He outlined the evidence I was to give." "And it lost Jackson's case for him." He nodded, and the blood began to rise darkly in his face.
"And Jackson had a wife and two children dependent on him." "I know," he said quietly, though his face was growing darker.
"Tell me," I went on, "was it easy to make yourself over from what you were, say in high school, to the man you must have become to do such a thing at the trial ?" The suddenness of his outburst startled and frightened me.

He ripped* out a savage oath, and clenched his fist as though about to strike me.
* It is interesting to note the virilities of language that were common speech in that day, as indicative of the life, 'red of claw and fang,' that was then lived.

Reference is here made, of course, not to the oath of Smith, but to the verb ripped used by Avis Everhard.
"I beg your pardon," he said the next moment.

"No, it was not easy.

And now I guess you can go away.