He passed a powerful magnifying-glass to the foreman.
One juryman after another took the cardboard and the glass and made the comparison. Then the foreman said to the judge—
“Your honor, we are all agreed that they are identical.”
Wilson said to the foreman—
“Please turn that cardboard face down, and take this one, and compare it searchingly, by the magnifier, with the fatal signature upon the knife-handle, and report your finding to the court.”
Again the jury made minute examinations, and again reported—
“We find them to be exactly identical, your honor.”
Wilson turned toward the counsel for the prosecution, and there was a clearly recognizable note of warning in his voice when he said—
“May it please the court, the State has claimed, strenuously and persistently, that the blood-stained finger-prints upon that knife-handle were left there by the assassin of Judge Driscoll. You have heard us grant that claim, and welcome it.” He turned to the jury: “Compare the finger-prints of the accused with the finger-prints left by the assassin—and report.”
The comparison began. As it proceeded, all movement and all sound ceased, and the deep silence of an absorbed and waiting suspense settled upon the house; and when at last the words came—