"And pray, Sir Richard, when did you consider you had that proof?"
"When the surgeon was able to swear to a portion of the remains of Mr. Francis Thornhill."
"Oh, then I am to understand that you rest the case for the prosecution upon a bone?"
"I do not prosecute."
"But you took the prisoner into custody, sir; and am I to believe that you did so solely on account of the finding a bone in some of the vaults of St. Dunstan's?"
"You can conclude so."
"Oh, I can conclude so? Very well then. Gentleman of the jury, it appears that the whole case against the prisoner at the bar, my worthy and exemplary client, rests upon a bone. That will do, Sir Richard; we will not trouble you any further. Perhaps the court will stop the case, as it only rests upon a bone."
"Not exactly," said the judge.
The next witness was the surgeon, and his evidence was listened to with great attention. He said—
"I was in the vaults of St. Dunstan's church, and I looked over a great quantity of osteological remains. Among those remains I found a male femur."