Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-02-26
as he had found her, and the baby

He walked ON until he reached the
top of the little hill, where he could
look down upon the roof which cov-
cred the piteous scene he had just
left, Here he seemed to have half
mird to turn back, for he hesitated
and stopped, but he changed his par
tial Intention after lingering mo-
ment, and walked meditatively on
ward, with the exclamation, "WaH,
some women do beat hi amazin'."
ii.
OF course everybody came to the
trial. The arrangements were soon |
found to be altogether too meagrc.
Pitblado's shed was filed to overflow
ing, and Bagget made q clean sweep
of every empty box in his store.
Antonio's lawyer, sharp-eyed, !
sharp-ieaturcd fellow from Galveston,
had hustled about with surprising |
agility on the day previous, holding
mysterious conference with ill-condi- |
toned fellows Of Gueldo's kidney.
Jake Smith was highly dissatisfied, |
and even the judge was heard to utter
fsome misgivings; however, by the
time the proceedings had really com
menced he gained confidence.
1he court was assembled, the jury
had been chosen, and the witnesses
we're all present save one-Blake's
widow.
Pretty soon there was stir at the
door; then a murmur of surprise ran
through the crowded room.
MAY / he DID, said jake
Smith, auaibly, ''if she hasn't brought
her haby,'
What reason she may have had for
not leaving the little thing in charge
OF some sympathizing woman-and
| there were plenty who would have
been glad OF the trust--was not APP
parent; however that might be, there
/ it was claspcd tightly III her arms, It's
whitcness, and its fathers sunny hair
! mingllng with her dark locks.
With some difficulty way WAS mahe
| through the t!iron. to her seat, which
I bad been placed on one side OF the
( judge, directly opposite the candle
box on the other, where Antonio sat.
She look her place and never moved
! duriHI the whole OF the trial, except
ing Il, she was required to testify,
and once when the baby tugred 1T
some gllstcning thing that lay hidden
in the folds Of her dress, at which She
l. i -.
with a chip from the floor.
As for the baby it sat there with its
blue eyes open to their fullest extent.
entirely absorbed III the novel scene,
save nj the moment when that ire
sistihIc glitter caught its eye.
Every one being now present. the
trial went on in goOd earnest. \
number OF witnesses were examined,
+ whose testimony showed that Gucl,}o
had had trouble with Blake, an,i more
than once threatened Ills life; that
Gucldo's pistol was one charge short
on the evening OF the day ot the mur-
der, whereas in the morning it had
, been full that hc was seen that morn
inc around Blake = hUtisc, and more
than all that Bia.c's widow had heard
, Gurldo's voice lust before the fat.
, shot. and ha,i seen hi, r>trcal;nL form
, AS she ran iii.
At this last point the Galveston
y. lawyer asked the witness few queo
, tions regarding how she knew it wa:
Gucldo, and how she recognized tht
/, voice for his She didn't know how
= exactly. but WAS none the less SURE
f. for that.
u There had been rum0r about tha
some one had heard Antonio make
| boast of having "done for Blake thi
. time but if there were a witness fo
this he could not be found now.
And 50 the prosecution closed.
II The Galveston lawyer began Ivy in
@ volvin. in whirlpool Of hopeless con
{, tradiction the witness Who had swor
:, 10 having seen Gueldo near Blake
house. Then he eNpatia,cd on til
II case with which one person may b
! mistaken for another. and brought
n witness to show how Guei,Io had al
+ ready been said to resemble some Oh
n in the village Finally, he produce
three of the ill-cnmt,itioncd fellow
4 before referee, to, who swore tina
ri Antonio was with them on Il huntis
Il expedition during the whole Of tn
4. day on which the murder was CON
, mittcd.
n 1t was clear case Of alihi Jall
II Smiths astonishmcut at the case wit
j., which the thing had been accomplish
% ed was unhoundcd. He threw Il dis
If gusicd look at Pithlado, hut the judG
.e WAS nonplusscd, and didn't seem t
~ be Interested with things in Jack y
Il cinity.
d Thcrc was pause before Fithlad
ii gave his charge, and when he rose h
face was rather blank.
10 "Gcntletnrn of The fury said Il,
,e things has took a turn iii int alt,
e. getIlcr cXpcc'. | don't know /:
~ there's much to be said. s'po,
ii you've got To 20 by the evidence, ~
that don't need any explaInin'. /
you kin make out accoruin' ter tha
ut that Antonio Gucldo killed Jc
ID Blake, why, just rccollect, that S VIII
yer here fur
a The jury filed out, and the cxpe
+ tant audience occupied itself wi
tobacco and whispered comments.
Ell Jake Smith iilgcted about on h
he box, and cast anxious glauces throuy
er the open door, towards the clump
nopals where the jury were dclibcr
Il ting.
III Antonio talked and laughed in :
lse undertOne with his counsel, NJ
he Blake's widow sat staring at tho
with compressed lips, and stroi
he expression of determination comil
nd into her face.
1t wasn't long before the jury fill
,ot in again, all seating themselves b
or the spokesman, and Judge Pitbla,
ay rose, wiping his forehead with
m, shirt-slccve.
"Straightened it out, have yer:
to asked he, nodding to the spokesma
ld, The man nodded slowly in retur
Tx oval, les have it then.''
a eyer see," said the spokesma
with a hesitatinp and disappOiut