"Have you, sir," said he, "a clerk in your employment who wears whiskers?"
The witness was compelled, on the part of some of his clerks at least, to plead guilty to this first count in the indictment from an invisible Grand Jury. As whiskers are not an expensive article of luxury, even post-office clerks can afford to wear them.
"Have you," continued the counsel for the unknown prosecutor, "a clerk who wears large whiskers and a large gold ring?"
The reply to this query was not equally satisfactory, for the witness averred that his clerks were decidedly not given to jewelry; and as to gold, they felt that they could invest it more usefully than in the purchase of mammoth finger-rings.
"Have you," continued the pertinacious querist, "a clerk who lives in Front Street?"
Here again the answer was not gratifying, for the witness declared that to the best of his knowledge, no clerk of his had, whether with or without whiskers, or whether with or without a stupendous finger-ring, made Front Street illustrious by residing therein.
Notwithstanding the discrepancy, the gentleman went on with his inquiries:—
"Have you a clerk in your employment who has a drawer of which he keeps the key?"
The reply to this question was such as to meet the wishes of the querist, and he was told that there was more than one such clerk in his office.
"Then," said the gentleman, "I demand that you have those drawers opened, and their contents examined!"