“You have that in charge, eh?”
“Now, don’t you make fun o’ me, please. But I got a hunch that I can put in an oar, when the time comes, that’ll help Mr. Landon along some—”
“What do you mean, Terence? If you know anything of importance bearing on the case, it’s your duty to tell it at once.”
“I know that, sir, but it ain’t of importance, ’cept to somebuddy who can ’tach importance to it. Now, I told you, Judge Hoyt, that I had some—some clues,—an’ sir, you jest laughed at me.”
“Oh, I remember. Some buttons and some mud, wasn’t it?”
“Yes sir, that’s what they was.”
“Well, I confess the mud doesn’t seem of great importance, and as for the button,—was it a coat button, did you say?”
“No, sir, I said a—a suspender button.”
“Oh, yes. Well, the detectives have examined all possible clothing for a missing button of that sort, but without success. It is, of course, a button from some other garment than any of interest to this case.”
“Yes sir, I s’pose so.”