And ever and always she clenched the scrap of
paper which might betray so much, until her nails had deeply
indented the palm of her hand; so fearful was she in her nervous
dread, lest unawares she should let it drop.
Towards the middle of the day she could no longer evade the body's
craving want of rest and refreshment; but the rest was taken in a
spirit vault, and the refreshment was a glass of gin.
Then she started up from the stupor she had taken for repose; and
suddenly driven before the gusty impulses of her mind, she pushed
her way to the place where at that very time the police were
bringing the information they had gathered with regard to the
all-engrossing murder.
She listened with painful acuteness of comprehension to dropped
words, and unconnected sentences, the meaning of which became
clearer, and yet more clear to her. Jem was suspected. Jem was
ascertained to be the murderer.
She saw him (although he, absorbed in deep sad thought, saw her
not), she saw him brought handcuffed and guarded out of the coach.
She saw him enter the station--she gasped for breath till he came
out, still handcuffed, and still guarded, to be conveyed to the New
Bailey.
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