was burst open, giving entrance to Hugh M’Indoe, Penbank, and myself. I turned up the light, while the other two threw themselves on Coreing Jim, and tried to wrench him away from the wounded woman. But the thief instead of turning and fighting like a tiger, as we had anticipated, only continued to bend over the senseless figure, wringing his hands and moaning out:

“I have killed her! I have killed her! Take me up—take me away, and hang me before all the world! I have killed her!”

“Aha!” cried Simon Penbank, perking forward and gloaingly rubbing his hands, after exhibiting two gold coins in

his palm—“You said you would do me, Mister Jim; but I think the knife has cut the wrong way. I’ve done you, and there’s the price, in good solid gold.”

But the taunt fell on dulled senses. heedless or incapable of retort; for the thief still wrung his hands and moaned:

“Take me away—I’ve killed her! Oh, mother, and is this the end of it all?”

M’Indoe gazed at him with widely opened eyes, but offered no remark, except to demur and hurl aside Penbank when he again advanced to taunt our prisoner; and then I slipped on a pair of handcuffs and led Coreing Jim away up to the Office, when a medical assistant was at once despatched to attend to the injured woman.

Next morning, to the surprise of all, Mrs. Lyons appeared, with her head all bound up, and supported between two women, and demanded in such a piteous strain to see the prisoner, stating as a reason that she was sure some great mistake had been committed, that her request was at last complied with; but what took place in the cell of course was known to no one. After the interview she appeared calmer, though it was evident that she had been weeping, and was accommodated with an easy seat by the fire in one of the side rooms, where she remained propped up till the hour appointed for the examination of Jim Lyons drew near. M’Indoe arrived about half-past ten, and was shown into the same room; and the moment he was made known to her, she addressed him long and earnestly in an eager whisper, clasping one of his hands in her own the while, and wetting it with her tears. As the imploring rush of words fell on the ears of the stern unflinching man, he was observed to start and question her, then to listen breathlessly, and then, when at last she said, “Remember I am his mother, and he is my only boy; have mercy on him, as you expect mercy hereafter,” his hard features relaxed, and, stooping down, he reverently kissed her hand.

When the case was called, the result appeared; and it was enough to take away the breath of one even more experienced than myself. Mrs. Lyons was the first to be examined, and, after the usual oath had been administered, she was asked to look at the prisoner.

“Do you recognise that man?” asked the superintendent. “I do; he is my son.”

There was a stir and a start all over the Court as she uttered these words.

“Do you charge him with breaking into your house and committing this shocking assault upon your person?”

“I do not. Jimmy would never raise his hand against me, his own mother.”

“Do you mean to tell us that he did not commit this assault?” sharply demanded the superintendent. “How did you get hurt?”

“I don’t know. I have not seen him for years, and I fainted away in his arms, and when I woke I found my forehead bleeding, and a doctor binding it up.”