Prev | Current Page 256 | Next

Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith), 1863-1935

"The Middle of Things"

It was a plain, consecutive story,
in which he set forth the circumstances preceding the evening of the
murder and confessed his picking up of the ring which lay on the pavement
by Ashton's body. He kept his eyes steadily fixed on Mr.
Millington-Bywater under this examination, never removing them from him
save when the magistrate interposed with an occasional remark or
question. But at one point a slight commotion in court caused him to look
among the spectators, and Viner, following the direction of his eyes, saw
him start, and at the same instant saw what it was that he started at.
Methley, followed by the claimant, was quietly pushing a way through the
throng between the door and the solicitor's table.
Viner leaned closer to Mr. Pawle.
"Do you see?" he whispered. "Hyde evidently recognizes one of those two!
Now--which?"
Mr. Pawle glanced at the prisoner. Hyde's face, hitherto pale, had
flushed a little, and his eyes had grown bright; he looked as if he had
suddenly seen a friend's face in a hostile crowd. But Mr.
Millington-Bywater, who had been bending over his papers, suddenly looked
up with another question, and Hyde again turned his attention to him.


Pages:
244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268