The Red Cloud chief., 1880-02-26

She answered with n grateful look,
but il was accompanied by a shake OF
the head.
Jake bent down, and. with his big
forefinger, softly rumpled the hair Of
the baby's head; then he went out and
left them, Blake's widow sitting a. he
had found her, and the baby staring
down the path after him.
He walked on until he reached the top
of the little hill, where he could look
down upon the roof which covered the
piteous scene he had just left. Here he
seemed 10 have half a mind TO turn
back. for he hesitated and stopped, but
he changed his partial intention after
lingering a moment, and walked med
i,atiyely onward, with the exclamation.
"Wall, some ONE do beat -
amaZin'."
OF course every body camel To the trial.
The arrangements were soon found 10
he altogether too meagre. Pitblado's
she'd was filled To overlooking, and Bag
gett made a clean sweep of every empty
box in his store.
Antonio's lawyer, a sharp-eyed sharp
featured fellow from Galveston, had
hustled about with surprising agility on
the day previous, holding mysterious
conference with Unconditional fellows
of Gueldo's kidney.
Jake Smith was highly dissatisfied,
and even the Judge was heard To utter
some misgivings; however, by the time
the proceedings had really commenced
he gained confidence.
The Court was assembled, the jury
had been chosen, and the witnesses were
all present save one-Blakeis widow.
Pretty soon there was a stir at the
door; then a murmur of surprise ran
through the crowded room.
MAY 1 be -" said Jake Smith,
audibly, "if she hasn't brought her
baby,"
What reason she may have had form o
leaving the little thing in charge of
some sympathizing woman-and there
were plenty who would have been glad
Of the trust--was not apparent; however
that might be, there it was clasped
firmly in her arms, its bright red cheek
contrasting with her Wilderness, and its
fathers sunny hair mingling with her
dark locks.
With some difficulty way was made
through the throng To her seat, which
had been placed on one side of the
Judge, directly opposite the candle-box
on the other, where Antonio sat. She
took her place and never moved during
the whole of the trial, excepting as she
,.,- ,n..~al q. tasf.- anl nnan u-han
the baby tugged at some glistening thing
that lay hidden in the folds of her dress,
at which she took pains TO distract its
attention with a chip from the floor.
as for the baby, il sat there with its big,
blue eyes open to their fullest extent,
entirely absorbed in the novel scene,
save at the moment when that irresiSti-
BILE glitter caught its eve.
Every one being now present, the
trial went on in good earnest. A num-
Der of witnesses were examined, whose
testimony showed that Gueldo had had
trouble with Blake, and more than once
threatened his life; that Gue,do's pistol
was one charge short on the evening of
the day of the murder, whereas in the
morning il had been full; that he was
seen that morning around Blake's house,
and more than all that Blake's widow
had heard Gueldo's voice just before the
fatal shot, and had seen his retreating
form As she ran in.
At this last point the Galveston law
yer asked the witness a few questions
regarding how she knew it was Gueldo,
and how she had recognized the voice
for his. She didn't know how exactly,
but was none the less ure for that.
There had been a rumor about that
some one had heard Antonio make a
boast of having '.done for Blake this
time" but if there were 4 witness for
this he could not be found now.
And so the prosecution closed.
The Galveston lawyer began by in
volving in a whirlpool of hopeless con
tradiction the witness who had sworn TO
having seen Gueldo lear Blake's house.
Then he expatiated on the ease with
which one person may be mistaken for
another, and brought a witness TO show
how Gueldo had already been said 10
resemble some one in the village. Fl
nally he produced three of the ill-con-
ditioned fellows before referred to, who
swore that Antonio was with them on a
hunting expedition during the whole of
the day on which the murder was COM
mitted.
1t was a clear case of alibi. Jake
Smiths establishment At the ease with
which the thing had been accomplished
was unbounded. He threw a disguised
look towards Pitblado, but the Judge
was nonplussed, and didn't seem to be
interested with things in Jake's vicinity.
There was a pause before Pitblado
gave his charge, and when he rose his
face was rather blank.
Gentlemen of the jury" said he,
"things has took a turn | didn't alto
gether expec'. don't know as there's
much to be said. l s'pose you've got 10
go by the evidence, an that don't need
any explainin'. Eff You kin make out
accordin' to that, that Antonio Gueldo
killed Jem Blake, why, just recollect,
that's what yer here fur"
The Jury filed out, and the expectant
audience occupied itself with tobacco
and whispered comments.
Jake Smith idgeted about on his box,
and cast anxious glances through the
open door, towards the clump of nopals
where the jury were deliberating.
Antonio talked and laughed in an un-
dertone with his counsel, and Blake's
widow sat staring at them with COM
pressed lips, and a strong expression OF
determination coming into her face.
1t wasn't long before the jury filed in
again, all seating themselves but the
spokesman, and Judge Pitblado rose,
wiping his forehead with his shirt sleeve.
Strengthened it out, have yer:?" nod
ding to the spokesman.
The man nodded slowly in return.
"Wal, les have it then"
Yer see," said the spokesman, with
a hesitating and disappointed air, sci
yer hadn't a corralled us with stickin'
ter the evidence, We might a done bet
ter, but accordin' ter that, Antonio
wasn't thar when the murder was done,
an eff he warn't thar, he couldn't a
done it, an eff he didn't do il, why
then-of course he's-not guiAy."
Pitblaao didn't dare t look at any
bodyi'he stared up at the rafters-dowI