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Updated: May 26, 2025
When the doors had closed behind him, Sharpman turned again to the jury, with a bitterly sarcastic smile upon his face. "Another chapter in the made-up tragedy," he said, "performed with marvellous skill as you can see. My learned friend has drilled his people well. He has made consummate actors of them all.
The lawyer stopped in his harangue and turned in time to see Ralph lying in a heap on the floor, just as he had slipped that moment from his chair. The boy had listened to Goodlaw's praises of his conduct with a vague feeling that he was undeserving of so much credit for it. But when Sharpman, advancing in his speech, charged him with having dreamed his story, he was astounded.
The witness was turned over to the defence for cross-examination. "No questions," said Goodlaw, shortly, gathering up his papers as if his defeat was already an accomplished fact. "Mr. Craft," said Sharpman, "stand up right where you are. I want to ask you one question. Did the child whom you rescued from the wreck have on, when you found him, this cap, cloak, and locket?" "He did."
"Look at that cloak and the cap," said Sharpman, "and tell me if they are the articles worn by the child who was going to the city with this old man after the accident." "To the best of my recollection," said the witness, "they are the same. I noticed the cloak particularly on account of the hole burned out of the front of it. I considered it an indication of a very narrow escape."
This was a heavily built man, with close-cropped beard, bronzed face, and one sleeve empty of its arm. He gave his name as William B. Merrick, and said that he was conductor of the train that broke through the Cherry Brook bridge, on the night of May 13, 1859. "Did you see, on your train that night," asked Sharpman, "the witness who has just left the stand?"
One morning, toward the middle of September, Lawyer John H. Sharpman rang the bell at the door of the Burnham mansion, sent his card up to Mrs. Burnham, and seated himself gracefully in an easy-chair by the parlor window to wait for her appearance. She came soon and greeted him with gracious dignity.
"Now," said Sharpman, "you don't resemble quite so strongly the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Here, take this," reaching out some money, "and go down to the restaurant on the corner and surprise yourself with the best dinner you can buy. Oh, you can pay it back," as the boy hesitated about accepting the money; "we'll call it a loan if you like.
The man must be detained, to give time for further thought. "Don't be in a hurry," said Sharpman, mildly; "let's talk this matter over a little more. Perhaps we can reach an amicable understanding." Rhyming Joe detected, in an instant, the weakening on the lawyer's part, and increased his audacity accordingly. "You have heard my proposition, Mr.
Rhyming Joe looked up at the ceiling as if in doubt. Finally, he said: "Split the difference and call it even, A hundred and fifty and I'll be leavin'." Sharpman was whirling the knob of his safe back and forth. At last he flung open the safe-door. "I don't care," he said, looking around at his visitor, "whether your story is true or false. We'll call it true if that will please you.
Sharpman was saying: "If we can succeed in managing the boy, now, as well as we have managed the mother, I think we are all right. I somewhat fear the effect of your presence on him, Craft, but he may as well see you to-night as later. You must keep cool, and be gentle; don't let him think you are here for any purpose but his good." "Oh! you may trust me, Mr.
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