"
"Did you find this Rhyming Joe?"
"No, sir, I couldn't find 'im."
"Now, Ralph, when you left me at the Scranton station on Saturday
night, did you go straight home?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you see any one to talk with except Bachelor Billy that night
after you left me?"
"No, sir."
"Where did you go on Sunday morning?"
"Uncle Billy an' me went down to the chapel to meetin'."
"From there where did you go?"
"Back home."
"And had your dinner?"
"Yes, sir."
"What did you do after that?"
"Me an' Uncle Billy went up to the breaker."
"What breaker?"
"Burnham Breaker."
"Why did you go there?"
"Jest for a walk, an' to see how it looked."
"How long did you stay there?"
"Oh, we hadn't been there more'n fifteen or twenty minutes 'fore Mrs.
Burnham's man came for me an' took me to her house."
Sharpman straightened up in his chair. His drag-net had brought up
something at last. It might be of value to him and it might not be.
"Ah!" he said, "so you spent a portion of yesterday afternoon at Mrs.
Burnham's house, did you?"
"Yes, sir, I did."
"How long did you stay there?"
"Oh! I shouldn't wonder if it was two or three hours."
"Did you see Mrs. Burnham alone?"
"Yes, sir."
"Have a long talk together?"
"Yes, sir, a very nice long talk."
Sharpman thought that if he could only lead the jury, by inference,
to the presumption that what had taken place to-day was understood
between Ralph and Mrs. Burnham yesterday it would be a strong point,
but he knew that he must go cautiously.
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