groped for his chambers.
* * *
“That,” said Mr. Queen while they waited, “is what comes of not locking juries in. It’s also,” he added to Miss Patricia Wright, “what comes of scatterbrained brats meddling in grown-up people’s affairs!”
“Oh, Patty, how could you?” wept Hermione. ”And that impossible Ketcham man, too! I warned you he’d make improper advances if you encouraged him. You remember, John, how he used to pester Patty for dates?”
“I also remember,” said John F. wildly, “where my old hairbrush is!”
“Look,” said Pat in a low voice, “Jim was in a bad spot, wasn’t he? All right! So I worked on Fat Billy, and he drank a lot of Martinis, and I let him make a pass or two at me . . . Go ahead and 1-look at me as if I were a loose woman!” And Miss Wright began to cry. ”Just the same, I did something none of
“It’s true,” said Ellery hastily, “that we had nothing to look forward to but a conviction.”
“If only . . . ” began Nora, a great bright hope on her pale face. ”Oh, Patsy, you’re mad, but I love you!”
“And is Cart’s face r-red,” blubbered Pat. ”Thinks he’s smart . . . ”
“Yes,” pointed out Mr. Queen dryly. ”But look at Judge Martin’s.”
Old Eli Martin came over to Pat, and he said: “Patricia, you’ve placed me in the most embarrassing position of my life. I don’t care about that, or the ethics of your conduct, so much as I do about the fact that you probably haven’t helped Jim’s chances, you’ve hurt them. No matter what Newbold says or does?and he really hasn’t any choice?everybody will know you did this deliberately, and it’s bound to bounce back on Jim Haight.”
And Judge Martin stalked away.
“I suppose,” said Lola, “you can’t scratch an ex-judge without stuffiness leaking out. Don’t you worry. Snuffles! You gave Jim a zero-hour reprieve. It’s better than he deserves, the dumb ox!”
* * *
“I wish to state in preamble,” said Judge Newbold coldly, “that in all my years on the Bench I have encountered no more flagrant, disgraceful example of civic irresponsibility.
“William Ketcham!” He transfixed Juror Number 7, who looked as if he were about to faint, with a stern and glittering eye. ”Unfortunately, there is no statutory offense with which you can be charged, unless it can be shown that you have received property or value of some kind. For the time being, however, I order the Commissioner of Jurors to strike your name from the panel of jurors, and never so long as you are a resident of this State will you be permitted to exercise your privilege of serving on a jury.”
William Ketcham’s expression said that he would gladly relinquish many more appreciated rights for the privilege of leaving the courtroom that very instant.
“Mr. Bradford”?Carter looked up, thin-lipped and black-angry?”you are requested to investigate the conduct of Patricia Wright with a view toward determining whether she willfully and deliberately sought to influence Juror Number 7. If such intention can be established, I ask you to draw an indictment charging Patricia Wright with the appropriate charge?”
“Your Honor,” said Bradford in a low voice, “the only conceivable charge I can see would be corrupting a juror; and to establish corruption, it seems to me necessary to show consideration. And in this case it doesn’t seem as if there was any consideration?”
“She offered her body!” snapped Judge Newbold.
“I did not!” gasped Pat. ”He asked for it, but I didn’t?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” said Bradford, blushing, “but it is a moot point whether that sort of thing constitutes legal consideration?”
“Let’s not get entangled, Mr. Bradford,” said Judge Newbold coldly. ”The woman is clearly guilty of embracery if she attempted to influence a juror improperly, whether she gave any consideration or not!”
“Embracery? What’s that?” muttered Pat.
But no one heard her except Mr. Queen, who was chuckling inside.
“Also,” continued Judge Newbold, slamming a book down on a heap of papers, “I shall recommend that in future trials coming under the jurisdiction of this court, juries shall be locked in, to prevent a recurrence of this shameful incident.
“Now.” He glared at Billy Ketcham and Pat, and then at the jury. ”The facts are clear. A juror has been influenced in a manner prejudicial to the rights of the defendant to a fair trial. This by the admission of both parties involved.
“If I permitted this trial to continue, it could only bring an appeal to a superior court which must, on the record, order a new trial. Consequently, to save further and needless expense, I have no choice. I regret the inconvenience and waste of time caused the remaining members of the jury; I deplore the great expense of this trial already incurred by Wright County.
“Much as I regret and deplore, however, the facts leave me no recourse but to declare People Against James Haight a mistrial. I do so declare, the jury is discharged with the apology and thanks of the Court, and the defendant is remanded to the custody of the Sheriff until the date for a new trial can be set.
“Court is adjourned!”
Chapter 27
Easter Sunday: Nora’s Gift
The invading press retreated, promising to return for the new trial; but Wrightsville remained, and Wrightsville chortled and raged and buzzed and gossiped until the very ears of the little Buddha clock on Pat’s dresser were ringing.
William Ketcham, by a curious inversion, became the town hero. The “boys” stopped him on street corners to slap his back, he sold five insurance policies he had long since given up, and, as confidence returned, he related some “details” of his relationship with Miss Patricia Wright on the critical nights in question which, when they reached Pat’s ears by way of Carmel Pettigrew (who was phoning her “best friend” again), caused Miss Wright to go downtown to Mr. Ketcham’s insurance office in the Bluefield Block, grasp Mr. Ketcham firmly by the collar with the left hand, and, with the right, slap Mr. Ketcham’s right cheek five ringing times, leaving assorted marks in the damp white flesh.
“Why five?” asked Mr. Queen, who had accompanied Miss Wright on the excursion and had stood by, admiring, while she cleansed her reputation.
Miss Wright flushed. ”Never mind,” she said tartly. ”It was?exact?retribution. That lying, bragging?!”
“If you don’t watch out,” murmured Mr. Queen, “Carter Bradford will have another indictment to draw against you?this one for assault and battery.”
“I’m just waiting,” said Pat darkly. ”But he won’t. He knows better!”
And apparently Cart did know better, for nothing more was heard from him about Pat’s part in the debacle.
* * *
Wrightsville prepared for the Easter holidays. The Bon Ton did a New York business in dresses and spring coats and shoes and underwear and bags, Sol Gowdy put on two “extras” to help in his Men’s Shop, and the Low Village emporia were actually crowded with mill and factory customers.
Mr. Ellery Queen shut himself up in his quarters on the top floor of the Wright house and, except for meals, remained incommunicado. Anyone looking in on him would have been puzzled. He was doing exactly nothing visible to the uninitiated eye. Unless it was to consume innumerable cigarettes. He just sat still in the chair by the window and gazed out at the spring sky, or patrolled the room with long strides, head bent, puffing like a locomotive.
Oh, yes. If you looked hard, you could see a mass of notes on his desk?a mess of a mass, for the papers were scattered like dead leaves in autumn. And indeed the wind of Ellery’s fury had scattered them so. They lay there discarded and a mockery.
