Part 52 (1/2)
”Noith reference to this stick; do you still swear that you never produced it at the Detlij Club?”
”I do”
”Then ould you say if I brought forward a member of the Club to prove it?”
”That he's a liar”
”I have nothinghis seat
dick Burton and several minor witnesses were called to complete the case for the prosecution, and the Court adjourned for luncheon
CHAPTER xxxI
THE VERDICT
The Court was, if possible, more crowded than ever when the case was resumed The atmosphere was oppressive in the extreme, and the attention of everyone was strained to the utmost when Dr Haddon rose to open the defence
”May it please your worshi+p This case has been described by my learned friend as unprecedented in the annals of Australian history I have no doubt that such is the case, but I sincerely hope from this day onward it may beco was electrical and caused a sensation in the Court The Justices whispered portentously a themselves, in doubt whether the counsel should not be pulled up short
”I repeat my words,” continued the advocate ”I hope it will become a common occurrence, and furthermore I venture to say that there is not an Australian present in this building ill not agree with me when he has heard the evidence Now the plaintiff, Villiers Wyckliffe, has inforlish gentleman The only comment I make on that is to say that his class will need all the help Heaven can give them, for I shall prove their representative to be a villain of the deepest dye He has acknowledged his connection with the Detlij Club, an infamous institution which is the expression of the depravity, the callousness, the cynicised also that he was the owner of this stick, and, in spite of his denial, I shall have little difficulty in proving to the satisfaction of the Court that the notches were placed there by his own hand, and that each notch represented was airily described as a broken heart When I mention to your worshi+p that the notches are fifty in nuive some indication of the plaintiffs character”
Dr Haddon had struck the right key-note, and everyone in Court hung upon his words The silence was profound, and each listener's eager attention grew in intensity as he proceeded to detail the peculiar power of fascination--snake-like, he called it--possessed by the plaintiff
Without any assistance fronant denunciation, he depicted it in a manner so simple, yet so direct, that his audience shi+vered in response Then, with consu the simple homeliness of A's devotion, the co couple up to their disunion under the diabolical arts of Wyckliffe Gently, but still with a power that swayed the their sympathies from them with a pathetic recital of Amy's death, showed the blank in the happy home, and roused theeance
”I have witnesses froallantries there I have girls from all parts of Australia”--here a constable whispered in his ear ”This constable tellsthe witnesses I have just alluded to under control They have expressed a unanimous wish to have an intervieith the plaintiff”
The suggestion of Wyckliffe being handed over to the tender mercies of his Australian victihter went round the crowded Court Wyck, who had been growing etty, here held an excited conversation with his counsel, who rose and said:
”Your worshi+p,unwell May we adjourn?”
”I object to an adjournment,” said Dr Haddon, promptly
”Then my client instructs me to withdraw the case, as he does not wish to carry the matter further”
”What's that?” said the Chairman, in surprise