The twelve, in varying keys, had all replied; the trial was "on" again, having been interrupted, evidently, by the adjournment of the afternoon before. A venerable complainant now resumed the story of how two young men, whose acquaintance he had made in a saloon the previous Sunday evening, had followed him into the street, assaulted him on his way home and robbed him of his ring. He positively identified the prisoner as the one who had wrenched it from his finger. Next, an officer testified to having arrested the defendant upon the old gentleman's description, and to having found in his pocket a pawn-ticket calling for the ring in question. The case, in the vernacular of the courts, was "dead open and shut." The People "rested," and the defendant, a miserable specimen of those wretched beings that constitute the penumbra of crime, took the stand. His defence was absurd. He denied ever before having seen his accuser, had not been in the saloon, had not taken the ring, had not pawned it, had bought the ticket from a man on the corner who, he remembered, had told him he was getting a bargain at three dollars. He could not describe this "man," or account for his own whereabouts on the evening in question. He had been drunk at the time. It was a story as old as theft itself. The prosecutor winked at the jury, and the Judge once more summoned the apostolic-looking complainant to the chair. "You realize, sir, the terrible consequences to this young man should you be mistaken? Are you quite sure that he is one of the persons who robbed you?" he inquired with becoming gravity. The witness raised himself by his cane, and stepping down to where the prisoner sat, gazed searchingly into his stolid face. "God knows," said he, "I wouldn't harm a hair of his head. But by all that's holy, I swear he's the man who took my ring." A wave of interest passed over the assembled attorneys. That was business for you! No use to cross-examine an old fellow like _him_. There was a great nodding of heads and shuffling of feet. "Do you think you could identify your other assailant if you should see him?" continued the judge. "I'm sure of it," calmly replied the witness. "Very well, sir," continued his Honor; "see if you can do so."