chological aspect rather than in a professional way. Laura coveted money, but she coveted men more; she could love a little, but she could hate stronger; she could be insane somewhat, but her lunacy, which was of the emotional kind, was always subservient to her sense. If to see her lover kiss his wife made her a lunatic, wit waited on revenge to the instantaneous accomplishment of that which lay nearest her heart. With rare skill Laura gave in her testimony at the trial. It was very clear she was not insane then. It was very plain that she was not a lunatic immediately before and after the deed. She did not wish it understood that she was beside herself but for the moment, and like a mind lost in a mist of ever-increasing density, so was her giving of evidence, clear and vivid at a little distance from the deed, both before and after, but gradually growing indistinct, until at the moment of the murder all was opaque blackness. Her memory at that point was a blank. Hovering about the fatal moment were mingled facts and fancies hurrying hither and thither like imps of darkness, until she could not tell what was real and what imaginary. They were beyond her description, beyond her knowledge. A soul dropped by the messenger-angel upon a dark and angry ocean was not more lost to itself than was she at the time. Laura manifested no less ability in the escape than in the killing. Some of the scenes in court were quite characteristic.
"I am sure he was the only friend I had in the world," she exclaimed on one occasion from the witness-box. " I would not have harmed him for a hundred worlds. Had he been living, gentlemen, when Mr Campbell insulted me the other day, he would have made Mr Campbell on his bended knees apologize for it. " There were present certain sympathizing women of strong-minded proclivities, who took occasion at this juncture to applaud, such being deemed by them one of their denied rights.
