Chapter 38 Summary

On Saturday morning all of Clanton turns out to breakfast near the square and get a glimpse of the trial or its principals. The rumor is that the shooters claim to have been Jake's former clients. It turns out that yesterday both Lucien and Bass had to be escorted home by Nesbit, blind drunk at the end of the afternoon. Now Jake sips a Bloody Mary and prays that Bass is sober. At 9:00 the trial resumes, minus Ellen Roark. Jake calls Dr. Bass, who appears quite sober and cerebral in spite of the ostrich skin boots Jake had preferred he not wear. Lucien had argued that the jury would relate to boots.

Bass opens well, and Jake is finally able to draw a breath. His witness actually does sound like an expert. Jake offers Bass to the judge as an expert witness, after...