Page:That Royle Girl (Balmer).pdf/234



" State," said Calvin, at eleven o'clock in the morning of the ninth day, "the State rests, your Honor." And he turned slowly from the judge to the table of the defense.

Max Elmen had relapsed into his seat at the table with his elbows upon the bare board and with his big, bald head bowed between his hands in a devout posture of petition.

His hands hid his cheeks, his temples and his eyes, but left his mouth visible, and visibly his lips moved like the lips of a priest at solemn meditation. Calvin stared at him with surprised disgust; but since Calvin allowed the minimum of expression to his emotions, he seemed to most of the observers to be regarding his opponent merely in silence, and he served to direct the attention of every one to Elmen.

Perhaps Elmen spied out the situation from between his fingers, perhaps he was so confident of the effect of his posture that he had no need to prove it. He raised his head deliberately, keeping his eyes closed as though to prolong to the last moment his supplication and then deliberately he arose and turned, blinking at the light; and Calvin pricked with indignation as he perceived that Elmen was putting his pose "over."

For a moment again he closed his eyes, as though doubtful of the guidance given him during his meditation; then, apparently abandoning a plan of his own for another now imparted to him, he called Ketlar's mother from the witness room.

"Take the stand, please," Elmen said to Anna Folwell