The judge stared and bit his lip in irritation. There were so many cases on his calendar! Were they all to be dragged out past all reason by the lawyers! This of course was merely the grand stand play of a lawyer with a bad case. To do him justice, his Honor controlled his irritation before he spoke.
"Mr. Corveth, I trust you have taken thought of what you are saying. You have had every opportunity to present your case."
"Twelve new witnesses have just been brought to me, sir, whose existence I never suspected."
"Twelve! How could that be? You have been studying this case for weeks. In what manner were new witnesses brought to you at this late date?"
"They were brought to me by a person interested in this case, who has been conducting an investigation unknown to me."
"And you say their evidence is important?"
"Of the utmost importance, sir. It throws an entirely new light on the case."
In his irritation the overworked judge was understood to mutter: "I doubt it!"
Corveth flushed crimson, but held his tongue.
Observing the flush, his Honor went on more mildly, but still with bitterness: "Understand, Mr. Corveth, it is not your word that I doubt, but only your estimate of the importance of this evidence. A long experience on the bench has taught me that matters which appear of overwhelming importance to opposing counsel, have a way of shrinking sadly when they are brought out on the stand."