‘Lucy Griffiths.’
This was the housemaid, and her evidence contained nothing of importance. In cross-examination she admitted that she had detected no likeness between the descending footsteps heard by her and Miss Owen’s. In fact, she had at first thought they sounded like a man’s.
The next witness was the fisherman, who stated to Mr. Pollard that he had met a female about midnight on the eventful first of June, whom he at the time believed to be the prisoner. He thought so still.
His cross-examination elicited two facts: First, that he had once met Miss Owen at the same late hour before; secondly, that he had met other persons going in the same direction the same night at or about the same time.
Tressamer chose to emphasize this point.
‘Could you tell those gentlemen,’ he said, indicating the jury, who instantly tried to look as if they had been attending, and had not long ago given up the task in despair, ‘what the other people were like whom you saw?’
‘Well, one of them was a man.’
‘Come, that’s something; but it’s not much. Can’t you tell us what sort of a man? Was he tall?’
The jury instantly looked at Lewis.
‘No; I didn’t notice as how he was particular tall. Middlin’ short, I should say.’