h a glow of enthusiasm； 〃an' it's mesilf that knows it。〃
〃Oh； the country is all right；〃 said Mr。 Staunton impatiently； 〃but did not this man abandon his wife？〃
〃An' if he's the man ye think he is wudn't she be the better quit av him？〃
The lawyer had reached the limit of his patience。
〃Well； well； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； we will leave the wife alone。 But what of his treatment of the children？〃
〃The childer？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； 〃the childer； is it？ Man dear； but he's the thrue gintleman an' the tinder…hearted father fer his childer； an' so he is。〃
〃Oh； indeed； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick。 I am sure we shall all be delighted to hear this。 But you certainly have strange views of a father's duty toward his children。 Now will you tell the court upon what ground you would extol his parental virtues？〃
〃Faix； it's niver a word I've said about his parental virtues； or any other kind o' virtues。 I was talkin' about his childer。〃
〃Well； then； perhaps you would be kind enough to tell the court what reason you have for approving his treatment of his children？〃
Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's opportunity had arrived。 She heaved a great sigh； and with some deliberation began。
〃Och！ thin； an' it's just terrible heart…rendin' an' so it is。 An' it's mesilf that can shpake； havin' tin av me own； forby three that's dead an' gone； God rest their sowls！ an' four that's married； an' the rest all doin' well fer thimsilves。 Indade； it's mesilf that has the harrt fer the childer。 You will be havin' childer av yer own；〃 she added confidentially to the lawyer。
A shout of laughter filled the court room； for Staunton was a confirmed and notorious old bachelor。
〃I have the bad fortune； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； to be a bachelor；〃 he replied； red to the ears。
〃Man dear； but it's hard upon yez； but it's Hivin's mercy fer yer wife。〃
The laughter that followed could with difficulty be suppressed by the court crier。
〃Go on； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； go on with your tale；〃 said Staunton； who had frankly joined in the laugh against himself。
〃I will that；〃 said Mrs。 Fitzpatrick with emphasis。 〃Where was I？ The man an' his childer。 Sure； I'll tell Yer 'Anner。〃 Here she turned to the judge。 〃Fer he；〃 with a jerk of her thumb towards the lawyer； 〃knows nothin' about the business at all； at all。 It was wan night he came to me house askin' to see his childer。 The night o' the dance； Yer 'Anner。 As I was sayin'； he came to me house where the childer was； askin' to see thim； an' him without a look o' thim fer years。 An' did they know him？〃 Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's voice took a tragic tone。 〃Not a hair av thim。 Not at the first。 Ah； but it was the harrt…rendin' scene； with not a house nor a home fer him to come till； an' him sendin' the money ivery month to pay fer it。 But where it's gone； it's not fer me to say。 There's some in this room〃 （here she regarded Rosenblatt with a steady eye）； 〃might know more about that money an' what happened till it； than they know about Hivin。 Ah； but as I was sayin'； it wud melt the harrt av a Kerry steer； that's first cousin to the goats on the hills fer wildness； to see the way he tuk thim an' held thim； an' wailed over thim； the tinder harrt av him！ Fer only wan small hour or two could he shtay wid thim； an' then aff to that haythen counthry agin that gave him birth。 An' the way he suffered fer that same； poor dear！ An' the beautiful wife he lost！ Hivin be kind to her！ Not her；〃 following the judge's glance toward Paulina； 〃but an angel that need niver feel shame to shtand befure the blissid Payther himsilf； wid the blue eyes an' the golden hair in the picter he carries nixt his harrt； the saints have pity on him！ An' how he suffered fer the good cause！ Och hone！ it breaks me harrt！〃 Here Mrs。 Fitzpatrick paused to wipe away her tears。
〃But； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick；〃 interrupted Mr。 Staunton； 〃this is all very fine； but what has this to do〃
〃Tut！ man； isn't it that same I'm tellin' ye？〃 And on she went； going back to the scene she had witnessed in her own room between Kalmar and his children； and describing the various dramatis personae and the torrential emotions that had swept their hearts in that scene of final parting between father and children。
Again and again Staunton sought to stay her eloquence； but with a majestic wave of her hand she swept him aside； and with a wealth of metaphor and an unbroken flow of passionate； tear…bedewed rhetoric that Staunton himself might well envy； she held the court under her sway。 Many of the women present were overcome with emotion。 O'Hara openly wiped away his tears； keeping an anxious eye the while upon the witness and waiting the psychological moment for the arresting of her tale。
The moment came when Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's emotions rendered her speechless。 With a great show of sympathy； Mr。 O'Hara approached the witness； and offering her a glass of water； found opportunity to whisper； 〃Not another word； on your soul。〃
〃Surely；〃 he said； appealing to the judge in a voice trembling with indignant feeling； 〃my learned friend will not further harass this witness。〃
〃Let her go； in Heaven's name；〃 said Staunton testily； 〃we want no more of her。〃
〃So I should suppose；〃 replied O'Hara drily。
With Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； the case for the Crown was closed。 To the surprise of all； and especially of the Counsel for the Crown； O'Hara called no witnesses and offered no evidence in rebuttal of that before the court。 This made it necessary for Staunton to go on at once with his final address to the jury。
Seldom in all his experience had he appeared to such poor advantage as on that day。 The court was still breathing the atmosphere of Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's rude and impassioned appeal。 The lawyer was still feeling the sting of his humiliating failure with his star witness； and O'Hara's unexpected move surprised and flustered him； old hand as he was。 With halting words and without his usual assurance； he reviewed the evidence and asked for a conviction on both charges。
With O'Hara it was quite otherwise。 It was in just such a desperate situation that he was at his best。 The plight of the prisoner； lonely； beaten and defenceless； appealed to his chivalry。 Then； too； O'Hara； by blood and tradition； was a revolutionist。 In every 〃rising〃 during the last two hundred years of Ireland's struggles； some of his ancestors had carried a pike or trailed a musket； and the rebel blood in him cried sympathy with the Nihilist in his devotion to a hopeless cause。 And hence the passion and the almost tearful vehemence that he threw into his final address were something more than professional。
With great skill he took his cue from the evidence of the last witness。 He drew a picture of the Russian Nihilist hunted like 〃a partridge on the mountains；〃 seeking for himself and his compatriots a home and safety in this land of liberty。 With vehement scorn he told the story of the base treachery of Rosenblatt； 〃a Government spy； a thief； a debaucher of women； and were I permitted； gentlemen； I could unfold a tale in this connection such as would wring your hearts with grief and indignation。 But my client will not permit that the veil be drawn from scenes that would bring shame to the honoured name he wears。〃
With consummate art the lawyer turned the minds of the jury from the element of personal vengeance in the crime committed to that of retribution for political infidelity； till under his manipulation the prisoner was made to appear in the role of patriot and martyr doomed to suffer for his devotion to his cause。
〃But； gentlemen； though I might appeal to your passions； I scorn to do so。 I urge you to weigh calmly； deliberately； as cool； level… headed Canadians； the evidence produced by the prosecution。 A crime has been committed； a most revolting crime；one man killed； another seriously wounded。 But what is the nature of this crime？ Has it been shown either to be murder or attempted murder？ You must have noticed； gentlemen； how utterly the prosecution has failed to establish any such charge。 The suggestion of murder comes solely from the man who has so deeply wronged and has pursued with such deadly venom the unfortunate prisoner at the bar。 This man； after betraying the cause of freedom； after wrecking the prisoner's home and family； after proving traitor to every trust imposed in him； now seeks to fasten upon his victim this horrid crime of murder。 His is the sole evidence。 What sort of man is this upon whose unsupported testimony you are asked to send a fellow human being to the scaffold？ Think calmly； gentlemen； is he such a man as you can readily believe？ Is his highly coloured story credible？ Are you so gullible as to be taken in with this melodrama？ Gentlemen； I know you； I know my fellow citizens too well to think that you will be so deceived。
〃Now what are the facts； the bare facts； the cold facts； gentlemen？ And we are here to deal with facts。 Here they are。 There is a wedding。 My learned friend is not interested in weddings； not perhaps as much interested as he should be； and as such apparently； he excites the pity of his friends。〃
This sally turned all eyes towards Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； and a broad smile spread over the court。
〃There is a wedding； as I was saying。 Unhappily the wedding feast； as is too often the case with our foreign citizens； degenerates into a drunken brawl。 It is a convenient occasion for paying off old scores。 There is general melee； a scrap； in short。 Suddenly these two men come face to face； their passions inflamed。 On the one hand there is a burning sense of wrong； on the other an unquenchable hate。 For； gentlemen； remember； the man that hates you most venomously is the man who has wronged you most deeply。 These two meet。 There is a fight。 When all is over； one man is found dead； another with a wound in his breast。 But who struck the first blow？ None can tell。 We are absolutely without evidence upon this point。 In regard to the Polak； all that can be said is this； that it was a most unfortunate occurrence。 The attempt to connect the prisoner with this man's death has utterly failed。 In regard to the man Rosenblatt； dismissing his absurdly tragic story； what evidence has been brought before this court that there wa