Then came Mr Windgate's turn. His cross-examination was perfect. Every point in the witness' past life, which he could colourably touch upon--and several which he could not--was raised. He made him admit-- notwithstanding continued objections from the prosecution--that his own daughter would not live with him, even if the unfortunate girl had not been fairly driven from her home. He brought up against him former convictions for acts of ruffianism, and for poaching; and on the score of character, and by way of proving _animus_, he forced the witness to own that he had more than once expressed hatred of the accused, thus making him prove himself guilty of the blackest ingratitude, in that his situation with Colonel Neville had been procured through the prisoner's good offices. But clever as he was, Mr Windgate could not get him to contradict himself or to swerve by a word from the main details of his story. "Well, now," he continued. "This took place two years and a half ago. That is to say, Mr Stephen Devine, that by witnessing this deed and not preventing it you made yourself an accessory after the fact? An accomplice--in short." The man looked rather scared. "Please, sir, it was all done too quickly." "But why did you keep silence all this time?" "Well, sir, you see, it was no affair of mine, and I was afraid I might get into trouble." "Indeed! Suspicious, to say the least of it. And how is it that, having held your tongue for so long, you should at last see fit to let it wag?" "Well, sir, you see Johnston, he knew about it too, and he kep' on a lettin' me know that he did. At last he said that we should both get into trouble if we kep' it dark any longer." "Quite so. When was this?" "About five weeks ago." "And what did you do then?" "Why, we went to Mr Forsyth and asked his advice, and he said we'd better make sure of our fax, and then we must make a--a--a--aspersion." "A what?" "No, sir, that wasn't it--it was a disposition." "Oh! A deposition?" "Yes, sir, and we made it. And the next thing we heard was that Squire Dorrien was in gaol." "Where I trust those who richly deserve it will soon be in his place," rejoined Mr Windgate significantly. "And I hope I shall be instrumental in bringing about this pleasant little change. And now, do we understand you to say you would have kept silence about this if Johnston had not known it too?" "Well, sir, yes. It warn't no business of mine." "Well!" said Mr Windgate in a tone which said, "Alter that--anything." "A very natural fear, my lord," explained Mr Benham. "A poor man like the witness would naturally think a good many times before bringing a grave charge of this sort against a gentleman in the prisoner's position." "Many more witnesses on your side, Mr Benham?" asked the judge. "It's getting very late." "Only one, my lord. But I am willing to adjourn."