Mrs. Greening was the first witness called by Hammer after the noon recess. Hammer quickly discovered his purpose in calling her as being nothing less than that of proving by her own mouth that her husband, Sol, was a gross and irresponsible liar.
Hammer went over the whole story of the tragedy--Mrs. Greening having previously testified to all these facts as a witness for the state--from the moment that Sol had called her out of bed and taken her to the Chase home to support the young widow in her hour of distraction and fear. By slow and lumbering ways he led her, like a blind horse floundering along a heavy road, through the front door, up the stairs into Ollie's room, and then, in his own time and fashion, he arrived at what he wanted to ask.
"Now I want you to tell this jury, Mrs. Greening, if at any time, during that night or thereafter, you discussed or talked of or chatted about the killing of Isom Chase with your husband?" asked Hammer.
The prosecuting attorney was rising slowly to his feet. He seemed concentrated on something; a frown knotted his brow, and he stood with his open hand poised as if to reach out quickly and check the flight of something which he expected to wing in and assail the jury.
Said Hammer, after wiping his glistening forehead with a yellow silk handkerchief:
"Yes. And now, Mrs. Greening, I will ask you if at any time your husband ever told you what was said, if anything, by any party inside of that house when he run up to the kitchen door that night and knocked?"
"I object!" said the prosecutor sharply, flinging out his ready hand.
"Don't answer that question!" warned the judge.
Mrs. Greening had it on her lips; anybody who could read print on a signboard could have told what they were shaped to say. She held them there in their preliminary position of enunciation, pursed and wrinkled, like the tied end of a sausage-link.
"I will frame the question in another manner," said Hammer, again feeling the need of his large handkerchief.
"There is no form that would be admissible, your honor," protested the prosecutor. "It is merely hearsay that the counsel for the defense is attempting to bring out and get before the jury. I object!"
"Your course of questioning, Mr. Hammer, is highly improper, and in flagrant violation to the established rules of evidence," said the judge. "You must confine yourself to proof by this witness of what she, of her own knowledge and experience, is cognizant of. Nothing else is permissible."