Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/339

 He drew from its case a long, keen hunting-knife, and handed it to the witness who was now trembling from head to foot.

"Did you ever see that knife before?"

Isaac hesitated and finally answered:

"Yassah, I sold it ter Mr. Ackerman."

"Where did you get it?"

Larkin suddenly cleared his throat with a deep guttural sound like the growl of an infuriated animal.

The lawyer looked at him with annoyance and the officer again shouted:

"Silence!"

"I foun' it, sah," he answered evasively.

"Now, Isaac, you want to be very careful how you answer my next question."

The lawyer took the knife from the Negro's hand and felt of its point.

"You will notice that a tiny piece is broken off the tip of this blade. I hold in my hand the little bit of steel which exactly fits there. It was found embedded in a bone in Judge Butler's body. This is the knife that struck the death-blow. Did you own that knife the night of the murder? Answer me!"

Isaac fumbled his handkerchief again and looked about the room helplessly.

Larkin rose carelessly and started from the