It will be remembered this was the first time I had had my say out, or the matter at all handled, among lawyers; and the consequence was very dispiriting to the others and (I must own) disappointing to myself.
"To sum up," said Colstoun, "you prove that Alan was on the spot; you have heard him proffer menaces against Glenure; and though you assure us he was not the man who fired, you leave a strong impression that he was in league with him, and consenting, perhaps immediately assisting, in the act.

You show him besides, at the risk of his own liberty, actively furthering the criminal's escape.

And the rest of your testimony (so far as the least material) depends on the bare word of Alan or of James, the two accused.

In short, you do not at all break, but only lengthen by one personage, the chain that binds our client to the murderer; and I need scarcely say that the introduction of a third accomplice rather aggravates that appearance of a conspiracy which has been our stumbling block from the beginning." "I am of the same opinion," said Sheriff Miller.

"I think we may all be very much obliged to Prestongrange for taking a most uncomfortable witness out of our way.