The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-02-20

kN*" W ~
ming himself In an embarrassed way
with his greasy fragment Of a hat. He
had come there with the intention Of
saying something, but the sight within
made him forget Il.
Blake's widow sat there, as she had
sat pretty much all the time since the
murder, staring straight before her, with
her chin in her palm. The sunlight
struck through the foliage Of the red
oak trees that grew before the door, and
dieckered with hickering brightness the
door and the cradle where Jem's baby
was sleeping. There it was, just as il
had been three days ago; could it DO
only three daysP) just As it had been
when she went out that morning 10 look
after the drying clothes, and left him
standing in the door by the cradle,
(how fond he was Of the babyD just as
Il was when she heard the crack Of the
pistol. and ran in with an awful sense
Of suffocating fright; just the same as
she had found him lying upon the era
die, dabbling its white linen with his
blood, and the baby playing with his
hair. She screamed once, the first and
last complaint any one had heard her
make; her she was quiet and helpful
through 1t all; when the men came and
lifted him up; when they laid him ont
upon the rough bed in the other room
when they carried him to his grave, she
following with the baby in her arms.
Jake Smith was trying to find the
link missing in his thoughts; he shifted
with perplcxity nm or something and
Blake's widow looked up without speak
ing. Jake nodded pleasantly four or
1--WE times.
"Pooty chipper?" asked he.
Blake's widow smiled sadly, bent over
the sleeping child and smoothed the
clothes with a tender touch.
They're agoin' ter try him in a
court" Jake went on, "an ! don't be-
lievc-'
"Try who-Antonio?" She turned
toward the burly figure in the door
with a flash Of interest in her black
eyes.
Eyes. The Judge is maxim a court
out Of his she'd. | hope it'll turn out
all right, but it seems like givin' that
Mexican devil a chance he oughtn't ter
have
"He can't get clear, can hep she
asked, rocking the cradle gently and
patting the coverlet.
~ don't see how, hut he's got some
kind Of a law cuss to speak for him-a
Teller that stopped here a day or two
ago on his way 70 Galveston, and it
makes me kind o. nervous"
,Blake's widow did not apper to notice
the last remark, for the child, disturbed
by his talking, had awakened, and sat
up in his cradle with a wondering
look.
"Pooty, amt hep" said Jake. re-
garding the small figure With interest.
"Looks just like-ahem.-you. Poor
little-I-a" he stammcrcd and treat
ed his hat like a mortal enemy. "Of
course he's had 49, you've got - Their
amt nothin' l could do fur yer,
maybeP"
She answered with a grateful look,
but it was accompanied by a shake Of
the head.
Jake bent down, and. with his big
forefingcr, softly rumplcd the hair of
the baby's head then he went out and
left them, Blake's widow sitting as 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 TO have half a mind TO turn
back, for he hesitated and stopped, but
be changed his partial intention after
lingering a moment, and walked med
itatively onward, with the exclamation,
"Wal, some women do beat -
amazin'.f'
OF course every body came to the trial.
The arrangements were soon found 70
be altogether too meagre. Pitblado's
shed wa filled to overlooking, and Bag
gett made a clean sweep Of every empty
box in his store.
Antonio's lawyer, a sharp-cyed sharp
featured fellow from Galveston, had
hustled about with surprising agility on
the day previous, holding mysterious
conference with ill-conditioncd 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 ave onc--Blake's widow.
Pretty soon there was a stir at the
door; then a murmur Of surprise ran
through the crowded room.
MAY | be - said Jake Smith,
audibly, ssif she hasn't brought her
babyi"
What reason she may have had for not
leaving the little thing in charge Of
some syinpathizing woman-and there
were plenty who would have been glad
| Of the trusf--was not apparent: however