"Well, then. Did he show Kouka any mercy?"
"Bah!" shouted Reder. "Did Kouka show him any?"
"But Kouka"--they insisted.
"Ach! To hell mit all o' you!" cried Reder, and began to stalk the floor.
"The Dutch dog!" said one.
"The stubborn brute!" grumbled another. "Keeping us all up here, and making us lose our sleep!"
"I tell you," said another, "the jury system ought to be changed, so's a majority would rule!"
"It's no use, it's no use," Reder said in a high petulant voice; "you only make me vorse; you only make me vorse!" He held his hands up and shook them loosely, his fingers vibrating with great rapidity.
Then it was still for a long while--but in the dark and empty court-room, where the bailiff slept on one of the seats, sharp, unnatural, cracking noises were heard now and then; and from it emanated the strange weird influence of the night and darkness. Through the window they looked on the court-house yard lying cold and white under the blaze of the electric lamps. The wind swept down the bleak deserted street. Once they heard a policeman's whistle. Osgood was snoring loudly.
"Great God!" shouted Duncan irritably. "Can't some of you make him stop that?"