The unfortunate youth seemed to forget that the trial was a mock one, and coloured up and stammered and corrected himself, as if the life of a fellow-being actually depended on his evidence.
Felgate, after a hurried communication from his junior, only asked a very few questions in cross-examination.
"Did you observe if the body was lying with its head to the door or its feet ?" "I really couldn't say.

It was so dark, and I was so horrified." "Was the key of the cellar always on the outside of the door ?" "Yes, generally; it must have been, because I locked it behind me when I ran out." "Who would be the last person at night to go to the cellar?
Would the foreman go round and lock up ?" "I don't know; I suppose so." "You wouldn't swear that the foreman did not usually keep the key at night in his own room ?" "No--that is, yes.

Do you mean I wouldn't swear he did, or didn't ?" "You would not swear he did not keep it ?" "I don't know." "But you wouldn't swear he didn't ?" "I couldn't, because if I don't know--" "If you don't know you couldn't swear he didn't do it.

Come, tell the jury, Yes, or No, Mr Simple; it is an important question." Simson looked up and down.

Half a dozen friends were winking at him suggestively from different parts of the court, and he couldn't make out their meaning.