There stood Prof. Timms in his triumph. His experiment had proved to be a brilliant success, and that was all he cared for.
"You have not shown us the other signatures," said Mr. Balfour.
"False in one thing, false in all," responded the professor, shrugging his shoulders. "I can show you the others; they would be like this; you would throw away your time."
Mr. Cavendish did not look at the witness, but pretended to write.
"Does the counsel for the defense wish to question the witness?" inquired Mr. Balfour, turning to him.
"No," very sharply.
"You can step down," said Mr. Balfour. As the witness passed him, he quietly grasped his hand and thanked him. A poorly suppressed cheer ran around the court-room as he resumed his seat. Jim Fenton, who had never before witnessed an experiment like that which, in the professor's hands, had been so successful, was anxious to make some personal demonstration of his admiration. Restrained from this by his surroundings, he leaned over and whispered: "Perfessor, you've did a big thing, but it's the fust time I ever knowed any good to come from peekin' through a key-hole."
"Thank you," and the professor nodded sidewise, evidently desirous of shutting Jim off, but the latter wanted further conversation.
"Was it you that said it was mean to tickle yer parson?" inquired Jim.
"What?" said the astonished professor, looking round in spite of himself.