At once La Planta scribbled on a scrap of paper which he then handed to counsel for the prosecution.
When the latter had conferred in undertones with his solicitor, he continued:
“Are you aware, Mr. La Planta, that this perfume may not be legally sold or bought in this country without a special license, also that to import it is illegal, owing to its being, in addition to a perfume, an extremely potent drug possessing peculiar properties?”
“I am aware of that.”
“And yet you deliberately imported it?”
“I did.”
To all present in Court it was obvious examining counsel was becoming annoyed at La Planta’s frank and unhesitating replies to questions meant to disconcert him. For nearly two hours the examination continued, and when at last it ended the witness left the Court “without a stain upon his character” so far as the Jew’s death was concerned.
CHAPTER XX.
CONCERNS A RUMOR.
Preston had impatiently awaited the result of La Planta’s cross-examination, and the verdict disappointed him. For secretly he felt convinced still that even if the young man had not directly connived at the money-lender’s death, yet that he could throw light on the cause of death if he wished to.