To a few, such as Munro and Rivers, the aspect of the thing was unchanged--they had beheld its true features from the outset, and knew the course, and defied the consequences.

They had already made up their minds upon it--had regarded the matter in all its phases, and suffered no surprise accordingly.

Not so with the rest--with Forrester in particular, whose mental distress, though borne with manliness, was yet most distressing.
He stood apart, saying nothing, yet lamenting inwardly, with the self-upbraidings of an agonized spirit, the easy facility with which he had been won, by the cunning of others, into the perpetration of a crime so foul.

He either for a time heard not or understood not the charges made by Ralph against his late coadjutor, until brought to his consciousness by the increased stir among the confederates, who now rapidly crowded about the spot, in time to hear the denial of the latter to the accusation, in language and a manner alike fierce and unqualified.
"Hear me!" was the exclamation of the youth--his voice rising in due effect, and illustrating well the words he uttered, and the purpose of his speech:--"I charge this born and branded villain with an attempt upon my life.

He sought to rob and murder me at the Catcheta pass but a few days ago.