Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-09
oracle disappeared behind bis ne Wa.

psper.
Feeling glad to discover any topic
that would divert my thoughts from
their gloomy oieboaings, l addressed
myself to Haywood, the youug bsrris-
ter, with whom l had q slight 40.
qusintanoe.
"You seem much Interested In this
trial that Is going on" l said. "May
l aek II you are engaged upon IN"
"No," he answered. "But 1t Is q
curious case. A man, q clerk dis.
missed from his employment, lie accused
of numbering the cashier Of the firm.
The evidence against him Is entirely
circumstantiaI: but the defense broke
down at the most critical point, and
case certainly looks very black for the
prisoner"
The train was now s~lackenlng speed,
aud there wal q general rising. 1
rose, too.
care you going to get cut hore2'
said Mr.. Hey wood, opening the door,
as we glided Into the station. "Have
you come down so early on buainess2'
"Ye-s,"I said, wishing to goodness
l knew what the Immediate business
was. "Nothing very urgent, though"
I added, half to myself, 40 l got out.
eff you have the time to spare yo1
had better turn In and hear the end of
the trial." said Haywood. "Tho
court will be crowded with ladies', no
doubt, but I can smuggle you into q
corner"
Not knowing what to do with my.
self the next few hours l accepted the
other with gratitude. l was soon seat
ed In an obscure corner OF q dingy, Ill.
lighted, ill.venti!ated court house,
which would have been Ill smelling,
had 1t not been for the scent waited
from the umerou ladies who wore
present. One Of these, q buxom fe.
male obstruction, who ought to have
known better, was just In front Of
me and blocked my view with an enor.
nous bonnet. Icould'nt see the priso-
ner, his counsel, or even the cock over
his head, at which the people kept
looking eagerly rs the hour fixed for
the recommenoement of the trial ap-
preached.
At last there was q stir and hustle,
caused by persons invisible to me,
then q call for silence, aud after a few
preliminaries the cumming com
menoed.
listened the more ~intently because
I could see nothing. The clear, cold,
telling sentences cut deep Into my
consciousness. How distinct and oon-
vincing 1t all was! How all those
minute facts, the mute testimony OF
footmarks and the like, arranged and
distributed by that powerful intellect,
grouped themselves into the damning
proof Of guilt.
I cared nothing for the prisoner, had
no personal interest In the trial, but
my mind was wonderfully fascinated
by his tale of horror. AT length the
weighty tones ceased, and q murmul
of relief and expectation ran round the
assembly. At this moment the wo'
man with the high bonnet shifted hel
seat, and I obtained o full view of the
prisoner. I started involuntarily
Where bad I see that face before2
The jury returned after a short alb
sence; the verdict was guilty, accom-
panied with o recommendation tt
mercy. Again the judges solemn tone'
sounded through the court; again they
ceased.
There war dead silence. I sprsni
to my feet as if compelled to do 80 b,
some unseen power, and looked
steadily at the prisoner. His face wa
averted from me for the moment, bu
the looks of the people showed M
that he was about to speak. S!owl!
no turned around, and, ia a voic
whose deep, earnest tones could b
heard all over the assembly, he said
''There lives but one man who ca
prove me innocent and there h
stands"
With white face and outstretche
arms he pointed-at me, I gszed o
him with a sudden look of reoogni
ton. 1t was the man I had seen IN
der the lamp And, by q strange &C
incidence, at this moment the cour
clock struck twelve.
The plea that had been got up b
the defense was an alibi. But Their
was a space of some two hours this
could not be accounted for, and tn
{ theory of the prosecution wal that tn
/ crime had been committed during TIL
time. My evidence supplied the mis-
ing link, for the place In which l ha
seen tho man was so Tar distant frol
the scene of the murder that 1t VIZ
= impossible for him to have been any
: where near at the time OF Its oommil
sion.
And the dream2 Only . colnci
a donoe, you will say, perhaps, or Q (
: of indigestion, OF my timber contract
o Nevertheless. - I have told you, so
happened. Explain It away who ca,
n