ced it indomitably. He had a certain
careless and disarming smile when he lost a point, which carried off
the defeat as of only humorous account and not at all part of the
serious business in hand; and in his treatment of witnesses, he was
plausible, kindly, knowing that in this case he had no intending
perjurer to entrap; brought into play the rare and delicate art of
which he was a master, employing in his questions subtle suggestions
and shadings of tone and manner, and avoiding words of debatable and
dangerous meanings;--a fine craft, often attempted by blunderers to
their own undoing, but which, practised by Joseph Louden, made
inarticulate witnesses articulate to the precise effects which he
desired. This he accomplished as much by the help of the continuous
fire of objections from the other side as in spite of them. He was
infinitely careful, asking never an ill-advised question for the other
side to use to his hurt, and, though exhibiting only a pleasant
easiness of manner, was electrically alert.

A hundred things had shown Ariel that the feeling of the place,
influenced by "public sentiment" without, was subtly and profoundly
hostile to Joe and his client; she read this in the spectators, in the
jury, even in the Judge; but it seemed to her that day by day the
inimical spirit gradually failed, inside the railing, and also in those
spectators who, like herself, were enabled by special favor to be
present throughout the trial, and that now and then a kindlier
sentiment began to be manifested. She was unaware how strongly she
contributed to effect this herself, not only through the glow of
visible sympathy which radiated from her, but by a particular action.
Claudine was called by the State, and told as much of her story as the
law permitted her to tell, interlarding her replies with fervent
protestations (too quick to be prevented) that she "never meant to
bring no trouble to Mr. Fear" and that she "did hate to have gen'lemen
starting things on her account." When the defence took this perturbed
witness, her interpolations became less frequent, and she described
straightforwardly how she had found the pistol on the floor near the
prostrate figure of Cory, and hidden it in her own dress. The
attorneys for the State listened with a somewhat cynical amusement to
this portion of her testimony, believing it of no account,
uncorroborated, and that if necessary the State could impeach the
witness on the ground tha