They seem
superior to the little prevailing conventions; they excite
an unlawful interest; though nobody knows them black
nobody imagines them white; and when they appear upon
Main Street in search of shoelaces or elastic heads are
turned and nods, possibly nudges, exchanged. Miss Belton
had come from New York to the Barker House, Elgin, and
young Ormiston's intimacy with her was one of the things
that counted against him in the general view. It was to
so count more seriously in the particular instance.
Witnesses were called to prove that he had spent the
evening of the burglary with Miss Belton at her hotel,
that he had remained with her until one o'clock, that he
was in the habit of spending his evenings with Miss Belton.
Rawlins of the Express did not overdo the sensation which
was caused in the courtroom when the name of this lady
herself was called to summon her to the witness box. It
was indeed the despair of his whole career. He thought
despondingly ever after of the thrill, to which he himself
was not superior and which, if he had only been able to
handle it adequately, might have led him straight up the
ladder to a night editorship. Miss Belton appeared from
some unsuspected seat near the door, throwing back a
heavy veil, and walking as austerely as she could,
considering the colour of her hair.
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