The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-03-01

OF course everybody came to the trial.
The arrangements were soon found 70
be altogether too meagre. Pitblado's S
shed was filled to oyerfowing, and Bag
gett made clean sweep of every empty
box in his store.
Antonio S lawyer, a asharp-eyed, sharp
featured fellow from Galveston, had
hustled about with surprising agility on
the day previous, holding mysterious
conference with ill-conditioned fellows
of Gueldo's kidney
1he court was. assembled, the Jury
had been chosen, and the witnesses were
all present save one-Blake's widow.
Pretty soon there was a stir at the
door, then murmur of surprise ran
| through the crowded room.
''May be cursed,'' said Jake Smith.
audibly, if she hasn't brought her
baby!''
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 apparent; however
that might be, there it was, clasped
firmly in her arms, its bright red cheeks
contrasting with her whiteness, and its
fathers sunny hair mingliRg 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
was required to testify, and once when
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 chip from the floor.
AS for the baby, it sat there with its big
blue eyes open to there fullest extent,
entirely absorbed in the novel scene.
save at the moment when that irresistible
glitter caught its eye.
Every one being now present, the trial
went on in good earnest. A number of
witnesses were examined, whose testi-
mony showed that Gueldo had had
trouble with Blake, and more than once
threatened his life; that Gueldo's pistol
had one charge empty on the evening of
the day of the murder, whereas in the
morning it had been full; that he was
seen thatmoTning around Blake's house,
and more than that, Blake's widow had
heard Gueldo's voice just before the
fatal shot, and had seen his retreatinp
form as she ran out
At this last point the Galveston lawyer
asked the witness a few questions re-
garding how she knew it was Gue1do's,
and how she had recognized the voice
for his. She didn't know how. exactly.
but was none the less sure for that.
There had been rumor about that
some one had heard Antonio make a
boast of having s'done for Blake this
time." but if there were witness for
this he could not be found now.
And so the prosecution closed.
The Galveston lawyer began by involv-
ing in whirlpool of hopeless contradic-
ton the witness who had sworn to hav-
ing seen Gueldo near Blake's house.
Then he expatiated on the ease with
which one person may be mistaken for
another, and brought witness to show
how Gueldo had already been said to
resemble some one in the village.
Finally he produced three of the i'll 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 abb. Jake
Smiths astonishment at the ease with
which the thing had been accomplished
was unbounded. He threw disgusted
look towards Pitblado, but the Judge was
nonplussed and didn't seem to be
interested with things in Jake's vicinity
Gentlemen of the jury,'' said he,
''things has took a turn / didn't
altogetherexpec'. dom know as there's
much to be said. / s'pose you've got to
60 by the evidence. an that don't need
any explainin'. Eff you kin make ont,
aecordin' ter that, that Antonio Gueldo
killed Jem Blake, why, jest recolIect
that S what yer here fur"
Jake Smith fidgeted 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
undertone with his counsel, and Blake's
widow sat staring at them with compress
edlips and a strong expression of deter
mination 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?" asked
he, nodding to the spokesman.
The man nodded slowly in return.
''Yer see" said the spokesman, with
hesitating and disappointed air, ''ef yer
hadn't a-corralled us with stickin' ter
the evidence we might a. done better.
but accordin' TO that Antonio wasn't
thar when the murder was done, an eff
he Waren't thar he couldn't "a done it;
an eff he didn't do it, why-then--of
course he's-not guilty"
Pitblado didn't dare to look at any,
body; he stared up at the rafters, down
at the table, nowhere in particular, and
then turned halfway towards the prison
er.
''You kin co. said he at last, and
with great deliberation, ssbut don't stay
round here too long"
There was dead pause, during which
nobody moved.
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