“Well, yes, I did.”
“What did you say to him?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Again let me refresh your memory. Did you say—‘You will come to a noose for this day’s work’?”
“I may have said so.”
“That won’t do. Did you say that? Be careful now.”
“M’lord, the witness says he can’t remember,” objected Mr Benham. “He was angry at the time—under the circumstances, naturally so. We can’t always remember words uttered in anger.”
“It’s of no consequence, m’lord. We can prove that he used the words. It would save time—and, perhaps, be better for himself—if he admitted it, though,” said Mr Windgate significantly.
“Well, I did say that,” said Johnston sullenly.
“We know you did. Now, to what did you refer when you said that? Was it to this charge of murder?”