If not exactly weak, there was an unexpected vagueness in its statements which seemed quite out of keeping with the emphatic declaration which he made of the prisoner's innocence.
Even Arthur was sensible of the bad effect made by this preliminary address.

More than once during its delivery and notably at its conclusion, he turned to Mr.Moffat, with a bitter remark, which was not without effect on that gentleman's cheek, and at once called forth a retort stinging enough to cause Arthur to sink back into his place, with the first sign of restlessness I had observed in him.
"Moffat is sly.

Moffat has something up his sleeve.

I will wait till he sees fit to show it," was my thought; then, as I caught a wild and pleading look from Ella, I added in positive assertion to myself, "And so must she." Answering her unspoken appeal with an admonitory shake of the head, I carelessly let my fingers rest upon my mouth until I saw that she understood me and was prepared to follow my lead for a little while longer.
My satisfaction at this was curtailed by the calling of Arthur Cumberland to the stand to witness in his own defence.
I had dreaded this contingency.

I saw that for some reason, both his counsel and associate counsel, were not without their own misgivings as to the result of their somewhat doubtful experiment.
A change was observable in this degenerate son of the Cumberlands since many there had confronted him face to face.