Chapter IV · (continued 2)

I know that at first it may be hideously hard. I know that giving up everything here and starting life all over somewhere with strangers will be hard to desperation. But it will be easier than trying to fight it out here, won’t it, Mimi? And in the end we’ll hold happiness in our hands—you’ll see, my blessed. Don’t cry, don’t cry, my little girl—not even in dreams, not even through laughter. Because, you see, like the Prince and Princess in the fairy tale, we’re going to live happy ever after.

Your Pat.

“That concludes the letters?” inquired Judge Carver, hopefully, his eyes on the bowed head beneath his throne.

“That concludes them,” said Mr. Farr, removing them deftly from the assistant prosecutor’s palsied fingers. “And as it is close to four, I would like to make a suggestion. The state is ready to rest its case with these letters, but an extremely unfortunate occurrence has deprived us so far of one of our witnesses, who is essential as a link in the chain of evidence that we have forged. This witness was stricken three weeks ago with appendicitis and rushed to a New York hospital. I was given every assurance that he would be able to be present by this date, but late last week unfavourable symptoms developed and he has been closely confined ever since.

“I have here the surgeon’s certificate that he is absolutely unable to take the stand to-day, but that it is entirely possible that he may do so by Monday. As this is Friday, therefore, I respectfully suggest that we adjourn to Monday, when the state will rest its case.”

“Have you any objections, Mr. Lambert?”

“Every objection, Your Honour!” replied Mr. Lambert with passionate conviction. “I have two witnesses myself who have come here at great inconvenience to themselves and are obliged to return at the earliest possible moment. What about them? What about the unfortunate jury? What about the unfortunate defendants? I have most emphatic objections to delaying this trial one second longer.”

“Then I can only suggest that the trial proceed and that the state be permitted to produce its witness as soon as is humanly possible, in which case the defense would necessarily be permitted to produce what witnesses it saw fit in rebuttal.”

Mr. Lambert, still flown with some secret triumph, made an ample gesture of condescension.

“Very well, I consider it highly irregular, but leave it that way—leave it that way by all means. Now, Your Honour——”

“You say you have a certificate, Mr. Farr?”

“Yes, Your Honour.”

“May we have its contents?”

“Certainly.” Mr. Farr tendered it promptly. “It’s from the chief surgeon at St. Luke’s. As you see, it simply says that it would be against his express orders that Dr. Barretti should take the stand to-day, but that, if nothing unfavourable develops, he should be able to do so by Monday.”

“Yes. Well, Mr. Farr, if Mr. Lambert has no objections you may produce Dr. Barretti then. You have no further questions?”

“None, Your Honour.”

“Very well, the Court stands adjourned until to-morrow at ten.”

“What name did he say?” inquired the reporter in a curiously hushed voice. “Dr. What?”

“It sounded like Barretti,” said the red-headed girl, getting limply to her feet.

“The poor fool!” murmured the reporter in the same awe-stricken tones.

“What?”

“Lambert. Did you get that? The poor blithering fool doesn’t know who he is and where he’s heading.”

“Well, who is he?” inquired the red-headed girl over her shoulder despairingly. She felt that if anything else happened she would sit on the floor and cry, and she didn’t want to—much.

“It’s Barretti—Gabriel Barretti,” said the reporter. “The greatest finger-print expert in the world. Lord, it means that he must have their—— What in the world’s the matter? D’you want a handkerchief?”

The red-headed girl, nodding feebly, clutched at the large white handkerchief with one hand and the large blue serge sleeve with the other. Anyway, she hadn’t sat on the floor.

The fourth day of the Bellamy trial was over.