112 THE MICROSCOPE. 



assassin, and from the nature of the injury in- 

 flicted, it was concluded that the deadly blow 

 had been dealt with a hatchet. Another indi- 

 vidual had been seen on the same eve, and about 

 the hour of the commission of the dark deed, 

 near to the scene of the murder. Suspicion fell 

 upon him, he was arrested, imprisoned, and in 

 due course, tried. As witness appeared after 

 witness, their evidence brought the foul deed 

 more and more closely home to the accused, and 

 when it was at length proved, that, upon this 

 man's cottage being searched on the very night 

 after the murder, a hatchet with some stains of 

 blood, and with some hairs upon it, had been 

 found in an outhouse the murmur went round 

 the court that the evidence was complete the 

 counsel regarded the conviction as certain the 

 judge seemed ready to pronounce his doom, and 

 the unhappy accused himself felt that he was 

 lost. But in God's good providence one man 

 was there, who had clearly watched the progress 

 of the trial, and who by no means concurred in 

 the otherwise unanimous opinion of the guilt of 

 the pannel. It was M. Orfila, the distinguished 

 toxicologist. He asked leave from the judge to 



