Yes, it was after; for I remember that I had a deuce of a time unbuttoning my coat to get at my trousers' pocket." "You dropped this key into your trousers' pocket ?" "I did." "Mr.Cumberland, let me ask you to fix your memory on the moments you spent in the hall.

Did you put on your hat before you pocketed the key, or afterwards ?" "My hat?
How can I tell?
My mind wasn't on my hat.

I don't know when I put it on." "You absolutely do not remember ?" "No." "Nor where you took it from ?" "No." "Whether you saw the keys first, and then went for your hat; or having pocketed the key, waited--" "I did not wait." "Did not stand by the table thinking ?" "No, I was in too much of a hurry." "So that you went straight out ?" "Yes, as quickly as I could." The district attorney paused, to be sure of the attention of the jury.
When he saw that every eye of that now thoroughly aroused body was on him, he proceeded to ask: "Does that mean immediately, or as soon as you could after you had made certain preparations, or held certain talk with some one you called, or who called to you ?" "I called to nobody.

I--I went out immediately." It was evident that he lied; evident, too, that he had little hope from his lie.

Uneasiness was taking the place of confidence in his youthful, untried, undisciplined mind.