Craven was in Leeds jail, and the trial was fixed for the summer term.
All things may be better borne than suspense, and all were glad when
Ben could have a fair hearing. But every thing was against him, and
at the end of the second day's trial, the squire came home in sincere
trouble; Ben had been found guilty, but a conviction of his innocence,
in spite of the evidence, seemed also to have possessed the jury, for
they had strongly recommended him to her majesty's mercy.
Elizabeth and Phyllis went with sick, sorrowful heart to see the dame.
The strain had told upon her before the trial, and she had lost her
cheerfulness somewhat. But she had come to a place now where anger
and sense of wrong and impatience were past.
"Lost confidence, sister Phyllis," she said; "not I; I hev only stopped
reckoning on any man or woman now, be 't queen's sen; and I hev put
my whole trust i' God. Such like goings on as we've hed! Paper and
ink and varry little justice; but God'll sort ivery thing afore long."
"The case is to come before the queen."
"That's well enough. Miss Hallam, but I'll tak' it mysen into God's
council-chamber--there's no key on that door, and there's no fee to
pay either. He'll put ivery thing right, see if he doesn't!"
"And besides, Sister Martha, things may not be as far wrong as we think
they are--may not be wrong at all.
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