“If your honor pleases, unless the defence is ready to proceed at once, I shall ask your honor to give the case to the jury on its default.”
Forrest takes his place.
“I recall all the witnesses for the Commonwealth for cross-examination,” says the young lawyer to the court.
“Object!” shouts the district attorney, on his feet at once. “The prisoner failed to take advantage of this right when it was offered to him and his counsel sat idly by. It is too late now. I won’t try the case all over again.”
“I think,” says the smiling court, “that I shall permit this. It is not your right, sir,”—to the counsel for the prisoner—“but the easiest way is the best, in law as well as—elsewhere.”
He smiles down upon the district attorney, as if he were saying:
“You will get your game the sooner, I will get my dinner hot.”
“Proceed!” is all the officer of the Commonwealth has to say.
It is the young counsel’s first examination of a witness.
“Officer Gorman,” he says, with a child’s savagery, “yi—you were here—bif—before?”