“Bradley again,” said Alex.
A ripple like applause swept over the crowded room. With tightening lips the prosecutor turned again toward the third Exeter operator. At the moment the door opened, and he paused as his assistant reappeared, with him two young ladies.
The newcomers were operators from the local commercial telegraph office.
At once Jack’s lawyer, recognizing the prosecution’s purpose, was on his feet in protest. For of course the young women were utter strangers to the blindfolded boy in the witness-stand.
The judge promptly motioned him down, however, and with a smile of anticipated triumph the prosecutor greeted the two local operators, and whispering his instructions to one of them, led her to the telegraph key.
In a silence that was painful the sounder once more rattled out its inquiry, “Do you know who this is?”
Alex started, hesitated, made as though to speak, again paused, then suddenly cried, “That’s a stranger!
“And it’s awfully like the light, jumpy sending of a girl!”
A spontaneous cheer broke from the excited spectators. “Silence! Silence!” shouted the judge.
It was not necessary to repeat the order, for the disconcerted prosecutor, whirling about, had grasped Jack Orr by the arm and thrust him toward the key.