ard turned as red as the judge's robe,
and stammered out some apology. His brother mentally swore at him, and
every solicitor in court resolved never to give him another brief.

'Go on, Mr. Pollard; you mustn't keep us waiting.'

The wretched young man gave a last look at his brief, and closed the
examination.

'And you left about ten o'clock?'

('Leading again!' ejaculated his opponent.)

'Yes. My lord, may I say----'

'No!' snapped the judge. 'Say nothing unless you're asked.'

The witness looked angry, and frowned savagely at his counsel. But the
latter had now sat down, and the cross-examination was about to begin.

Tressamer had been studying the witness, with a view of ascertaining
his weak point. This was evidently his temper. Accordingly he avoided
irritating him till he had obtained as much as he could from him. He
began:

'Had you any other relatives living besides Miss Lewis?'

The witness was thoroughly thrown out. He could not see what was
coming. In a sullen voice he responded:

'Yes, I've a sister in the North.'

'Did you go to see her before your aunt?'

'No.--My lord, may I explain?'

The Judge: 'You had better confine yourself to the questions now. You
will have an opportunity of explaining afterwards.'

'You went straight to your aunt. Was she pleased to see you?'

'Yes, she seemed very pleased.'

'And yet she let you stay at a hotel?'

'That was only the first night. It was arranged that I was to occupy
a bedroom in her house afterwards.'

'Oh!'

Type cannot do justice to the peculiar intonation with which the
barrister uttered this exclamation. The whole court was aroused to
suspect something beneath the surface. Then he turned round to the
jury with a mysterious expression, and slowly repeated the answer:

'It was arranged that you were to occupy a room in her house after
that night?'

The jury roused themselves for a grand effort, and succeeded in
imparting a distinct air of suspicion to their countenances.

At last Mr. Lewis's temper came into play. He cried out:

'Yes; and if I had been there the first night, I might have prevented
this murder.'

'Silence, sir!' said the Judge.

And now Tressamer brought out the question for which he had been
preparing the way all along:

'When this arrangement was made about your living in the house,
did your aunt (remember you are on your oath, sir!)--_did she
happen--to--furnish--you--with--a--LATCHKEY?'_

The effect was