listening to a history utterly foreign to the subject."

"The history of my past life--Colonel de Haldimar,"
proudly returned the prisoner, "although tedious and
uninteresting to you, is of the utmost importance to
myself; for on that do I ground the most essential part
of my defence. There is nothing but circumstantial evidence
against me on the two first charges; and as those alone
can reflect dishonour on my memory, it is for the wisdom
of this court to determine whether that evidence is to
be credited in opposition to the solemn declaration of
him, who, in admitting one charge, equally affecting his
life with the others, repudiates as foul those only which
would attaint his honour. Gentlemen," he pursued, addressing
the court, "it is for you to determine whether my defence
is to be continued or not; yet, whatever be my fate, I
would fain remove all injurious impression from the minds
of my judges; and this can only be done by a simple detail
of circumstances, which may, by the unprejudiced, be as
simply believed."

Here the prisoner paused: when, after some low and earnest
conversation among the members of the court, two or three
slips of written paper were passed to the President. He
glanced his eye hurriedly over them, and then directed
Halloway to proceed with his defence.

"I have stated," pursued the interesting soldier, "that
the officer who led the band of Indians was a man of
gigantic stature, and of apparently great strength. My