Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1882-11-24
THE MISSING wITsEss.

IN afraid it. s a bad case" said 4
myself, as l laid down my brief ate
reading it over for the third or fourll
time. and leaned back in my chair 10 re
consider it for about the twentieth. "
bad case. and am sorry ior it"
was barrister, young both in year,
and in professional standing, and thi,
was the first brief OF any importance
had ever held. My client WIS an Ital
isa sailor named Luigi Bernini. and the
crime OF which he was accused was rob
berry; the plunder being life long saw
ings Of a woman upwards of eighty years
OF age, which the poor creature kept
hidden in the thatch OF her little cabin.
The witnesses were the oil woman
herself, who had Been stunned Ly a
severe blow from the perpelrator of the
theft. and neighbor who deposed TO
having met the prisoner in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the cabin. When Berni-
nj was arrested some days later. a Curl
the stolen hoard, was found in his pock-
ct This. however. he accounted tor,
by saying that he had p ckcd It up on
the road. The weak point In the chain
OF evidence was scarcely perceptible
hesitation ON the part OF one OF the wit
nesses. She had at first declared posi-
lively that the prisoner was the man
whom she had seen going towards oid
Joan's cabin. and had afterwards adj
hered to this statement, with what aft
erwards appeared to be dogged obsti-
macy. rather than real convi ton.
The prisoner himself positively de-
MED having been in the neighborhool 4 at
all on the day OF the robbery. but un-
fortunately he could not speak with
certainty as to his whereabouts, He
had been lately dismissed from the hos
pital, scarcely con, alescent. after bad
fever; his own ship had left the port.
and he had been rejected by the Capt
aims TO whom he had o cred his SER
vices. as not being sufficiently robust for
left. and therefore took to wandering
aimlcssly about the country. intending,
rs soon As the Columbia returned. TO
ship aboard of her again. His mind
had been weakened aud confused by
his Illness. and although he knew that
for several days preceding and follow
ing that Of the robbery. he had been in
part Of the country fully twenty miles
distant, he could not possibly say
where he had been, or to whom he had
spoken on the day In question. Many
inqui res had been made. and many
persons interviewed who remembered
"the poor 70 e'gn chap but no accu-
rate information as TO dates was forth
coming. As the testimony of a person
who had extended her hospitality to
him, ''either Of Tuesday or Thurs
day." she couldn't rightly say which.
would not, unfortunately, carry much
weight in Court Of Justice. had to
trust or a defense to the cross-exam-
nation of the witnesses, whose char
acter for veracity hoped, by judicious
management of the usual forensic
weapons. 10 compel them to annihilate
with their own lips much regretted
this want Of evidence. as was stro q
ly prepossesscd In favor OF the prisoner;
something frank and honest in his face
making 1t difficult for me to believe him |
guilty OF the cowardly crime OF which
he was accused. Bcs des. II was. as |
have said. my first important case. and /
self-interest and professional instinct
alike prompted me to desire its success
ful issue. But of this had little hope.
| laid as de my brief at length. and
went up to the drawing room, where
was greeted by my cousin and hostess |
with somewhat petuant reproof for
hav ng fingered SO long over those
musty law papers.
Alice and / had been children to-
gether-a bigsgr RI and little boy-we
had grown from play felIowsinto friends.
and nee her MARI age her house, in
Carr garyan had been my rest ng place
in assize times. l was at no loss 10 UNDER
stand the cause OF her We vat on al nv
tardg appearance. She was somewhat
a match maker. and having no one but
my self on whom 10 exercise her
talents, she had devoted them ex-
c'usi ely 10 my service. She had al
ready decided upon n suitable
wife for me. and was now ertng her.
self to the utmost TO br ng about the
marr age. The chosen young lady was
present, and knew that Alice was
much annoyed with me for devof ng
the evening to my brief instead of to
Dora Lyme. The latter was the daugh-
ter OF a solicitor in good practice. and
WAS herself q very pretty. br ght look
ing gid. who would. was compelled to
admit. be a most des rable wife for a
young unknown barris er.
was thoroughly fond Of Alice. and
she was nv chosen coniidanie whenever
needed one: but cou d not tell her
even that the true reason which pre-
rented Dora LyDes brown eyes and
sweet voice making their due i'm
preston on me was the remembrance of
/ face seen but during a three-hours'
'ailway journey. face with dark gray
yes and quiet. thoughtful expression.
md of voice heard af somewhat rare
in the space of time. whose I
ull. low-pifched tones still vibrated in {
ny imagination. Alice would have
,een too good natured to laugh at me.
mt felt sure that, had she known the !
tate Of the case, she would have enter
aimed. and probably expressed. fears
hat overytudy had affected my brain-l
N opinion that would probably have .
zen shared by all Persons whose
was common-scnse.
Miss I.yne. perceiviug that Alice was !.
exed with me. and wishing. ] think to !
how that she did not share the feeling. !
alled ne oter 10 lock st some prints
nd photographs which she was examin-
=ABce. = said Miss Lyme. q lsagth. i
did yo1 show MI. Lestrsnge the sketch !
On found in that book q
.-So.- said Alice; Il forgot IT, You
riIl find It in that volume Of the Stones {
{ Venice' on ms table. Richard. IL is {
ea1ly beautiful sketch ! wonder how
came 10 be forgotten in the book"
brought the book to Dora Lyme who .
urned over the leaves until she found c
be drawing. which she put into my S
ands- The moment saw II l uttered {
= exclamation of surprise, which '
Furstt my co1s;1 at once 70 my side 4
n vas . spirited water-coIored sketch Z
( a mans head-a dark. foreign look Q
y face <urmounted by . red cap II q
'as. however, neither IL skill Of the 9