CHAPTER XXIX

THE TOXICOLOGIST AND THE FORGER

As Smith Edgar was sworn, Cranshaw recovered from the shock of the unexpected occurrence, which, at a stroke, had overturned the plans of the defense.

He struggled to his feet and secured the attention of the Judge before the prosecutor could proceed with his examination.

I

“Your Honor," he said, "it is past the usual hour of adjournment now. We are wearied and have made great progress. apprehend this examination will be a long Therefore, before evidence is taken, I

one.

plead for adjournment.”

Possibly because the Judge was to attend a dinner that evening, as he did, an adjournment was taken, despite the protest of the prosecution.

As the Judge left the bench, confusion followed. The waiting throngs swarmed within the bar. The District Attorney and his assistants were immediately involved in an

earnest discussion with Harmon.

And Smith

Edgar slipped out of sight, to the consternation of the prosecution. Percy bade Frank

to look after Mrs. Stanford, and rising, stood irresolutely for a moment. Before Eldon could grasp his intention, he moved swiftly into the throng crowding the bar, and reached the outer door of the court-room. The lawyer sent a clerk after him to say that there must be a consultation on the unexpected appearance of Smith Edgar.

The clerk did not come up with Percy until the head of the stairs was reached.

"It must be at 9 o'clock, then," said Percy. "Until that time I shall be busy with neglected affairs that can be no longer delayed. I will be at Eldon's office at 9. Not a moment before."

He pulled his hat over his eyes and his coat collar over his face, less as a protection against the weather than from an instinctive desire for concealment, and slowly descended the winding stairs.

As he reached the foot, Doyle Mason dashed through the swinging doors from the street, and, perceiving Percy, rushed to him, crying:

"Smith Edgar is back again—has spent the afternoon until three with Morton-then disappeared."

"I know," replied Percy, in a dull, lifeless voice. "He has been sworn as a witness for the prosecution."

Mason, caught by his peculiar tone, now looked earnestly into Percy's face. With alarm he noted its ashen color and sunken lines, and the fireless eyes.

financier by the arm he cried:

Grasping the

"My God! What are you going to do?" "The best I can, Mason. See Eldon. They're going to have a consultation. Eldon!"

He pushed by his friend.

See

Mason looked

after him, shaking his head doubtfully, following to the entrance, where he watched irresolutely.

Percy crossed the concrete, passing by the old brown court-house, to the junction of Center Street and Park Row, where he stood upon the curbstone looking out on the animated scene. The tide was setting homeward. The crowded trolley cars were rolling along, their wheels shrilly protesting as they rounded the curve, while overhead thundered the cars on the elevated road. The sidewalks were so thronged that the units lost their individualities and were blended into the mass of an endless procession that poured into the bridge entrance. Though he looked upon the scene, Percy saw not.

He was thinking. He had never been entirely hopeful as to the outcome. Now that Edgar was back and under the wing of the prosecution he had none. It was the end. He had been humiliated, as he had let none know, when the charge had first been spread abroad in the papers. He had been abused and dishonored that day in the address of the District Attorney, though he had borne it all with a hard, cold, proud front. To-morrow he would be degraded when he was called before the bar and pronounced guilty. Against all these things his proud spirit revolted. It was to be the opposite of all this-to be honored, to be dignified, to be exalted-that he had desired and struggled for great wealth. Now he was to be dragged through the mire of shame. Instead of being something for Mabel to be proud of, he was to be a curse for her to be ashamed of. He had desired the good-will and applause of the world, now he would be jeered at and hooted. He had no hope.

His impulse had been to go to Mabel's hotel in Brooklyn, to which place he felt she would hurry to meet him, but after a while he turned, crossed the City Hall Park to Broadway, and so to his office in the Empire Building. He walked along steadily and with upright carriage. And was surprised at it. An

odd notion crept into his mind that rather he should crawl.

A passerby saluted him cheerily. He returned the salute in his accustomed manner, but did not stop. He barely noted that it was one with whom he sometimes spent a social hour. He wondered if the man, knowing what was coming, would even now take his hand.

When he reached Broadway, he stopped again to think whether he should go to Mabel, to his uncle, or to his office. If he were to be pronounced guilty the next day and be taken into custody, there were things to be donethe future of his mother was to be looked after—and other things.

"It's up to me," he murmured.

He decided for his office and turned in the direction of the Empire Building, where he yet retained two of his old rooms of the Universal days. In the outer room Peter, his messenger of those old days, was reading the evening paper. Peter flung his newspaper aside and stood up. Percy looked at him vacantly and thought that if he were convicted on the morrow, here was a good fellow who would suffer in losing his place. But all he said was:

"Wait here for me, Peter. I may want you."