“If you choose to press your affair,” he said, “perhaps we can also press something on our side.”
He then told the story, which Phil had given him, of Emile’s assault, and the theft of the gun.
Mr. Alexander Muller had heard of the arrival of the Tourons, and had strolled into Mr. Markle’s office, where nobody seemed to notice his presence. Before Mr. Harrison had quite finished his story he went out.
“What you say to that?” asked Mr. Touron, of his son, when the lawyer had finished.
“It is not true!” said Emile. “It is all one vile tale!”
And he went on, at considerable length, to assert that this was only part of the persecution to which Phil and the other boys were subjecting him.
“What proof have you of the charge you make?” asked Mr. Touron of Mr. Harrison.
“We can bring forward the testimony of Philip Berkeley,” said Mr. Harrison, “the boy whose life was threatened, and from whom the gun was taken. His character has been proved to be an excellent one, and I believe his testimony would be received by any jury in this county.”
“It is not as good as zat!” cried Emile, snapping his fingers. “I can prove what he and ze ozers haf done to me, and my word will be as good as his.”
“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation,” said Mr. Alexander Muller, who had re-entered the room a minute or two before, “but this gun which that young gentleman left between the mattresses of his bed, on the evening when he so suddenly went away from town, may be useful in proving the charge which Mr. Harrison has made.”