Witness.--"I did not say it was past five o'clock. It might be a minute or two before."
"But what I want to know is, are you quite sure?" continued the counsel; "suppose another man, very like the prisoner, had passed you in the same dress, at past five o'clock on a darkish evening, can you swear that you would have distinguished him from the prisoner at the bar?"
"Why, I tell you as plain as I can speak, it was not past five," cried the witness; "it might be a quarter afore, for that matter."
Counsel.--"Ah! Then it was a quarter before five, and broad daylight, was it?"
Witness.--"Yes, Sir, it was."
Counsel.--"Now then for another question, my man. I see you are a good downright fellow, who will speak the truth for or against, without caring. Did you and the head-gardener ever have any quarrel?"
Witness.--"We once had a bit of a tiff."
Counsel.--"What was it about?"
The counsel for the prosecution objected to the question. The judge said he did not see how it bore on the examination-in-chief; but Mr. B---- insisted, and he was supported strongly by his leader, who declared that the answer of the witness would immediately show the connexion. If it did not, it could be struck out of the evidence.
Counsel for the crown.--"After the impression has been produced?"