The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-13

YES, it is my father"
"Do you love hing
Ayes
"Where is your motheri'
"She is dead"
"What caused her to der
u do not know"
you saw from your balcony man 60 mtc
Larouette's house and xiii him Was ii your
fatherl"
The child made negative sign.
Your mother saw him, too-your poor
dead mother You loved her, did YOU no.<r
'Ob, yes, sir"
"Then try to remember, for her sake, what
or who YOU saw that night"
Il did not see anything
The president then addressed Roger:
"The silence of this child accuses You"
"Alas. sir" said Roger, Il begged her to
speak. but she would not"
What she saw must be more terrible to
s2y th"'i what sie caves US to believe by her
silence"
Did your mother tell you to deny having
seen anytbing27
No, sir, she did not"
''Did you see Your father or not, childl Re
member, it is his life that is trembling on
your lips"
Il have told you all, so many many times
that l So nothing, nothing at all. Please do
not Try 70 make me tell lie"
Here the unhappy little creature burst into
tears.
"Why do you cry, my childl' asked the
president.
because my papa is crying"
Here one of the jury arose. He could beal
this scene no longer Il think, your honor
"a In al hot j.
M@Hy persons were in tears, and the pres
dent himself was very wiling that the little
martyr be spared further suffering, and she
was carried out by an officer and given to the
tender care OF the uncle and aunt who
awaited her.
Then they questioned Roger, and he an
swered all the questions in detail, repeating
what he had told them before but was so ex-
hausted when all was done that he could not
hold himself straight in his chair but he had
not given the name of his mysterious debtor
When Luclen rose, sustained by bis
crutches, and his poor manned limbs ending
with wooden Stumps, there was murnur of
pity all through the hall, and several MEM
bers OF tie jury could scarcely restrain their
tears. He opened his plea slowly, in low
voice at first, but which warmed into elo-
quence as he went over step by step Rogers
past life and history, told of bis courage and
devotion to his country, his family, his friend,
aud then tried To show that such man could
not have become murderer even TO save lis
business from ruin. He made them feel that
a man so honorable as Roger must hold an
others secret safe at the risk and sacrifice of
his own life, and that the secret of the re1son
Who gave him this money was sacred and
might even be baptized in blood He had
spoken an hour and was now about to ats. k
the evidence and try TO prove that this was a
! case of mistaken identity. and that probably
BenIietto and Suzanne had seen some one
whom they imagined from a resemblance to
| Roger to be him. and that it was al easy
matter to be mistaken, under such circuni-
! stances and IN the excitement, when one OF
! the officers Of the court banded him a small
note marked Important: read at once"
! Even while continuing his speech Lucien
| opened the note and the envelope fell un-
needed 10 the floor. Still speaking he opened
out the sheet which bore but few lines in an
unknown handwriting, and then he took up
I, glass of water and read as he drank At
first he did hot understand it. This was
what it containod:
you undertake the defense OF Roger La
rogue. You speak of his honor i'll keeping
/ silence about Tie money and who paid hixa
Go home and ask your wife, o., better still.
ask her lover, whose life You are trying to
save"
This letter was from LuEersar, who feared
that Roger might escape.
Now as by a lightning's flash. Lucien saw
! all, knew all. All that had been inexplicable
before was explained. And the light came
50 suddenly that he fell backward to a seat
AID remained there for a moment as il dead.
! When he arose again, with the help 6f the
! gendarmes, be looked like a corpse, only that
he moved.
He turned to Roger, and murmured bu,
TWO words:
Infamous mani"
"Lucien!" said Roger
"Look me, Juliss husbsnd, your friend, iii
the face!'
| For answer, Roger hid his eyes in both his
hands and bowed his head in silence. Lucien
was answered.
Lucien thought. His eloquent plea for
Roger had ceased, but he dimly felt that he
must proceed He must continue. He was
| here To save Roger from the accusation of
tue crime he did not commit, not to condemn
| him for the one he mad At least ne could do
lis duty, but he felt something give way in
duty, and began again his interrupted ad-
dress, though his voice was hoarse and faint.
"Repuse yourself little" said the presi
dent.
But Lucien shook his head He now knew
all, and Rogers innocence of this crime conf
nanded his best efforts. The rest could come
! afterwaIu
| lie spoEe. and his voice and heart grew
strong together and that vast audience hung
brratb'eSS upon his words, and into them lie
put SO much of his own despair that every
hcart melted. Roger heard nothing OF all
this. Those two awful words resounded like
thunderous reverberations through his BRAIN,
.ieadening every other sound.
Dui suddenly that tide of imprisoned
WORDS checked and then resumed feebly:
II charge you, men OF the jury, TO relnem-
Der that logger Laroque is innocent. l know
it. J swear it, but cannot divulge his secret.
And with the last word Lucien fell into the
arms of thuse nearest him, and when the doc
20; reached him ne said: He is dead: he has
rnpiured blood vessel in his BRAIN"
Roger tiled to reach him, but he uas held
firmly in his seat and when they told him
! LucieD WAS dead be burst into an agony OF
sobs. which he vainly tried to stifie. He alone
knew what had been Lucien's death blow
and lie felt himself condemned of God anC
man Already two DEATHS upon his con-
science. Henriette's and Luciens. He wish ID
10 die that he might expiate bis sin.
When the president asked him if he had
anything to add, he said, in sonorous voice
| Il am guilty. Condemn me-"
But his measure OF sufferings was not vet
| full And when the jury, after short con-
sultation. returned, they gave in their verdict:
Etaiit INIT
/ stances