“Your pardon, sir,” put in Dunscomb, with great self-command, but very firmly—“words must not be put into the witness’s mouth, nor ideas into her head. She has sworn, may it please your honour, to a certain stocking; which stocking she described in her examination in chief; and we now ask her if this is that stocking. All this is regular, I believe; and I trust we are not to be interrupted.” “Go on, sir,” said the judge; “the prosecution will not interrupt the defence. But time is very precious.” “Is this the stocking?” repeated Dunscomb. The woman examined the stocking, looking inside and out, turning it over and over, and casting many a curious glance at the places that had been mended. “It’s dreadful darney, isn’t it?” she said, looking inquiringly at the counsellor. “It is as you see, Ma’am. I have made no alteration in it.” “I declare I believe this _is_ the very stocking.” “At the proper time, your honour, we shall show that this is _not_ the stocking, if indeed there ever was such a stocking at all,” said Timms, rolling up the article in question, and handing it to the clerk to keep. “You saw a certain piece of gold, you say,” resumed Dunscomb, “which piece of gold I understand you to say was afterwards found in the pocket of Mary Monson. Will you have the goodness to say whether the piece of gold which you saw in Mrs. Goodwin’s possession is among these?”—showing a dozen coins; “or whether one resembling it is here?” The woman was greatly puzzled. She meant to be honest; had told no more than was true, with the exception of the little embellishments that her propensity to imagine and talk rendered almost unavoidable; but, for the life of her, she could not distinguish the piece of money, or its counterpart. After examining the coins for several minutes she frankly admitted her ignorance. “It is scarcely necessary to continue this cross-examination,” said Dunscomb, looking at his watch. “I shall ask the court to adjourn, and to adjourn over until morning. We have reached the hour for lighting candles; but we have agents out in quest of most important witnesses; and we ask the loss of this evening as a favour. It can make no great difference as to the length of the trial; and the jurors will be all the fresher for a good night’s rest.” The court acquiesced, and allowed of the adjournment, giving the jury the usual charge about conversing or making up their opinions until they had heard the whole testimony; a charge that both Williams and Timms took very good care to render of no use in several instances, or as regarded particular individuals.