Mrs. Eaton raised her eyebrows. “I can’t understand you,� she said, with distant politeness; “I refer to immigration.�
“And I refer to immoderation, madam,� snapped the judge.
Diana intervened. “Pa wants you,� she said sweetly, and went with him across the hall to the library. At the door she paused. “Judge Hollis,� she said, “does the trial hinge on the question of the time in the basement—before—before Mr. Trench went up-stairs?�
The judge scowled. “It does,� said he flatly, “and Caleb’s a fool.�
Diana smiled faintly; she looked unusually lovely and very grave. “Judge,� she said, “no matter what pa says, I’ll do it all; he’s demurred,� and with this enigmatical sentence she thrust the judge inside the door and closed it.
Monday the court met at noon and the throng was greater than ever. Report had it that the case was going to the jury, and men had slept on benches in the square. The morning papers reprinted Caleb’s famous speech at Cresset’s and the account of the stand he had made in the face of the would-be lynching party. Fed with this fuel, party feeling ran high; besides, the Yarnall faction was deeply stirred. It seemed as if this change in events had swept away the chance of punishment for Jacob Eaton, who was figuring largely and conspicuously in this trial and who had caught the public eye. Moreover, he had been industrious in circulating the scandalous tale of Jean Bartlett. The court-room buzzed. Three times Judge Ladd rapped for order and finally threatened to clear the court-room. This was the day that the crowd in the windows shut off all view for those in the tree of heaven. It was a hot autumn day and the air was heavy. Stout men like Judge Hollis looked purple, and even Caleb flushed under the strain.
Colonel Coad cross-examined two witnesses in a lengthy fashion that threatened to exhaust even the patience of the court, and Judge Hollis was on his feet every few minutes with objections. The judge was out of temper, nervous and snappy, yet triumph glowed in his eyes, for he scented battle and victory at last.
The dreary day wore to an uneventful end, and there was almost a sob of disappointment in the packed and sweltering mass of humanity. One woman fainted and the bailiffs had to bring ice-water. Outside, the rifles rattled as the guards changed.
At five o’clock, just before the belated adjournment hour, Judge Hollis rose and asked the clerk to call a new witness for the defense. There was a languid stir of interest, the judge looked irate, the jurors shifted wearily in their chairs. The clerk called the witness.
“Diana Royall.�