Part 1 (2/2)

_Mr. H_. From different shops, or from one?

_St_. From three different shops.

_Mr. H_. Yes, just so. (_Aside_: Then why the devil did he say from one shop when his evidence was taken before?) (_To_ ST.) You were an eye- witness of that? You noticed her take all three loaves?

_St_. (_Aside_: He wants me to say from three different shops; I'm sure I don't know why. Anyhow, I'll say it--and swear it.) (_To the Court_) Yes, I was an eye-witness of the deed; (_pompously_) I followed her, and then I took her.

_Mr. H_. Yes, then you took her. Please tell the Court how.

_St_. (_Aside_: Let's see, what did we agree was the likeliest way?) (_To Court_) I saw her take the first loaf and hide it in her shawl; and then the second one; and the second one tumbled down into the mud; and she picked it up again and wiped it with her shawl; and then she took the third; and when she tried to put that with the two others they all three tumbled down; and as she stooped down to pick them up it seemed the best time to take her, as the two constables had come up; so I took her.

_Mr. N_. Yes; you took her.

_St_. And she cried.

_Mr. H_. Ah, she cried. Well, sergeant, that will do; you may go.

(_Aside_: The sooner he goes the better. Wouldn't I like to have the cross-examining of him if he was called on the other side!) Constable Potlegoff.

[POTLEGOFF _sworn_.

_Mr. H_. Well, constable, did you see the woman take the loaves?

_Potlegoff_. Yes, sir.

_Mr. H_. How did she take them?

_Pot_. Off the counter, sir.

_Mr. H_. Did she go into the shop to take them?

_Pot_. Yes, sir. (_Aside_: I thought I was to say into three shops.)

_Mr. H_. One after another?

_Pot_. Yes, out of one shop one after another. (_Aside_: Now it's right, I hope.)

_Mr. H_. (_Aside_: Confound him, he's contradicting the other!) (_To_ POT.) Yes, just so; one after the other. And did you see the second loaf tumble down?

_Pot_. Yes, sir.

_Mr. H_. When was that?

_Pot_. As she took it off the counter.

_Mr. H_. Yes, _after_ she took it off the counter, in the street?

_Pot_. No, sir. (_Catching the_ SERGEANT'S _eye_.) I mean yes, sir, and she wiped the mud off them; the sergeant saw her--and I saw her.

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