Part 7 (1/2)

”'Are you familiar with dogs?'

”'Moderately,' was the answer. 'I never got quite so intimate with one as I did with him.'

”'With whom?' asked c.o.ke.

”'Cerberus,' replied the witness.

”'Do you consider him to be one dog, two dogs or three dogs?'

”'I object!' cried Catiline, springing to his feet. 'The question is a leading one.'

”'Sustained,' said Blackstone, with a nervous glance at Apollyon, who smiled rea.s.suringly at him.

”'Ah, you say you know a dog when you see one?' asked c.o.ke.

”'Yes,' said the witness, 'perfectly.'

”'Do you know two dogs when you see them, or even three?' asked c.o.ke.

”'I do,' replied the witness.

”'And how many dogs did you see when you saw Cerberus?' asked c.o.ke, triumphantly.

”'Three, anyhow,' replied the witness, with feeling, 'though afterwards I thought there was a whole bench-show atop of me.'

”'Your witness,' said c.o.ke.

”A murmur of applause went through the court-room, at which Apollyon frowned; but his face cleared in a moment when Catiline rose up.

”'My cross-examination of this witness, your honor, will be confined to one question.' Then turning to the witness he said, blandly: 'My poor friend, if you considered Cerberus to be three dogs anyhow, why did you in your examination a moment since refer to the avalanche of caninity, of which you so affectingly speak, as him?'

”'He is a him,' said the witness.

”'But if there were three, should he not have been a them?'

”c.o.ke swore profanely beneath his breath, and the witness squirmed about in his chair, confused and broken, while both Judge Blackstone and Apollyon smiled broadly. Manifestly the point of the defence had pierced the armor of the plaintiff.

”'Your witness for re-direct,' said Catiline.

”'No thanks,' retorted c.o.ke; 'there are others,' and, motioning to his first witness to step down, he called the second dog-catcher.

”'What is your business?' asked c.o.ke, after the usual preliminary questions.

”'I'm out of business. Livin' on my damages,' said the witness.

”'What damages?' asked c.o.ke.

”'Them I got from the city for injuries did me by that there--I should say them there--dorgs, Cerberus.'

”'Them there what?' persisted c.o.ke, to emphasize the point.