The fainting of a person in a crowd is a signal for everybody else to make fools of themselves.  There was a rush toward the fainting man, there was a cry for water.  Everybody asked everybody else to open the window, and everybody wished everybody else to stand back and give him air.  But nobody opened the window, and nobody stood back.  The only perfectly cool man in the room was Small.  With a quiet air of professional authority he pushed forward and felt the patient’s pulse, remarking to the court that he thought it was a sudden attack of fever with delirium.  When Walter revived, Dr. Small would have removed him, but Ralph insisted that his testimony should be heard.  Under pretense of watching his patient, Small kept close to him.  And Walter began the same old story about Dr. Small’s having arrived at the office before eleven o’clock, when Bud came up behind the doctor and fastened his eyes on the witness with the same significant look, and Walter, with visions of the penitentiary before him halted, stammered, and seemed about to faint again.

“If the court please,” said Bronson, “this witness is evidently intimidated by that stout young man,” pointing to Bud.  “I have seen him twice interrupt witness’s testimony by casting threatening looks at him, I trust the court will have him removed from the court-room.”

After a few moments’ consultation, during which Squire Hawkins held his wig in place with one hand and alternately adjusted his eye and his spectacles with the other, the magistrates, who were utterly bewildered by the turn things were taking, decided that It could do no harm, and that it was best to try the experiment of removing Bud.  Perhaps Johnson would then be able to get through with his testimony.  The constable therefore asked Bud if he would please leave the room.  Bud cast one last look at the witness and walked out like a captive bear.

Ralph stood watching the receding form of Bud.  The emergency had made him as cool as Small ever was.  Bud stopped at the door, where he was completely out of sight of the witness, concealed by the excited spectators, who stood on the benches to see what was going on in front.

“The witness will please proceed,” said Bronson.

“If the court please”—­it was Ralph who spoke—­“I believe I have as much at stake in this trial as any one.  That witness is evidently intimidated.  But not by Mr. Means.  I ask that Dr. Small be removed out of sight of the witness.”

“A most extraordinary request, truly.”  This was what Small’s bland countenance said; he did not open his lips.

“It’s no more than fair,” said Squire Hawkins, adjusting his wig, “that the witness be relieved of everything that anybody might think affects his veracity in this matter.”

Dr. Small, giving Walter one friendly, appealing look, moved back by the door, and stood alongside Bud, as meek, quiet, and disinterested as any man in the house.