The San Francisco call., 1913-10-29
Now Go On With the Story

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ence were beginning to look at him
with new sympathy when the district
attorney began his questions.
DAMAGING WORDS
Mr.. Allan" he said, you pledged
yourself to have the tunnel running
In i years, did you not?"
1t would amount to that-a pledge.
, mean" conceded the witness, with
out the slightest hesitation His law
yer frowned.
That meant that you were to have
regular trains running through the
years?"
Yes"
You were convinced that you
would be able to finish the construc
ton inside of that period of timer
instead of replying with a simple
affirmative, Allan amazed his law
yers and the audience with this re-
ply:
was not exactly convinced That
is too strong word I hoped that
under favorable circumstances we
In that time, or possibly even a little
less"
Then in making this pledge you
depended upon favorable circum-
stances?"
Instantly a short. round man who
sat at the head of Allan counsel
thrust in an objection. 1t had taken
him these few seconds to rally HIM
self after the shock of Allan's pre-
the most celebrated trial lawyer in
the world
I object" he snapped aThe wit
ness has answered the question"
"Overruled." declared the court i'm
passively.
The district attorney repeated the
question. Allan hesitated an instant.
as to frame his answer
was, of course, aware that un-
1oreseen dif1culties might arise" he
said slowly. II knew that under GER
tain circumstances construction work
might take two or possibly three
years longer"
ou were, then, as matter of
1act, convinced that the work would
prooaoiy take two or three years
longer" continued the prosecutor
ANOTHER OBJECTION
Mr.. Sands was on his feet in an in
slant, his little stubby white beard
thrust out.
Your honor" he almost snarIed.
&.
The witness has already said that he
believed the work could be done in
Is years."
That's just exactly what he hasn't
said, retorted the district attorney.
The objection is overruled; pro-
ceed, said the judge. He ordered the
question read from the notes and
courteously requested Allan to answer.
it.
I did not say that / was convinced
II could be done in that time. On
the contrary. l hoped to be able to do
tiff all went well"
If you were certain that you
could finish the tunnel" began the
prosecutor. Then he stopped and be-
gan again: Il am sure from your tes-
timony here, Mr. Allan, and from all
that we have heard of you, you pride
yourself on being a man of your
word"
II do"
Then. IL you were not certain that
you could finish the tunnel in Is
years-if you knew that you could
not finish it in that time unless all
the circumstances were favorable,
why did you make the positive state
ment that you could do it?'
II object" shouted Mr.. Sands, and
Allan's entire array of counsel rose
en- masse behind him.
The court listened patiently while
Mr.. Sands argued for 10 minutes
and fenced and snapped at the dis
trict attorney. Then:
THE question is perfectly proper"
he ruled.
MORE ADMISSIONS
Grumbling angriiy, Allan's counsel
retired to their table. while the ste
nographer read the question again.
For the first time Allan looked just
trife uncomfortable. The anxiety of
his lawyers probably caused this as
much as his own realization of the
direction in which the question was
leading.
He stumbled and hesitated, and the
district attorney cut in sharply.
"As a matter of fact Mr.. Allan he
cried, you named Is years be-
cause you thought it would be easier
to start your project IL you fixed
comparatively short time limit, didn't
your
Again there was a chorus of OBJ