of his pocket the same day.

All were persuaded of the guilt of the man; but a strong feeling of the innocence of the woman prevailed: when suddenly the gipsy turned to his companion, and in a low voice said something in the unknown language he had before used. The effect of the words on the woman was fearful; her loud, long, heart-broken shriek rang through the court, and she sank on her knees, half, it seemed, in an attitude of supplication, half from inability to support herself. She stretched forth her arms towards the prisoner, whose face, for the first time, wore an expression of tenderness, as he gazed upon her and spoke in a singularly sweet and softly modulated tone. She rose from her knees; and whatever the last sentence was, it restored her to tranquillity. All this passed