The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-06-20
CHAPTER III.
A SCOTCH VERDICT.

|
York policemen, though he was scraping
acquaintance with the species faster
than he really cared to. The man at
the desk continued to read until he had
come to a convenient stopping place
| when he took up pen, looked at Drane
and asked:
whats your name?"
1t flashed over poor Lawrence that all
the reporters in town would write up
his adventures, that the accounts would
be telegraphed to Western newspapers,
notoriety would be heaped upon him.
So, Tom JONES'" he replied at hazard.
| The benignant mans face wrinkled into
an incredulous sneer, but he put the
| name down without word. Then,
"Where do you live?" he demanded.
"Kansas City," faltered Lawrence,
utterly at a loss to carry on his fiction,
and when he was questioned as to his
business he hung his head in despair.
His garments would belle his claim to
be gentleman; for the same reason he
could not explain that he was charged
with enlisting Boston capital in the in
terest of a new railroad, commission
that he had undertaken more for the
sake of diversion than for any need of
money-making, and in fair frenzy of
misery he blurted out:
81 haven't any business"
''Umph! walkingg gent, suppose" said
the man at the big desk. ''What were
you doing with this man and woman?"
The young lady at once began pro-
test and explanation which was checked
by the officer in charge of her, who
growled:
Say, yous, will you keep quiet until
you're asked to say something?"
The aecuser declared that Drane had
assaulted him and tried to rob him.
clock him up, 'said the bcnignanJman.
,, drily; and the obedient policeman con-
Quoted Lawrence to cell. AS he passed
through the doorway he heard the
young lady sobbing bitterly. Walking
down the corridor he repressed the tre-
mendous resentment that ragged within
him, but as soon as the key was turned
he addressed his conductor:
II wish you'd let me have a word with
you"
The officer paused. Drane had in
tended to tell his story, hoping to con-
vince his jailor, if not of his innocence,
that at least there was grave error in
the proceedings somewhere, but his feel
ings overpowered him.
"Id have you understand" he ex-
claimed, that you don't know whom
you are dealing with. l could buy this
E. ~
My reputation never has been ques-
toned, and somebody will suffer for
this. Why"
'Oh, rats!" interrupted the jailor, and
he walked away. There is no phrase in
polite or vulgar literature that COM
presses so much contempt into SO small
space as that one word 'Rats!" 1t is
unanswerable, complete, depressing. AS
Lawrence listened to his jailor's re-
treating footsteps his resentment turned
to disgust.
''That just shows," he thought, chow
ill-fitted | am for these clothes. If l had
been brought up to wear them l should
have known how to express myself
adequately. Some really shocking
language might have had an effect on
that fellow"
Then for four mortal hours Lawrence
ruminated on visions of penal servi-
tude, balls and chains, breaking rocks,
stories of galley slaves; and he wondered
whether much famed Sing Sing would
be better ventilated than his present
quarters. He took one little comfort in
his gruesome refections-he could at
loo OF n nd h 70
long as the Government should be his
host. There was no breakfast for
him, however, and when at last
he was marched to Jefferson
Market court he was in that state of
faintness that he would have walked
willingly many miles had the officers
required it. Without realizing how
time had passed, or what had happened,
he found himself one of a nondescript
company shut in by an iron railing. The
audie"ce room was crowded with spec
tators and in the enclosure where he
stood were policemen, lawyers and re-
porters. Lawrence shrunk as close as he
could against the wall and gave way to
profound discouragement.
'Well, pard," said low voice at his
side, ''you seem to have struck it rough
this time"
Drane saw man in rags more loath-
some than his own, with rum-bloated
features leering at him sympathetically
''You have the advantage of me, SIR"
he responded, haughtily.
Il guess not" said the other, with a
dreadful smile. "That amt to say that
knows ye, that ever had the honor of
'sociatin' with ye, but / recognize the
fraternity wherever l comes across em,
see?'
Drane shuddered.
I'm goin' to take vacation at the
island" continued the other, cheerfully.
SCOT kind O. tired walkin', an need to
rest up. Spect to go up for long?"
81 don't know what they will do with
me-" replied Drane, "and don't want
to talk to you."
"All right, all right" said the raga-
muffin, "only if you amt used to this
business you'll find fore long that it's
useful to make friends wherever you can
pick 'em up. No tellin' what man
might do for you, see?"
Lawrence turned away, feeling in his
disgust forlorn conviction that the fell
low was probably right. At the other
side OF the court where several women
prisoners were grouped he saw the
young lady whose misfortune had had so
much to do with bringing him there. He
started at once to go over and speak to
L. q 4