Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-13


being good in one place when it was
dull in the other. She had not been
able to forget her husband and to-day
her heart cried out for him piteously.
All that night the good and evil
forces in her nature fought for su-
premacy. The maddening scene in
The dim church came up .afresh, and
along with it-alI the agony OF shame
and injustice.
The morning found her calm. Some
new expression on the pale, sad, beau
tlful face touched her mates with a
sort of ave.. She was general favor
ite. 1t was understood that there was
mystery in her life, but she had 30
much self-respecting also. .
She was very discreet, and none OF
her friends were aware Of her visit to
the private Office Of Payson, the young
lawyer who had undertaken the de-
fence. Iii
The day of trial was holiday in the
mandatory and Lawrence generally.
The court room was crowded, over
flowing. .. ".
There was some conjecture about a
closely veiled figure in black sitting
among the witnesses.
Payson had a quiet satisfied look
upon his face which the opposing coun-
Gil did not understand.
A glance behind that veil would
have disclosed face glowing with
suppressed excitement Mrs. Risteen
felt strang satisfaction as the evil
dence was given and the connecting
links of circumstantisl evidence was
drawn closer and more convincingly
around the prisoner. He must sit and
listen without the power to clear him
self. The iron would enter his soul
as it had hers in that night long past.
There was poetic justice in it. But
when she should have given her evil
dence and turned the scale in his favor,
what fine adjustment of moral forces
would recompense, her for her past
sufferingr ''..'
4 murmur went around the court
room as Mrs. Risteen stepped upon the
witness stand. ti' .H .H# @- ."t
The prisoner regarded her with
curious interest as she shrew back her
veil. She turned slowly and met his
eyes with clear, searching, scatching
glance, before which he covered guilt
lily. Then, with motion indicative
of something like contempt for him,
she faced the court, who we're watch
ing her closely. .cs
She gave her evidence. She had
been going home late through bit of
woods from Hettie Bells death BED
the night of the murder. AS she was
nearly opposite the wagon with its
canvas roof glistening in the moon
light, the horse tethered few rods
from it, she heard steps in the under
brush. Obeying her FIRST impulse, she
drew back among the trees and /,
screened by the foliage, saw the man
come out OF the wood on the opposite
side with his Goa. on his arm and roll
ed up sleeves and face that was
ghastlv IN tue moonlight.
He stood beside the wagon q few
moments in aiistening attitude, leaned
forward and placed something inside
of it, then stood . moment or two en-
gagged in some manipulation she did
not understand until he had stepped
aside, when she saw the dark stain on
the white canvas. ''While she waited
for his stealthy steps to die away 10
the woods again the beast gave a
strange, terrific whinny, which must
have aroused the prisoner from sleep,
for his face appeared at the opening.
She. waited few moments until it was
Withdrawn, thep, trembling with a
nameless horror that yet lent wings to
her feet she sped homeward. ..trdI
The unexpected evidence caused
much excitement in. the courtroom.
There wereno expressions of sympa-
thy with the prisoner, however.
edtYou have had some previous ac-
qpaintsnce with the prisoner iques.
toned the opposite council seeking
to confuse her in. cross-exanination
,i'sI have 10 the words sounded
ominously clear to the ears Of Felix
Lynch. '''''' "i,.,,f., ''f' ..a'i,..rq III
,'fAt, what period2's7 ..s5 -. '.l5. .g,aa rs
o'Ten years ago1'stais7s iialI,s $500
%. What were your reIationsT 1o3 :"
sWhat were cur relations?' she re-
peated, in q slow, measured tone, while
her form seemed, TO gain height and
dignity, and the intense excitement OF
the hour lent, 3 stranger, brilliant
glow to eyeaand cheek and lip, stHe
was and is my enemy. he "darkened
my, life by a wicked SANDER. He sep
arated me from my husband and drove
me- into exile. / prayed for revenge.
1t has come to-day. You have wit.
messed 1t, Fl h + scarcely aa expected y this
way. d5if8 uo5slzig3i ~ n.9lsy 20
oq The court room was thrilled. The
air seemed, highly charged with the
intensity Of her. feelings. All eyes
were upon the faces Of the witness and
the prisoner. Apa1r ofldark ones in
the rear part of the court room were
:. Z. I Ltat Esh L