My head was whirling. Could it be
possible, after all, that this gentle, cultured girl was really such a
fiend at heart that she could strike down.... I put the thought from
me. It was monstrous, unbelievable!
The coroner and the district attorney were whispering together, and I
saw the former glance from the blood-stained handkerchief on the desk
before him to the sobbing woman on the stand. It needed only that--her
identification of that square of cambric--to complete the evidence.
He hesitated a moment, said another word or two to Singleton, then
straightened up again in his chair. Perhaps he thought the chain was
strong enough; perhaps he saw only that the witness was in no
condition to go on.
"Anything further, Mr. Royce?" he asked.
"Not at present, sir," answered our junior hoarsely. I think he was
just beginning fully to realize how desperate our case was.
"We will dismiss the witness, then, temporarily," said the coroner.
"We shall probably recall her later on."
The maid was led back to the witness room on the verge of hysteria,
and Goldberg looked over the papers on his desk.
"We have one more witness," he said at last, "Miss Holladay's
coachman, and perhaps a little testimony in rebuttal. If you wish to
adjourn for lunch, Mr. Royce, I'm quite ready to do so.
Pages:
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36