lder
Craigmile. He is Peter. You know him. Look at him. He is Peter
Junior." Her voice rang clear and strong, and she pointed to the
prisoner with steady hand. "Look at him, Elder Craigmile; he is your
son."
"You will address the jury and the court, Miss Ballard, and give your
reasons for this assertion. How do you know he is Peter Craigmile,
Jr.?"
Then she turned toward the jury, and holding out both hands in sudden
pleading action cried out earnestly: "I know him. He is Peter Junior.
Can't you see he is Peter, the Elder's son?"
"But how do you know him?"
"Because it is he. I know him the way we always know people--by
just--knowing them. He is Peter Junior."
"Have you seen the prisoner before since his return to Leauvite?"
"Yes, I went to the jail and I saw him, and I knew him."
"But give a reason for your knowledge. How did you know him?"
"By--by the look in his eyes--by his hands--Oh! I just knew him in a
moment. I knew him."
"Miss Ballard, we have positive proof that Peter Junior was murdered
and from the lips of his murderer. The witness just dismissed says he
heard Richard Kildene tell you he pushed his cousin Peter Junior over
the bluff into the river. Can you deny this statement? On your sacred
oath can you deny it?"
"No, but I don't have to deny it, for you can see for yourselves that
Peter Junior is alive. He is not dead. He is here."
"Did Richard Kildene ever tell you he had pushed his cousin over the
bluff into the river? A simple answer is required, yes, or no!"
She stood for a moment, her lips white and trembling. "Yes!"
"When did he tell you this?"
"When he came to me, just after he thought he had done it--but he was
mistaken--he did not--he only thought he had done it."
"Did he tell you why he thought he had done it? Tell the court all
about it."
Then Betty lifted her head and spoke rapidly--eagerly. "Because he was
very angry with Peter Junior, and he wanted to kill him, and he did
try to push him over, but Peter struck him, and Richard didn't truly
know whether he really pushed him over or not,--for he lay there a
long time before he even knew where he was, and when he came to
himself again, he could not find Peter there and only his hat and
things--he thought he must have done it, because that was what he was
trying to do, just as everyone else has thought it--because when Peter
saw him lying there, he thought he had killed Richard, and so he
pushed a great stone
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