# XXXII: Hickory explained — Hand and Ring

> Chapter companion for Hand and Ring by Anna Katharine Green.

## What happens

Mr. Hickory takes the stand for the defense, testifying that he attempted to run from Mrs. Clemmens' house to Monteith Quarry Station in ninety minutes to test the feasibility of the prosecution's timeline. He admits to taking a wagon for part of the journey and completing the run in one hundred and five minutes, five minutes faster than the prosecution's experts. His testimony, delivered with characteristic humor, casts doubt on the prosecution's case.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Truth

Hickory's testimony, while seemingly honest, is delivered with humor and a hidden agenda, blurring the lines between truth and performance in the courtroom.

### Justice and Injustice

The trial's focus on the feasibility of the prosecution's timeline highlights the pursuit of justice, while Hickory's actions for the defense complicate the notion of a straightforward path to truth.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Hickory

Testifies for the defense, describing his attempt to run from Mrs. Clemmens' house to Monteith Quarry Station in ninety minutes, completing it in one hundred and five minutes.

### Mr. Orcutt

Examines Hickory, drawing out the details of his run and the time it took, using it to challenge the prosecution's timeline.

### Mr. Byrd

Watches the proceedings intently, observing the prisoner's reaction to Hickory's testimony and noting a faint, disdainful smile.

### Mr. Ferris

The District Attorney, who is the recipient of Hickory's apologetic glances as his testimony undermines the prosecution's case.

### Craik Mansell

The prisoner, whose reaction to Hickory's testimony is observed by Byrd, showing a faint, disdainful smile.

## Key lines

> I was trying to show myself smarter than my betters; bowing with a great show of respect to the two experts who sat near. Or , in other words still, I was trying to make the distance between Mrs. Clemmens’ house and the station I have mentioned, in time sufficient to upset the defence, sir.

Hickory admits he was attempting to prove he could cover the distance faster than the prosecution's experts, aiming to undermine the defense's argument.

_Hickory's testimony reveals his personal mission to test the timeline, showing his dedication to the case._

> Well, sir, according to my watch, it took one hundred and five minutes.

Hickory states that his run took one hundred and five minutes, which is longer than the ninety minutes required by the prosecution's timeline.

_This key piece of testimony challenges the prosecution's case by demonstrating the difficulty of the run._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxii-hickory
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/hand_and_ring_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters