xchanges a few brief words with
Landolin.

The charge is manslaughter.

The witnesses are called; and before the first one appears, the lawyer
for the defense announces that he has telegraphed for the district
physician, for the purpose of obtaining his professional opinion
regarding Vetturi's frailty.

CHAPTER XXX.

Landolin sat perfectly still, and looked at his hands. They had grown
soft and white in prison. Only when a new witness was called, he raised
his eyes and watched him narrowly.

The witnesses in favor of the accused spoke hesitatingly. They had seen
Vetturi fall on a heap of paving-stones, but whether the stone that had
been thrown had gone past him, that they could not say with certainty.
The blacksmith, from the upper village, was the only one who was sure
that he had seen it quite plainly.

"Take care you don't commit perjury," called out the prosecuting
counsel. The lawyer for the defense arose in great excitement, and
earnestly protested against this intimidation of the witness. Even the
jurymen put their heads together, and whispered to one another. The
presiding judge said politely, but with marked decision, to the
youthful counselor, that he must leave such matters to him. The counsel
for the defense did not let this incident escape him; but made quite a
point of it, and it was some little time before matters moved on in
their usual quiet way. When Anton was called, Landolin's counsel asked
to have the district physician heard first, as he was obliged to leave
immediately. But the doctor's testimony proved to be of no importance.
Then Anton was called, and all eyes were fastened upon him.

The iron cross on his breast rose and fell, as he breathed deeply and
rapidly.

To the preliminary question, as to whether he was related to the
prisoner, he answered in a tremulous voice, but in well chosen words,
that at the time of the accident he was betrothed to the daughter of
the accused.

At this the government counselor moved that Anton should not be sworn,
but the counsel for the accused insisted that he should be. The judges
retired for consultation. They soon returned, and the presiding judge
announced that Anton Armbruster was not to be sworn. He added, however,
with impressiveness, that because of Anton's high character for
honesty, he should confidently expect him to tell the truth, and the
whole truth, with a clear conscience.

"That I will do," s