The Florida agriculturist., 1889-07-17


ITO be sure; and he is friend of Tun-
STALLS" returned Martin, thoughtfully.
Upon my word, the luck is against you
Will you answer me one question:"
eff can.
lyon can, and we are among friends.
Are you cured Of certain lady?"
Percy laughed, and that laugh of Bit
ter resentment and humiliation was q
more convincing answer than any words
could have framed 1t put all doubts to
rest.
'AhI' calculated Martin. with an ex-
preston of satisfaction. ''then it will be
all rightv'
At that moment an officer came with
the information that the court was ready
to decide the question of bail, and the
whole party proceeded to the court room.
The transactions there were brief and
not particularly complicated. Mrs.
Tunstalls lawyers professed to consider
the case an especially grave one. and re-
quested that bail be fixed at the full
amount permitted by law. Counsel on
the other side maintained that the charge
against Mr.. Nolen was a preposterous
one, and demanded that he be allowed
go on his own rec0gnizance. The court,
after due deliberation, declared that the
facts against the prisoner. though not
conclusive, were sufficient to warrant a
prima facie evidence of guilt, and re-
quired bail to be furnished to the amount
of fifteen hundred dollars. Judge Ke-
telle Immediately qualified for that sum,
the bonds were signed, and the prisoner
left the court with his friends.
And now" said the judge cheerfully,
1.-THE worst is over. Let us get into
hack, Percy. and drive up to the house.
Your mother and sister will be anxious
to see you.
II am much obliged to you, Judge, for
all you have done for me-, replied the
young man; Il wish had known you
sooner and better. But this affair is not
over yet, and it may end differently from
what we hope. Until the trial, at all
events, must remain a suspected man,
and can't go to my mothers house with
that suspicion hanging over me. When
have been publicly acknowledged to be
an honest man will go to my mother
and sister, but not till then"
"My dear boy" said the judge kindly,
''you are little off your balance after
ali this trouble. and you naturally take
morbid view, l assure you you have no
need to feel sore about the matter. l
need not tell you that you will find moth
ing but love and confidence awaiting you
at home, and that there can be no other
place in the world where you can hope to
find them to anything like the same de-
gree. On the other hand, your mother
and Pauline could not fail to feel hurt if
you did not appear.
THAT is all very true. judge" Percy
answered. "but there's something else
that you haven't considered. and which
will be certain TO come out, now that
the thing is going into the newspapers"
''W hat is that?"
my relations with Mrs. Tunstan. My
mother will hear of that, and that is a
thing can't deny. love my mother,
and know she loves me; but she could
never make any allowance on such a
subject 1t would be useless pain to
both of us to attempt to discuss it, and
| am not going to put myself in the way
of it. No, can't agree with you, Judge"
he added, as the judge seemed about to
make a rejoinder; Il have been through
as much as can stand for the present, and
any thing more would break me down.
Say to mother that will see her by and