Part 69 (2/2)
Then turning toward Mr. Rand: ”Is my explanation sufficient, sir?”
The lawyer only bows his head, and the handsome Englishman takes his seat while the house rings with applause. Evidently his tersely told story of brotherly sacrifice has touched the ”humanness” of that strangely-mixed audience.
During the moment of clamor and confusion, Doctor Benoit enters the court room, and almost un.o.bserved seats himself beside the New York medical experts.
A smile of gratification comes to O'Meara's face at sight of this late arrival, and when the court is restored to quiet, he says:
”Let Doctor Benoit be sworn.”
The doctor testifies as follows:
Being called to examine the wounds upon the person of John Burrill, he found that they could not have been made with the knife found with the body. The identical knife being put into his hands, he explains how a cut made by such a keen, heavy weapon, must appear, and describes the knife that must have been used upon the body.
”It was a smaller weapon,” he says, ”thinner bladed and much lighter. It must have been shorter by two or three inches.”
Then he adds that the surgeon's knife has never been used upon a body; the blood has been smeared on by an inartistic hand.
”It would be impossible,” he says, ”to withdraw this knife from a bleeding wound with no other blood marks than those it bears.”
Doctor Gaylor and Professor Harrington corroborate his every statement, and when their testimony is done there is another sensation in the court room.
As Doctor Benoit pa.s.ses by O'Meara, in returning from the witness stand, he tosses over a piece of paper, which the lawyer seizes, scans eagerly, and stows carefully away.
He consults some papers for a moment, and then says:
”I wish to recall Francis Lamotte.”
Frank comes again upon the stand; his eyes seem fixed on vacancy; his face is white and rigid; his answers come in a dry monotone.
”Mr. Lamotte,” begins O'Meara, briskly. ”It is understood that you have been a student in Doctor Heath's office.”
”That is true.”
”During the time you studied there, had you free access to the office at all hours?”
”I had.”
”I judge, then, that you must have possessed a pa.s.s key?”
”I did.”
”Is that key still in your possession?”
”No.”
”How did you dispose of that key?”
”I think it was lost; it has been out of my possession for some time.”
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