"Oh, yes, sir! If he is here, I shall know him. I saw him plainly." And, turning about as she was told, she faced the half dozen prisoners, with a little shiver. "That is the one," she said at once; "the one with his hands in his pockets. His nose is bent just a little to one side, you see. And, oh! sir! if you look at the thumb on his right hand you will see that the end has been cut off; and that the nail grows sharp and long, like a claw. I saw it when he snatched my lunch-basket, but I have never thought of it since. I seemed to see it again when I saw his face."
"That is an interesting little point, showing the association of ideas," said one of the lawyers in a low tone to another; and the prisoner whom the little girl designated was ordered to take his hands from his pockets. He refused doggedly at first; but, seeing that it was of no use for him to resist, he withdrew them, and, holding up his peculiar thumb in a defiant way, he muttered:
"The girl saw my thumb when she came in, and spoke about it because she wants to get the reward."
"The prisoner kept his hands in his pockets ever since he entered the court-room," said the sheriff.
"Not continually, I think," said one of the lawyers; and Mr. Gorden suggested:
"It may be well to put this child's memory to another test." And, turning to Ella, he asked kindly, "Are you often in Willinotic, little girl?"
"I was never here until to-day, sir," she answered.
"Do you think you would know my horses if you saw them on the street?" inquired Mr. Gorden.
"Yes, sir," said Ella, "I am sure I should know them anywhere."
"She will have her match this time, I fancy," said one of the lawyers to another in a low voice; "of course she is not prepared for the variety of teams to be seen on our main street."