The witness was not committed for this offense, but merely reminded that all this was very irrelevant to the matter in question, and ordered to sit down.
He obeyed, growling at the indignities heaped upon the "Lyttonses" by "upstarts."
State's Attorney Martindale then arose in his place and opened his argument for the prosecution in a very able review of the evidence that had been given by the witnesses examined and the documents presented.
It was while he was still speaking that a little disturbance was heard at the lower end of the court-room.
All who heard it looked around to see what the matter was.
Presently a bailiff was seen pushing his way up through the crowd.
He came up to the counsel for the accused and handed a card to Mr. Denham.
That gentleman took it, looked at it, stared at it, changed color, and, without a word of explanation, abruptly rose and left his seat, and followed the note-bearer through the crowd and out of the court-room.
Mr. Berners and Mr. Lytton looked after him in surprise and curiosity.
State's Attorney Martindale, meanwhile, went on with his argument.