The judge was a bit startled at so novel a suggestion but assented with
a nod. In a twinkling the operator had suspended a roller-screen from the
chandelier dependent from the ceiling, pulled down the window shades and
attached his projecting machine to an electric-light socket.

Then the picture flashed upon the screen. It was not entirely distinct,
because the room could not be fully darkened and the current was not
strong, yet every face in the gathering of stockholders could be plainly
recognized. Jones, especially, as the central figure, could not be
mistaken and no one who looked upon the picture could doubt his identity.

When the exhibition was concluded and the room again lightened, Le
Drieux's face was visibly perturbed and anxious, while his attorneys sat
glum and disconcerted.

Colby now put Goldstein on the stand, who testified that he recognized
Jones as president of his company and the owner of the majority of
stock. The young man had come to him with unimpeachable credentials to
that effect.

The girls were now smiling and cheerful. To them the defense was
absolutely convincing. But Le Drieux's attorneys were skillful fighters
and did not relish defeat. They advanced the theory that the motion
picture, just shown, had been made at a later dale and substituted for
the one mentioned in the minutes of the meeting. They questioned
Goldstein, who admitted that he had never seen Jones until a few days
previous. The manager denied, however, any substitution of the picture.
He was not a very satisfactory witness for the defense and Colby was
sorry he had summoned him.

As for the judge, he seemed to accept the idea of the substitution with
alacrity. He had practically decided against Jones in the matter of the
pearls. Now he listened carefully to the arguments of the prosecution and
cut Colby short when he raised objections to their sophistry.

Finally Judge Wilton rose to state his decision.

"The evidence submitted in proof of the alleged fact that the prisoner is
Jack Andrews, and that Jack Andrews may have robbed the Countess Ahmberg,
of Vienna, of her valuable collection of pearls, is in the judgment of
this court clear and convincing," he said. "The lawyer for the defense
has further succeeded in entangling his client by exhibiting an
additional assortment of pearls, which may likewise be stolen property.
The attempt to impose upon this court a mythical island called Sangoa
is--eh--distinctly rep