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Updated: May 26, 2025
"Do you mean to swear that this is not a deep-laid scheme on the part of you and your attorney to wrest from this estate enough to make a fortune for you both? Do you mean to say mat you care as much for this boy's rights as you do for the dust in your path?" Craft's face paled, and Sharpman started to his feet, red with passion. "This is the last straw!" he exclaimed, hoarsely; "now I intend"
Then Sharpman arose, and, drawing a bundle of papers from his pocket, he read to the court from one of them as follows:
"Did you take particular notice of the child's clothing as you saw it after the accident; could you recognize, at this time, the principal articles of outside wear that he had on?" "I think I could." Sharpman paused as if in thought. After he had whispered for a moment with Craft, he said to the witness: "That is all, for the present, Mr. Merrick." Then he turned to the opposing counsel and said:
After the usual preliminary questions had been asked and answered, he waited, looking out over the multitude of faces turned toward him, while Sharpman consulted his notes. "Do you know this boy?" the lawyer asked, pointing to Ralph. "Do I know that boy?" repeated Billy, pointing also to Ralph, "'deed I do that. I ken 'im weel." "When did you first see him?"
Sharpman, can you close your case before adjourning time?" "That will be impossible, your Honor." "Then, crier, you may adjourn the court until to-morrow morning at nine o'clock." The crier made due proclamation, the spectators began to crowd out of the room, the judge left the bench, and the lawyers gathered up their papers. Ralph, on his way out, again passed by Mrs.
Finally he said: "There must be some mistake. I saw him only yesterday. He signed that paper in my presence as late as four o'clock." "Very likely," responded Sharpman: "he did not die until after six. Oh, no! there is no mistake. It was this Robert Burnham. I know his signature." The old man sat for another minute in silence, keen disappointment written plainly on his face.
It is cruel to keep him from me!" Sharpman began to fear that he had injured his cause by presenting the case too strongly. At this rate the lady would soon believe, fully, that her son had been saved and could be restored to her. With such a belief in her mind the success of his scheme would be impossible. It would never do to let her go on in this way; he began to remonstrate.
I didn't think o' bein' mean that way, but when I heard Rhymin' Joe tell you 'at I wasn't Robert Burnham's son, I was so s'prised, an' scart-like 'at I couldn't speak." This was a little more than Sharpman wanted, but he kept on: "How long were you under the control of this spirit of muteness?" "Sir?" "How long was it before the power to speak returned to you?"
He understood it all now; Ralph had overheard. "Who told you?" asked Goodlaw. "No one told me, I heard Rhymin' Joe " Sharpman interrupted him. "I don't know," he said, "if the court please, what this boy is trying to tell nor what wild idea has found lodgement in his brain; but I certainly object to the introduction of such hearsay evidence as counsel seems trying to bring out.
Goodlaw," continued the judge, addressing Mrs. Burnham's attorney, "will you look at the bond and see if it is satisfactory to you?" Mr. Goodlaw took the bond, examined it, and returned it to the clerk. "I have no objection to make to it," he said. "Then we will approve the bond, Mr. Sharpman, and make the appointment. You have named Simon Craft as guardian. We are wholly unacquainted with him.
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