t merely reminded that
all this was very irrelevant to the matter in question, and ordered to
sit down.

He obeyed, growling at the indignities heaped upon the "Lyttonses" by
"upstarts."

State's Attorney Martindale then arose in his place and opened his
argument for the prosecution in a very able review of the evidence that
had been given by the witnesses examined and the documents presented.

It was while he was still speaking that a little disturbance was heard
at the lower end of the court-room.

All who heard it looked around to see what the matter was.

Presently a bailiff was seen pushing his way up through the crowd.

He came up to the counsel for the accused and handed a card to Mr.
Denham.

That gentleman took it, looked at it, stared at it, changed color, and,
without a word of explanation, abruptly rose and left his seat, and
followed the note-bearer through the crowd and out of the court-room.

Mr. Berners and Mr. Lytton looked after him in surprise and curiosity.

State's Attorney Martindale, meanwhile, went on with his argument.

After an absence of about fifteen minutes Mr. Denham returned and
resumed his seat beside his senior colleague, Mr. Berners.

He gave no explanation of his abrupt departure and absence, but sat
there listening attentively to the speech of the prosecuting attorney
and smiling to himself as in silent triumph.

Neither his senior colleague, Mr. Berners, nor his client, Mr. Lytton,
interrupted his reflections, considering that it fell to his duty to
follow Mr. Martindale's speech with an opening address for the defense.

At length Mr. Martindale brought his argument to a conclusion by a very
brilliant peroration, and sat down, saying that there the prosecution
would rest the case.

Mr. Denham, giving his client a reassuring pressure of the hand, and
wearing the same strange smile of secret mirth and triumph on his face,
arose for the defense. He began by saying:

"Your honor and gentlemen of the jury: The prosecution has favored us
with some able speeches, and has produced a host of witnesses to prove
the truth of a false and malicious charge brought against our client. We
of the defense have no speech to make, and only one witness to call. Let
Craven Kyte be put upon the stand and sworn."

CHAPTER L.

ONE SINGLE WITNESS.

This is all true as it is strange;
Nay, it is ten times true; for truth is truth
To the end of reckoning.