"While Mr. Burke was absent," inquired the juror, "did you see the ruby?" His reference was to Burke's absence when he went to notify the police of the crime.
"I did not," was the reply. "I saw it no more after Mr. Page returned it to the jewel-case; I never even thought of it during the time of which you speak."
"Were you near the concealed safe?"
"Yes, sir—although at the time I did n't know that the open trap-door in the closet led to a safe. I saw that the small cavity was empty, and that was all I did observe about it."
"When did you first learn about the safe?"
"When Burke showed it to Mr. Swift yesterday morning."
"Why, then, in your testimony, did you say the deceased went to the safe after the ruby for the purpose of showing it to you?"
Maillot frowned and considered a moment.
"I did not make the assertion from knowledge of the act co-existent with the performance of the act itself," said Maillot at length, with a great show of deliberation. A man can't be utterly hardened who can quiz another at such a time. "I advanced it as the most likely theory by which to account for all of his actions during the time I waited here in the library, explaining the antecedent occurrence with knowledge subsequently acquired. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
The inquisitive juror stared a moment, then subsided. Dr. De Breen turned to me with a broad grin.