Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-06-09

! VS.
presentation of the check but that al
his movements on that day remained
distinctly in his mind. From the frs
he continued to assert his innocence
and declared that the teller had mis-
taken him for some other man.
Unfortunately for him, he wa,
obliged to admit that he was alone il
his friends Office at the hour in ques
tons, and he failed to produce any
witness beside himself to prove de
finitcly where he was, though he ha(
made every effort to do so. 1t was Q
question Of veracity, man against man.
but the clear and very positive state
ment OF the teller against the accused
and the possibility OF some motive pre-.
sumed to exist in the mans financial
circumstances, had decided the Bank
Directors, considering the interests at
stake, to hold him to answer at the
next session Of the Court. And now
the day ofhis trial had come.
Everybody was extremely interested
in this trial, for the prisoner was well
known in the town, and had always
been supposed to be honest. The
anxiety was intense to know whether
he would really be proved a criminal.
The case seemed to be going against
the accused, for one or two other peo-
pie had been summoned. who testified
that "to the best of their knowledge
and belief they had seen the man in
or about the bank az | o'clock on the
day when the check was passed.
All the known evidence was in. and
TO the last. save the statement of a
few friends as to his previous good
character, nothing in his behalf be-
yond his unsupported word had been
brought forward.
The prosecuting attorney arose and
formally recounted The strong points
in the case, dwelling especially on the
on the failure Of the prisoner to prove
an alibi, i. e., TO show to the satisfac-
ton Of tho Court that he was else
where than in the bank at the moment
of the crime when suddenly, TO the
astonishmcnt OF all pres.
cnt, queer voice from distant part
OF the room exclaimed
"But | can tell where he was
Everybody turned to look at the
speaker who was none other than our
friend Dan. lie stood with his
mouth wide open, clutching his cap
with one hand, and with the other
nervously poking his tousled hair. -
Everybody laughed.
Silence y roared the cncr, III
fierce tone, and then assuming that
the boy intended to make sport, he
ordered him to sit down.
"No," drawled out Dan, Il guess |
WON'T
Of course that set the crowd INTO
still louder uproar Of laughter. The
crer made an attempt to get at the
boy.
Stop !" cried the judge, in a voice
hat was heard in all parts of the
room.
AS soon as silence was obtained he
turned toward Dan, who was still
Young man, do you know any.
hing about this case ?"
Eyes, sir replied Dan, slowly. 81
Know"
Il don't want to hear that yet" in
errupted the judge. "Come this way.
The shrewd magistrate knew tle
well enough to surmise
hat he would neither care nor dare to
De fooling at such a time.
Dan, all stained and spotted, picked
lis way out of the crowd and walked
orwa.d to the bench. a curious
pectacle he was, with his uncouth
orm and dress, aud mass of white
lair. The Judge leaned forward and
aid something to him in very low
one, and then Dan whispered back to
he judge. Soon the people saw the
udge smile and nod his head.
"Ah," said they to one another,
our Dan has turned up something
lew. It's just like him..
Their surmises were turned to Ger.
ainty when the judge announced,
This young man will produce i'm
'ortant evidence for the defense"
Dan made his way out ofthe court
Dom and disappeared. In ten min
ties he came back again breathless.
lie had never been known to run be.