At the same time, Mr. Parminter, lifting his papers, revealed
Lauriston's rings. He picked them up, laid them on the palm of his hand,
and held them towards the witness.
"Are these the rings you took to the pawnshop?" he asked.
"Yes!" replied Lauriston. "They were my mother's."
Mr. Parminter indicated the tray.
"Did you see this tray lying in the parlour in which you found the dead
man?" he enquired.
"I did."
"Did it strike you that your own rings were remarkably like the rings in
this tray?"
"No, it did not," answered Lauriston. "I know nothing about rings."
Mr. Parminter quietly passed the tray of rings to the Coroner, with
Lauriston's rings lying on a sheet of paper.
"Perhaps you will examine these things and direct the attention of the
jurymen to them?" he said, and turned to the witness-box again. "I want to
ask you a very particular question," he continued. "You had better
consider it well before answering it--it is more important--to you--than
may appear at first hearing. Can you bring any satisfactory proof that
those two rings which you claim to be yours, really are yours?"
There followed on that a dead silence in court.
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