She carried in her hand
the menu upon which, at the table in the cafe the night before,
she had made a drawing of the scene of the homicide.
The extraordinary event had happened so swiftly that the attorney
for the prosecution had not been able to interpose an objection.
Now the nephew of the dead man spoke hurriedly, in whispers, and
the attorney arose.
"I object to this irregular proceeding," he said. "If this
person is a witness, let her be sworn in the usual manner and let
her take her place in the witness-chair where she may be examined
by the attorney whom the court may see fit to appoint for the
defense."
It was evident that Mr. Thompson, urging the prosecutor, was
alarmed. The folds of his obese neck lying above the collar of
his coat took on a deeper color, and his mouth visibly sagged as
with some unexpected emotion. He felt that he was becoming
entangled in some vast, invisible net spread about him by this
girl who had appeared as if by magic before the Hotel Markheim.
The judge looked down at the attorney. "I will have the witness
sworn," he said, "but I shall not at present appoint anybody to
conduct an examination.
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