natural desire to hear the
answer and his fear that the witness was not wholly impartial. Perhaps
a slight prejudice against Tressamer's hectoring manner had something
to do with his decision.

'You should have asked her whether she noticed anything about the
latch,' he said at length. 'Did you?' he added, turning to the
witness.

'It was _down_, sir,' she returned, answering Pollard's question
rather than the judge's.

The importance of the answer was chiefly in its disposing of
Tressamer's suggestion that the butler might have forced the latch up.
He turned round to the jury, and assumed the air of one who is being
unfairly treated. But of course he could not help their seeing that
the prosecution had scored a point.

Rebecca's evidence was continued till she came to where she heard
footsteps ascending the stairs.

'How long was this afterwards?' asked Pollard.

'About ten minutes,'

'Did you recognise those footsteps?'

'No, I didn't notice them; but I think they must have been Miss
Owen's, or else I should have noticed the difference.'

Tressamer ground his teeth. He was afraid to interrupt again, for fear
of the effect on the minds of the jury. They are apt to think a man is
losing when he interrupts too often.

'What happened next?'

'She went into the bedroom below.'

'What bedroom?'

'Her own, I suppose, or Miss Lewis's.'

'You couldn't tell which?'

'No.'

'Well, and how long was the person, whoever it was, inside?'

'About a quarter of an hour, I should think. I thought she had come in
for good, and gone to bed.'

The Judge (_suddenly looking up from his notes_): 'Look here, don't
let me have to stop you again, or I shall do something you won't like.
It's not for you to tell us what you thought. Confine yourself to
answering the questions.'

Mr. Pollard (_thinking the judge has finished_): 'And then what did
you----'

The Judge (_superbly indifferent to Mr. Pollard_): 'Do you realize
that you are giving evidence in a court of justice? You must be
extremely careful--extremely careful.' (_A long pause; Mr. Pollard
afraid to begin again._) 'Well, do you ask her anything more?'

Mr. Pollard: 'I beg your lordship's pardon. If your lordship pleases.'
(_To witness_) 'After the quarter of an hour, did you hear anything
more?'

Witness (_now thoroughly frightened_): 'Yes.'

'What did you hear?'

'I heard her come out.'

At this point the judge threw down his pen, and threw himself