"I didn't play the spy. 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?" "Oh! not till Rhymin' Joe went out, I guess. I felt so bad I didn't want to speak to anybody." "Did you see this person whom you call Rhyming Joe?" "Only in the dark." "Not so as to recognize him by sight?" "No, sir." "How did you know it was he?" "By the way he talked." "How long is it since you have been accustomed to hearing him talk?" "About three years." "Did you see me last night?" "I caught a glimpse of you jest once." "When?" "When you went across the room an' gave Rhymin' Joe the money." Sharpman flushed angrily. He felt that he was treading on dangerous ground in this line of examination. He went on more cautiously. "At what time did you leave my office last night?" "Right after Rhymin' Joe did. I went out to find him." "Then you went away without letting me know of your presence there, did you?" "Yes, sir." "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. "She was very kind to you, wasn't she?" "Yes, sir; she was lovely. I never had so good a time before in all my life." "You took dinner with her, I suppose?" "Yes, sir." "Have a good dinner?" "It was splendid." "Did you eat a good deal?"