Then his eyes
fluttered partly open and he regarded her dreamily. "I smell the blood
on his hands, the warm blood, the hot blood on his hands."
"And by gad he can do it!" some man exclaimed.
And so convinced was Frona that she glanced involuntarily at St.
Vincent's hands, and saw there the rusty-brown stains on the cuffs of
his flannel shirt.
As La Flitche left the stand, Bill Brown came over to her and shook
hands. "No more than proper I should know the lawyer for the defence,"
he said, good-naturedly, running over his notes for the next witness.
"But don't you think it is rather unfair to me?" she asked, brightly.
"I have not had time to prepare my case. I know nothing about it
except what I have gleaned from your two witnesses. Don't you think,
Mr. Brown," her voice rippling along in persuasive little notes, "don't
you think it would be advisable to adjourn the meeting until to-morrow?"
"Hum," he deliberated, looking at his watch.
"Wouldn't be a bad idea. It's five o'clock, anyway, and the men ought
to be cooking their suppers."
She thanked him, as some women can, without speech; yet, as he looked
down into her face and eyes, he experienced a subtler and greater
satisfaction than if she had spoken.
He stepped to his old position and addressed the room. "On
consultation of the defence and the prosecution, and upon consideration
of the lateness of the hour and the impossibility of finishing the
trial within a reasonable limit, I--hum--I take the liberty of moving
an adjournment until eight o'clock to-morrow morning.
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