“Well, sir, having dragged every thing into this case except what legitimately belongs to it, I want to know if you are through, _now_? We, on our side, have no need of introducing testimony to meet any thing you have yet been able to show. Why, you have not even established the first essential fact to be settled in prosecutions for homicide. You have arraigned my client for killing a man, and yet have shown nobody killed! No, we shall introduce no witnesses till the body of the alleged murdered man is produced; for, till then, no court on earth----But I am not making a speech, and will not anticipate. All I intended was, to ask, as I do again, are you through with your evidence _now_?” The attorney for the prosecution then admitted--rather prematurely, as it was soon seen--that he thought of nothing more which he wished to introduce. “Go on with your opening speech, then,” resumed the former. “No,” said the other, “I waive my privilege of the opening and close, and will only claim the closing speech.” “O, very well, sir,” said Gaut’s lawyer, throwing a surprised and suspicious look around, as if to see whether some trap was not involved in this unexpected waiver of the usually claimed privilege. “Very well; don’t blame you; shouldn’t think you could find honest materials even for one speech.” The hard-faced attorney, who was reputed one of the best of what are sometimes termed _devil’s lawyers_, in all that part of the country, then consequentially gathered up his minutes of the testimony, glanced over them, and, clearing his throat, commenced his great final speech, which was to annihilate his opponent, and quash the whole proceedings of the prosecution. But he had scarcely spoken ten words, before a tremendous shout, rising somewhere in the direction of the bridge,--to which their attention had been before called, when a part of it had been swept away during the first hours of the night,--broke and reverberated into the room, bringing him to an instant stand. Feeling that something extraordinary had occurred, the startled court, parties and spectators, alike paused, and eagerly listened for something further to explain the sudden outbreak. But, for several minutes, all was still, or hushed down to the low hum of mingling voices, and not a distinct, intelligible sound reached their expectant senses. Soon, however, the noise of trampling feet and the rush of crowds was heard, and perceived to be rapidly approaching the door of the court-room. And the next moment the clear, loud voice of the now evidently excited hunter was heard exultantly ringing out the announcement: “A witness, a new witness! A witness that saw the very deed!”