The witness gave a stolid look at the counsel, but answered nothing.
"Come," continued Mr. Allewinde, "what was the job that had been talked over?"
"Bad manners to the likes of me; but I war niver cute, and now I'm bothered intirely."
"You mean to tell the jury then that you don't know what you meant when you said the thing had been talked over; do you?"
"Why, I s'pose it was this thing about Captain Ussher. Weren't we talking of that then?"
"That's for you to say. Was it Captain Ussher's death that had been talked over?"
"Witness, don't answer that question," said Mr. O'Malley. "I'm sure my learned friend will not press it; it's very seldom he makes such a slip as that."
Mr. Allewinde had asked a leading, and therefore an unallowable question.
"Why the witness had just said that he supposed it was this thing about Captain Ussher," said Mr. Allewinde.
"I'll say no more about it," continued Mr. O'Malley, "feeling perfectly certain that you will not press the question."