Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-23
Wilton Tor tho Dispa,ch-Copyrtght, 1901
CHAPTER III.
4 SCOTCH VERDICT

fNlt ~ was q volume OF Shakespeare. and
la foit aim hope that this man at least
MD prove 60 be kind and trusting. He
Odd. not know the New York policemen.
though ho was scrapine acquaintance with
thc species faster than he really cared 10.
Jhc man ~ the desk continued 20 read I'M
al Doc had come 20 q convenient stopping
J. .ce. when he took up pen, looked at
Drane and asked.
what's your namo z"
j. flashed over poor Lawrence that all
thr reporters IN town would write up his
adventure, that tho accounts would be
tdrrmphol 90 western newspapers, aud
t.lf full measure of disgracciul nOto-
nov would be heapcd upon him. 50,
Tom Jones" he replied al hazard. The
ben guant mans face wTinkled into an IN
crcau'ous sncer, but he put the name
down without "a word. Then. Where do
YOU hycf' hc demanded
" Kansas city faltered Lawrence, utter
l. ut loss - carry on his fiction, and when
Sc was questioned as 20 hIs business no
hun. his head IN despair. His garments
would belle hls claim 90 be gentleman;
f0r tho Same reason ho could not explain
chat ho was charged with cnlIsting Boston
capital in the interest Of new railroad, a
comm :. ION that be had undertaken more
frf The sake Of diversion than for any need
81 money making. and IN fair frenzy OF
misery he llurted out:
" haven't any business
imph! walking gent, suppose" SAID
TIE man at the hIs desk. " hat were you
doing with this man and woman Z"
The young lady at once began protest
nri explanation which was checked 10y
Clio officer ia charge Of her, who growled:
Say, you-. viii you keep quiet until
yDu're asked to say sOmetmngf"
Ihc accuscr declared that Drane had as
iaultcd him and tried 10 rob him.
Lock him up" SAID the benlgnant man,
drlv; and the Obedicnt policeman con-
lnctel Lawrence 20 q cell As he passed
through the doorway he heard the young
.at, sobmng bitterly. Walking down the
corridor he Teprcs,cd the tremendous re-
continent that ragged within him, but as
ao.u as the key was turned he addressed
l.s conductor:
u wishyou'd let me have a word with
you."
he officer paused. Drane had intended
to tell his story. hoping TO convince his
nItr. if not Of his innocence. that at least
there was grave error in tho proceedings
somewhere. but his feelings ovcrpowered
"rl have YOU understand" be exclaim-
ell that Won don't know whom YOU are
dealing with. / could buy tins house fifty
tuc. over and not feel it Ny reputation
never has been questioned, and somebody
w suffer for this. Why
" OBJ. rats " interrupted the jailer, and
Be- walked away. There Is no phrase IN
l.l'. or vulgar literature that congresses
81. much contempt into 80 small space as
tt4t one word "Rats!" IL is unanswer-
nle complete. depressing. As Lawrence
tened 10 his jailers retrea:lng footsteps
hi. resentment turned TO disgust.
That lust shows, be thought, how ILL
fitted am for these clothes. If had been
brought up to wear them / should have
known how 20 express myself adequately.
Some really shocking language might have
bad an effect on that fellow
hon for four mortal hours Lawrence
rum.uated on visions Of penal servtude,
tails and chains breaking rocks, stories If
galley slaves, and DO wondered whether
much-famcd Sing Sing would be better
ventilated than hrs present quarters. He
to.k one little comfort in his gruesome re-
h"ctious-he could at least depend on
something 10 eat as long as the government
should bc his host. There was no break
N-t for him, however, and when at
l4-t ho was marched to Jefferson
Ga,kct Court he was in that state Of
fsituefs that he would have walked
willingly many miles had the officers re-
Qurod IL. without realizing how time
il passed OF what had happened, ne
found himself one of nondescrlpt COM
larN shut IN hy an iron railing. Tho au-
dI,ucc-room was crowded with spectators,
ana an the enclosure where ne stood were
D. hcemcn, lawyers. and reporters. Law
renee ehrunk Is close as ho could against
tlc wall and gave way 10 profound dis
cgfagomcnt-
Well, pard," eaid low voice at his
eide. you seem 70 have struck IT rough
e. time"
praue saw man in rags more loathsome
thau hrs own, with rum bi0atcd features
lt.rIrr Ut Inn svmpat hctcaIy.
lou have the advantage OF me, sir,
her~poHdod haughtily.
"I cues not" said the other. with a
dreadful smile. That amt to say that |
knows We, that | ever had the honor OF
-o.atiu' with We. but / recognize the
fraternity wherever | comes across 'em,
scrt'
Drane shudderod.
Tin goin' to take vacation at the
i.aud." continued the other, cheerfully.
Got kind % tired walkin'. an need 10 rest
o.. Spcct to 20 up for longI"
Il don't know what they VIII do with
me. 20 repllod Drane, and l don't want to
"a k % YOU"
Alright. all right" said raganufin,
"only If Won ain't used to this business
you D find 'fore long that it's useful 10
make friends wherever YOU can pick EN-
up. NO telhn' what man might 90 Tor
y.u. seer"
Lawrence turned away, feeling in his dis
Puta f0rlOrn conviction that the fellow
wa, probably right. At the other side OF
Gle court where several women prisoners
were grouped he saw the young lady whose
misfortune had had go much to do with
ringing HIM there. He started at once to
a. over and speak to her, and OF course
policeman prevented him. He saw that
s.c was speaking eagerly with an elderly
LADY, who stood on the other side OF the
ia.
She At least has found FRIEND"
thought Drane, and so II proved, for IN
few minutes she was called before the
Judge and the elderly lady stood up with
her at the bar. There WAS brlef con-
vrrsatiOn which Lawrence could not hear,
and then both women stepped down and
passed through the gate into tho audi
e.c-.Ioon. They were on the way out OK
rl- court. but the young lady paused u
moment and looked lnqulrngly back.
lawrence caught her eye and bowed.
flt returned his salutatiOn and hurrediy
whispered 70 her companion. Inc latter
p ~ci q pair Of glasses, beautifully framed
aud handled IN ebony, 10 her eyes ana
slutiuized Drane keenly. Then she shook
hor head decidedly and passed OUT
oh, yes, 90 on" thought Lawrence,
hos a bad case, Of course. Look at his
clothes and his villainous face! "
The young lady's face was grave with
dlappointment. but Just as the door was
closing on her she threw back at hlm a
smile which made the unhappy prisoners
heart bound.
She's irving 70 tell me to be hopeful"
b. thought, and 50 viii, by Joyei"
For a full minute after that he felt con;
v.uccd that somehow all would so well
with him; but tins uplifting Of his soul
was transient. lie soon relapsed into
dull. FAINT indifference. paying no atten-
tlou whatever TO the trial of cases constant
Is going on before him. He did not hear
tie crier call out twice. Thomas Jones'"
and ho did not half comprehend what was
~ when an officer seized him blythe shout
der roughly, saying:
Here, come along! why don't you STAND
up when you're called2"
In the little delay that thus. ensued
another case was crowded before the
Judge. Lawrence. standing at the bar,
tried 10 listen. Ho caught some words
about common yagabond." and stale
beer gang" bat he could not understand