'Does Billy know of the diamonds, I wonder?' he thought.
As if to answer the question in the negative, Billy came quickly
forward, and offering his hand, bade Harold good-morning, and then
motioning him to a seat, took one beside him, and began:
'I'm awful sorry, Hal, th-that you are mix-mixed up in th-this but I sup
suppose you m-must t-tell the truth.'
'Yes, I must tell the truth, Harold said.'
'Fa-father will be so m-mad,' Billy continued. 'I wi-wish I could
t-t-testify f-for you, bu-but I can't. You were th-there, I wa-wan't,
and all I know fa-father told me; bu-but d don't volunteer information.'
'No,' Harold said, slowly, wishing that the ocean were rolling between
him and this detestable suit.
Once he resolved to go to Judge St. Claire, deliver up the diamonds, and
tell him all he knew about them, but this would be bringing Jerrie into
the matter, and so he changed his mind and wondered aimlessly about the
town until it was time for him to appear at the court-house, where a
crowd was gathering. It was late before the suit known as _Wilson vs.
Peterkin_ was called, and later still when Harold took the stand.
White and trembling, so that both his hands and his knees were shaking
visibly, he seemed more like a criminal than a witness, he was so
agitated and pre-occupied, too, it would seem, for at first his answers
were given at random, as if he hardly knew what he was saying; nor did
he, for over and beyond the sea of long faces confronting him, Judge St.
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