With alacrity Woodley responds to the appeal; giving his experience, along with it his suspicions and conjectures; not simply as a witness, but more like a counsel in the case. It needs not to say, he is against the accused, in his statement of facts, as the deductions he draws from them. For the hunter has long since decided within himself, as to who killed Clancy.
Heywood follows him in like manner, though with no new matter. His testimony but corroborates that of his elder confrère.
Taken together, or separately, it makes profound impression on the jurors of Judge Lynch; almost influencing them to pronounce an instant verdict, condemnatory of the accused.
If so, it will soon be followed by the sentence; this by execution, short and quick, but sternly terrible!
Chapter Twenty Seven.
Additional evidence.
While the Lynchers are still in deliberation, the little clock on the mantel strikes twelve, midnight; of late, not oft a merry hour in the cottage of the Clancys; but this night more than ever sad.
Its striking seems the announcement of a crisis. For a time it silences the voices of those conversing.