I regret it now; she was a better sister to me than I could then understand." This was uttered slowly and with a quiet emphasis which reawakened that excited hum the judge had been at such pains to quell a moment before.
But he did not quell it now; he seemed to have forgotten his duty in the strong interest called up by these admissions from the tongue of the most imperturbable prisoner he had had before him in years.
Mr.Moffat, with an eye on District Attorney Fox, who had shown his surprise at the trend the examination was taking by a slight indication of uneasiness, grateful enough, no doubt, to the daring counsellor, went on with his examination: "Mr.Cumberland, will you tell us when you first felt this change of opinion in regard to your sister ?" Mr.Fox leaped to his feet.

Then he slowly reseated himself.

Evidently he thought it best to let the prisoner have his full say.

Possibly he may have regretted his leniency the next moment when, with a solemn lowering of his head, Arthur answered: "When I saw my home desolated in one dreadful night.

With one sister dead in the house, the victim of violence, and another delirious from fright or some other analogous cause, I had ample time to think--and I used that time.