Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of horrors.

The next day and the day after, he hung around the court-room. He wanted to go inside, but he forced himself to stay outside.

Huck was having the same experience. They avoided each other. From time to time, they walked away, but the same sad, irresistible fascination always brought them back.

Tom kept his ears open when people came out of the court-room. The news was bad and the future did not look good for poor Potter.

At the end of the second day the talk in the village was that Injun Joe's evidence was solid, and that there was not the slightest question as to what the jury's verdict would be.

Tom was out late that night, and came to bed through the window. He was very excited. It took him hours to get to sleep.

The next morning, all the village went to the court-house. Both sexes were about equally represented in the packed audience.

After a long wait the jury came in and took their places. Then, Potter, pale and tired, timid and hopeless, was brought in, with chains on his legs and arms. He sat down where all the curious eyes could see him.

Injun Joe was there too, looking calm and without emotion.

There was another pause, and then the judge arrived and the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court.

The usual whisperings among the lawyers and gathering together of papers followed. These details and delays caused an atmosphere that was both impressive and fascinating.

A witness was called who testified that he found Muff Potter washing in the stream the same morning that the murder was discovered, and then that he immediately disappeared. After some further questioning, counsel for the prosecution said,

"Your witness."

The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but looked down again when his own lawyer said,

"I have no questions to ask him."

The next witness admitted finding the knife near the dead body. The lawyer for the prosecution said,

"Your witness."

"I have no questions to ask him," Potter's lawyer replied.

A third witness said he had often seen the knife in Potter's possession.

"Your witness."

Potter’s lawyer declined to question him. The faces of the audience began to show annoyance.

Did this lawyer intend to throw away his client's life without even trying?

Several witnesses said how guilty Potter seemed when he was brought to the scene of the murder.

They were allowed to leave the stand without being cross-examined by Potter’s lawyer.

Every detail of the damaging circumstances that happened in the graveyard that morning which everyone remembered so well was confirmed by witnesses, but none of them were cross-examined by Potter's lawyer.

The dissatisfaction of the public in the court was obvious.

The lawyer for the prosecution said,

"By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we have proved this awful crime, beyond all possibility of suspicion, against the unhappy prisoner. We rest our case here."

Poor Potter put his face in his hands and his body moved backward and forward softly, while a painful silence filled the court-room. Many men were moved, and many women cried with compassion.

... to be continued!

* The text has been adapted from the Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain

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