Part 15 (1/2)
”Was any boy in the room when you did lock the door?”
”No one.”
”Did you meet any one else in the pa.s.sage?”
”No.”
Cross-examined by Russell--
”Do boys ever get into the room after the door is locked?”
”Yes.”
”By what means?”
”Through the side windows.”
”That will do.”
Russell here whispered something to Duncan, who at once left the room, and on returning, after a few minutes' absence, gave Russell a nod so full of significance that, like Lord Burleigh's shake of the head, it seemed to speak whole volumes at once.
Barker was next brought forward, and questioned by Gibson.
”Do you know that Williams is in the habit of using a particular kind of ink?”
”Yes; it is of a violet colour, and has a peculiar smell.”
”Could you recognise anything written with it?”
”Yes.”
Gibson here handed to Barker the paper which had caused so much trouble.
”Is that the kind of ink?”
”Yes.”
”Do you know the handwriting on that paper?”
”Yes; it is Williams's hand.”
”How can you tell?”
”He makes his r's in a curious way.”
”Turn the paper over. Have you ever seen wafers of that kind before?”
”Yes; Williams has a box of them in his desk.”
”Has any other boy, that you are aware of wafers like them?”