Then came the police who had been called, and the detective, who all gave their evidence in succinct but straightforward sentences.
All this time there was not a sound in the court, only that sea of faces was bent eagerly forward, so that not a word might escape them. The excitement was intense.
Now came the chief witness against Reginald; and the bloodstained dirk was handed to Shufflin’ Sandie.
“Look at that, and say if you have seen it before?” said the judge.
“As plain as the nose on your lordship’s face!” said Sandie, smiling.
That particular nose was big, bulbous, and red. Sandie’s reply, therefore, caused a titter to run through the court. The judge frowned, and the prosecution proceeded.
“Where did you last see it?”
“Stained with blood, sir; it was found beneath the dead man’s body.”
On being questioned, Sandie also repeated his evidence as given at the coroner’s inquest, and presently was allowed to stand down.
Then the prisoner was hissed by the people. The judge lost his temper. He had not quite got over Sandie’s allusion to his nose.