“C. Q.”; or, In the Wireless House
his hands. He saw the judges chatting among themselves and the K. C. stroll up to the bench and compliment the Chief Justice upon his masterly summing up.
“Not at all! Not at all, Mr. Willets!” he heard the Chief Justice say in a loud voice. Then he heard the usher pound again on the rail and saw the jury come filing in with averted heads. He noticed that some of them stumbled as they walked and the foreman’s mouth quivered as he faced the judges.
“We find the defendant—” the foreman paused and swallowed—“guilty—of murder.”
“Record the verdict,” he heard the Chief Justice say approvingly. “The jury find the defendant, Cosmo Graeme, guilty of murder. The jury may take their seats.”
Then Micky heard the Chief Justice blow his nose again and the room was hushed into expectant silence as the jury sank shakily into their seats. He saw the judge wait until the stillness was absolute and then place a ridiculous small black cap upon the top of his wig, and the usher motion to Graeme to arise.
“Cosmo Graeme—you have been lawfully144
