Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-01-05
THE HOOSIER
SChooI-Masterr
by EDWARD EGGLEsToN.
CHAPTER XXIX.-(CoNTINUED.l J
THE TRIAL,

| ing ABOUT Ine TOOIn IOT buQ. DUO s
actions had of late been strangely con-
| Trajectory. But had he turned cow
ard and deserted his friend? Why
else did he avoid the session of the
court? After asking himself such
questions as these, Ralph would won
der at his own folly. What could Bud
do if he were there? There was no
human power that could prevent the
victim of so vile a conspiracy as this,
| lodging in that worst of State prisons
at Jacksonville, a place too bad for
criminals. But when there is no hu-
man power to help, how naturally
does the human mind look for some
intervention of God on the side of
Right! And Ralph's faith in Provi-
| dence looked in the direction of Bud.
But since no Bud came, he shut down
the valves and rose to his feet, proud
ly, defiantly, fiercely calm.
Its of no use for me to say any,
thing. Pete Jones has sworn to a de-
liberate falsehOOd, and he knows it.
He has made his wife perjure her poor
soul that she dare not call her own"
Here Pete's fists clenched, but Ralph
in his present humor did not care for
mobs. The spirit of the bulldog had
complete possession of him. 1t is of
no use for me to tell you that Henry
Banta has sworn to lie, partly to re-
venge himself on ME for sundry pun
ishments have given him, and part
ly, perhaps, for money. The real
thieves are in this courtroom. /
could put my finger on them"
To be sure" responded the old
basket-maker. Ralph looked at Pete
Jones, then at Small. The fiercely
calm look attracted the attention of
the people. He knew that this look
would probably cost him his life be-
fore the next morning. But he did
not care for life. 1.-THE testimony of
Miss Hannah Thompson is every
word true. believe that of Mr.. Pear
son to be true. The rest is false. But
L cannot prove it. | know the men l
have to deal with. / shall not escape
with State prison. They will not
spare my life. But the people of Cliff
ty will one day find out who are the
thieves" Ralph then proceeded to
tell how he had left Pete Jones's. Mr..
JOnes's bed being uncomfortable; how
he had walked through the pasture;
how he had seen three men on horse
back: how he had noticed the sorrel
with the white left forefoot and white
nose; how he had seen Dr.: Small;
how, after his return, he had heard
some one enter the house, and how he
had recognized the horse next morn
ing. There" said Ralph desperate
ly, leveling his finger at Pete, there
is man who will yet see the inside
of a penitentiary. 1 shall not live to
see it, but the rest of you will" Pete
quailed. Ralph's speech could not of
course break the force of the testimO-
ny against him. But it had its effect,
and it had effect enough to alarm
Bronson, who rose and said:
4" I should like to ask the prisoner
at the bar one question"
"Ask me dozen," said Hartsook,
looking more like king than crimi-
nal.
Well, then, Mr.. HartsOok. You
need not answer unless you choose;
but what prompted you to take the di-
rection you did in your walk on that
evening ?"
This shot brought Ralph down. To
answer this question truly would at
tach to friendless Hannah Thomson
some of the disgrace that now belong
ed to him.
decline to answer" said Ralph.
"Of course, I do not want the pris-
oner to criminate himself" said Bron-
son significantly.
During this last passage Bud had
come in, but, to Ralph's disappoint-
ment he remained near the door talk
ing to Walter Johnston who had come
with him. The magistrates put their
heads together to fix the amount of
bail, and, as they differed, talked for
some minutes Small now for the
first time thought best to make
move in his own proper person, He
could hardly have been afraid of
Ralph's acquital. He may have been
little anxious at the manner in
which he had been mentioned, and at
the significant look of Ralph, and he
probably meant to excite indignation
enough against the schOol-master to
break the force of his speech, and Sc
cure the lynching of the prisoner,
chiefly by people outside his gang
He rose, and asked the court in gentlest
tones to hear him. He had no per-
sonai interest in this trial, except his
interest in the welfare of his old
schoolmate Mr.. HartsoOk. He was
grieved and disappointed to find the
evidence against him so damaging,
and he would not for the world add
feather to it, if it were not that his
own name had -been twice alluded to
by the defendant, and by his friend,
and perhaps his confederate, John
Pearson. He was prepared TO swear
that he was not over in Flat Creek the
night of the robbery later than ten
O'Clock, and while the statements of
the two persons alluded to, whether
maliciously intended or not, could not
implicate him at all, he thought per-
haps this lack of veracity in their
statements might be of weight in de-
termining some other points. He
therefore suggested-he could only
suggest, as he was not party to the
case i'm any way-that his student,
Mr.. Walter johnson, be called to tes-
tify as to his-Dr. Smalls-eXact
whereabouts on the night in question.
They were together in his office until
two, when he went to the tavern and
went to bed.
Squire Hawkins, having adjusted
his teeth, his wig, and his glass eye,
thanked DIR. Small for q suggestion so
valuable, ard thought best to put John
Pearson under arrest before proceed
ing further. MrsPearson was there
fore arrested, and was heard to mutter
something about "passel of thieves, !"
when the court warned him 10 De
quiet.
Walter Johnson was then called.
But before giving his testimony,
most crave the readers patience while
I go back to some things which hap
pened nearly a week before, and
which will serve to make it intelligi-
BILE.
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