The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-09-29

waited for the appearance or rne Juuge An
around, the people were laughing and talk
ing with a strange and heartleSs indifference
10 the horror Of th9 moment There were
gayly dressed ladies in the galleries-ladies
who had come provided with fans and scent
bottles and opera glasses heaven help themi
Ito witness the STIRRING spectacle of the
batting OF fellow creature to death In the
name of the Jaw felt rather than saw
that for time after l had been ushered to
my seat by my attorney, the eyes of these
women were fixed upoa me- They knew
that | was Daisys lover; and, in staring at
me and commenting on my appearance, they
found an occupation which served to whet
their appetites for the greater treat to come.
II only could have spoken out and said all
that was In nv heart at that moment with
regard to tlose fashionable and richly
attired wonsn. verify believe khere is not
one Of them who would not have skunk away
ln shame to the obscuritv of her own home
The counsel came in one by one, and
greeted each other cheerfully. There was
one, however, whose face was crave as be-
fitted the occasion. 1t was Harding. He
came quickly across the court to where sat
and gripped my hand hard in silent SYM
pathy; then turned, and took his place at
clerks had arranged the great pile of papers
and law books which were to be used during
the trial. The prosecuting counsel for the
crown, a meager little man with pale face,
keen eyes, and thin lips, Mr.. Hawk, @. c.,
was the first Of the leading personages to
appear. Almost directly after his arrival l
saw the commanding figure of Mr.. Belmore
standing at the entrance to the court and /
took fresh courage as looked into that hand
some, intellectual face, and remembered the
great feats this man had already accom-
plished by his gift of speech and mind While
he was returning the salutations of his friends
among the members of the circuit, allowed
my eye for a moment to wander round
the court, aad instantly found that
Branksome and Fosdyke were sitting to-
Eether on a bench behind the seats for the
jurors The former was eying me, as
it seemed to my sensitive imagine
lion, with mingled curiosity and COM
passion do not think there was any
one in all that crowded building who was
more entirely self-possessed than he was,
and yet he was about to see the girl who had
been as a daughter to him placed on her
trial for her hfe-and he believed her to be
guilty. turned with a shudder of dread, of
the reason of which [ was myself hardly
conscious, from such spectacle of supreme
self-control As l did so / caught Fosdyke's
eye He bowed to me and waved his hand.
knew that, like Branksome he believed
Daisy to be guilty. Indeed, after conduct
ing her case during her appearances before
the magistrates, he had readily acquiesced
in my suggestion that, unless he were con-
Vinced of her innocence, he would do well to
allow me to seek assistance elsewhere. But
although he had thus deserted us in the hour
Of direst need, l felt against him nothing of
that burning indignation which possessed
me whenever l thought of Branksome He
at least had never known Daisy as Brank-
some had done, and had no right to blame
him because he misjudged her.
There was loud cry of Silence" from the
ushers; everybody in court rose; and the
Judge, little rosy-facel man with bright
good-natured countenance entered, and bow
ing, in acknowledgement Of the salutations
Of the bar, took his seat upon the bench Then
there was some little confusion while the
under sheriff was engaged in the process of
getting jury together. In my impatience
it seemed to me that the trial would never
be allowed to begin that day. Hours must
surely already have elapsed since took my
seat in the court
"Put up Daisy Stancliffe," suddenly cried
the clerk, and there was an audible move
ment of suppressed excitement throughout
the crowded court l turned and looked,
and there at the bar, deadly pale, but with