The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-02-15

Tine more interview they had-an hour Of
confession, and tears, and agony, too terrible
to be described-and then they parted; she, to
struggle through long weeks, with fever, and
pain, and wild delirium, among strangers who
grew to be friends--he, to meet the trial on
which hung his life.
CHAP. VI
Many people will remember the intense in.
terest excited by the trial Of Horace Gresham,
for the murder Of the gambler, Granger The
long time which had elapsed since the alleged
murder, the suddenness of his arrest, his high
standing in society, the probity, dignity, kind
ness, benevolence, and selfcontrol, that had
hitherto marked his character, his adoption of
Mlliy, all conspired to render the trial one of
unusual interest.
From the hour of his interview with Milly, he
had appeared hopeless, indifferent, and desmond
ent. lie withdrew within himself and declined
holding any conversation with the able counsel
assigned him by the State, and, much to the
surprise and sorrow of his friends, seemed
barely to tolerate, rather than desire, their
presence.
But when the day of trial came, he surprised
them all by entering the courtroom with his
usual firm step and dignifed manner and still
more, when, in reply to the usual question of
the court, Of Guilty, or Not Gulty?" he an
swered in firm tone, " Guilty, your Honor"
Then, craving the indulgence Of the court, he
went on to state the whole circumstances of
Changers death. He did not attempt to spare
himself, or extenuate his own share Of the guilt,
or to forestall in any way the decision Of the
jury; but his simple, earnest, truthful manner,
carried conviction to every heart. As he ceased,
men breathed freer and lighter, for the great
heart of humanity is ever tender of human
life; but when the States attorney arose, and
praised the apparent righteousness of the
prisoner, and expressed his regret that this
prettily-concocted statement did not contain
one word of truth, as he should be able to
prove by competent witnesses, their counte-
nances grew sad again.
Hawks, the companion Of Varney, was the
first witness examined. He swore point blank
to the murder; but in the course of his evi-
dence he happened to meet the eve of the pris-
oner, and wavered. Gresham's lawyer availed
himself of his confusion, and his testimony
"S"S Tor nothing, save to corroborate the pris-
oners statement
Nothing disturbed by this failure. the attor
ney Tor the prosecution called up Katherine
Hawks.
Not katherine Hawks, but Katherine
Ames, sand the woman, as she presented her
self, and took the prezcyibed oath = : -
The weeks which had wrought such a -,
in the condition of Horace Gresham, had
wrought one scarcely less marked upon her.
She was far more haggard, misunderstanding,
than when shen she had told Varney the story
of the gamblers death. There was death in
her hollow checks, and short, difficult breath
but there was far more Of the woman there,
also.
Before speaking she glanced round the
crowded courtroom, until she encountered the
fixed, threatening gaze of Varney. She re-
turned it, with something like an expression of
scorn; and then, without wavering or hesitation,
confirmed every word that Horace Gresham
had said No legal r1tSes no cross-questioning,
could confuse her, or make her deviate from
her first statement. Z" 1t is the truth, sir; I'll
not swear away any mans life" she said, as
she turned from tho witness stand; and, once
more meeting the gaze of Varney, returned his
look of baffled rage with one Of defiance.
The brief charge of the judge, and the still
brefer absence of the jury, waS followed By
the unanimous verdict of Not Glulty," and
Horace Gresham stood, free man, amid his
friends.
But in his own heart there was no acquit-
tal-nothing but death could silence the accu-
sations there; so he turned away, and again
went up and down among men, doing with his
might whatsoever his hand found to do but
with no hope, scarcely any wish, to gather again
the scattered and broken threads of his old
household life in his hands.
One CLEAN of light there was, amid the dark
ness-a CLEAN that had suddenly burst on him
during that last agonizing interview with Milly;
but i'll his hopelessness he dared not dwell upon
it; SO he resolutely struggled to look only to
Heaven.
Milly Granger sits by the window, as of old;
but 1t is not the same window and she sees the
graves now only in her memory. Neither il
she the same for her cheek is thin, and very
palc-almost transparent; and her eyes have
that far-seeing expression, as if they looked
right through into heaven.
The house is Judge Spragues; it has been
her home ever since that terrible fever, which
followed her interview with Horace left her.
The pity which induced the Judge and his no
Bile wife to give her shelter has grown into
warm love, and she has become as a beloved
daughter to them. The Judge, a stately old
man, enters the room where she sits, and saws.
anxiously-
$50 the poor woman is dead, Milly?"
ayes, sir; she died soon after reached the
house"
"But not before -
" Not before she had again asserted the truth
of every word she had uttered at the trial. But
indeed, indeed, sir, there was no need of that
never doubted and her eyes filled with
tears.
" Nor l, my child but as l stumbled upon
this woman so accidentally, aud she seemed so
anxious to see you, thought it best for you to
go, though l knew it might be painful. / fear
those villains treated her inhumanly."
a. fear they did, sir, though she made no
complaint"
Milly, my child" said the Judge, after a mo-
ment's silence, :" / have a letter for you. 1t is
from Horace Gresham. Are you strong enough
to read it?" he asked, anxiously scanning her
face, which only grew a shade paler than be-
fore.
She did not speak, but held out her hand.
He placed the letter in it, and withdrew to the
farther end of the spacious parlor, and busted
himself over book.
Presently, he was startled by her quick sobs
They were the first tears he had seen her weep
since that fearful fever left her and he went to
her side, and bent-ov her with mingled feel
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