Tutt and Mr. Tutt
studying their faces. Yes, he told himself, they were a regular set of hangmen—he couldn't have picked a tougher bunch if he'd had his choice of the whole panel.
The clerk called the roll, and Messrs. Walsh, Tompkins, et al., stated that they were all present.
"Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon a verdict?" inquired the clerk.
"We have!" replied Mr. Walsh sternly.
"How say you? Do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?"
Mr. Tutt gripped the balustrade in front of him with one hand and put his other arm round Angelo. He felt that now in truth murder was being done.
"We find the defendant not guilty," said Mr. Walsh defiantly.
There was a momentary silence of incredulity. Then Babson and O'Brien shouted simultaneously: "What!"
"We find the defendant not guilty," repeated Mr. Walsh stubbornly.
"I demand that the jury be polled!" cried the crestfallen O'Brien, his face crimson.
And then the twelve reiterated severally that that was their verdict and that they hearkened unto it as it stood recorded and that they were entirely satisfied with it.
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