Then Ralph grew white about the lips and looked around him uneasily. The judge saw that the lad was faint, and ordered a tipstaff to bring him a glass of water. Ralph drank the water and it refreshed him.
"You may cross-examine the witness," said Goodlaw to the plaintiff's attorney.
Sharpman hardly knew how to begin. But he felt that he must make an effort to break in some way the force of Ralph's testimony. He knew that from a strictly legal point of view, the evidence was of little value, but he feared that the boy's apparent honesty, coupled with his dramatic entrance, would create an impression on the minds of the jury which might carry them to a disastrous verdict. He leaned back in his chair with an assumed calmness, placed the tips of his fingers against each other, and cast his eyes toward the ceiling.
"Ralph," he said, "you considered up to yesterday that Mr. Craft and I were acting in your interest in this case, did you not?"
"Yes, sir; I thought so."
"And you have consulted with us and followed our advice until yesterday, have you not?"
"Yes, sir."
"And last night you came to the conclusion that we were deceiving you?"
"Yes, sir; I did."
"Have you any reason for this opinion aside from the conversation you allege that you heard?"