Despite the efforts of his counsel to pacify him, it was fully half an hour before Peter V. Wilkinson recovered from his fright. Over and over again he wailed in the lawyer's ears, "But they tried to do it, Morehead. They tried to kill me, didn't they?" And when, at last, the replies to this question were not forthcoming, he asked, between little fits of shivering, what plans had been made to get him away, since the police would probably be powerless to drive away the crowd which every moment, he was positive, was increasing because of the excitement and their knowledge now that he was in the building. In a measure, however, he was soon reassured. For after a loud rap on the railing, the Court came in, and glancing commiseratingly at Colonel Morehead, as if apologising for an act of violence, he shot out a stern forefinger towards the officers and cried out in a sonorous tone: "Clear the court-room at once! Next thing you know we'll have violence here." This proceeding took some little time, for the court-room was crowded. When at last it was cleared the Court, bowing respectfully to Colonel Morehead, announced: "If you're ready, Colonel Morehead, we'll have the indictments read." The Colonel made a grimace. "We've been reading them all night, your Honour; I know them all by heart; I think we can waive having them read." "Put the waiver on the record," said the Assistant District Attorney to the stenographer. He nodded toward the Court. "The District Attorney is most particular about this case." "How do you plead to the first, Colonel?" asked the Court. "The larceny indictment?" "Yes." "Not guilty." "Forgery--eight counts there, Colonel." "Not guilty." "Perjury--these banking reports--how about it?" "Not guilty," repeated Morehead laconically. "And now, your Honour," he went on, adopting a casual tone, "about bail?" The Court inclined his head toward the Assistant District Attorney. "Any suggestions?" "I move, your Honour," said the assistant, "that bail in these cases,--under the new rule laid down in the Mitchell case,--be fixed at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars on each charge." Colonel Morehead stiffened as with a sudden shock. "Your Honour," he protested, "this is preposterous! Every defendant is entitled to have bail fixed at a reasonable sum." "Then," went on the assistant with asperity, "if Colonel Morehead makes a fuss about it, I move, your Honour, to hold this defendant in the Tombs, and without bail, if your Honour please. It is, in this case, discretionary with your Honour. People vs. Mitchell, 193 New York." His Honour nodded impartially to Colonel Morehead and the Assistant District Attorney. For a while he gazed into space; finally he said: "Colonel Morehead, I think that I must fix the bail suggested, if I fix any bail at all."