"Mr. Coroner," said Beulah, rising and pointing at Gardiner, "will you make that man take his gauntlets off?"
There seemed an instant recession of the blood from Gardiner's face. But it was for the instant only. "My hat is off," he said, with a smile. "Is not that sufficient?"
"Make him take them off!" Beulah insisted.
"There is no rule against wearing gauntlets in a coroner's court," said the coroner. "I do not see the point of your objection."
"Make him take them off," said Beulah.
"As the young lady insists," said the coroner, turning to Gardiner,
"I suggest that you comply with her request."
"I should be glad to," said Gardiner, "but the fact is I have a sore hand. When I was giving the horse medicine the night Travers left me alone the brute nipped me a little, and I have been keeping it covered up since."
"Make him take them off," said Beulah.
"Why should you be so insistent?" said the coroner. "Surely it makes no difference—"
"Only this difference. You have heard my father's evidence of the fight in the old house. The man with whom he fought will have tooth-marks in his hand. Make him take them off. Or if you won't—look at these hands." She seized Jim's hands in hers and held them up before the coroner and the jury. "Any tooth-marks there? Now make this other man show his."