98 THE TRIAL.

to sell, and that he was going to prove it als
by witnesses.”

‘ Who was he?”’ asked Lucy; ‘‘and what
had he to do with it ?”

“He was the state’s attorney. You see
the government of the state choose a lawyer
to accuse criminals, and have them tried in
the courts, and then they find the witnesses,
and have them brought into court, and ask
them questions, so as to show the jury what
the man has done; and this man is called
the state’s attorney. So, you see, he first got
up and told the jury what his witnesses were
going to prove.

“ After he had done, the judge told him
to bring his witnesses on, and he said his
first witness was Richard Stone. So a cer-
tain officer of the court called Richard Stone,
and a man came forward and took his place
on the witness’s stand. Before he began,
the judge asked who was counsel for the
prisoner, and as the prisoner had none, the
judge appointed one for him.”

“What was that for?” asked Rollo.

“Why, common men don’t understand
courts, and would not know how to defend
themselves if they were accused there