Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-04-03

in studying the dates and figures, and at
last handed them successfully to the
junior member AS soon as this gentle
man had finished his scrutiny Of the first,
Lieut.. Hcaln held forth his hand:
81 presume | may be permitted TO ex-
anime these oxhibitS?'
IL submit to the court that the &C
cused has had frequent opportunity any
time these last three months to examine
these books, that he has been i1npor-
tuned, even, TO do so, time and again,
and has contemporary refused. In
view of these facts, his anxiety TO see
them now strikes me as an assumption"
LAWYERS manner was loud and trucu-
lent. lie knew he was making a point.
Assumption or not" said the presi-
dent coOlly, as Hearn's face flushed
holly under the sting, ut IS the I'M
doubted right of the accused to sec any
exhibit produced in court"
81 feel bound, then, to prevent their
being improperly dealt with while in his
hands, said LAWYER, hanging on to his
volumes and bent on making the scene
as effective as possible.
81 Will take all responsibility, sir.
You may he sure the accused will not
injure them" was Grace's prompt and
indignant rcjoinder.
And so, having interfered rs long Us
possible, the lawyer grudSingly handed
the book to Mr.. Hearn, ostentatiously
holding it open 50 that all near ut
hand could 500 the array Of items and
figures charged against him. In doing
SO he even raised the volume to tine level
O. his own shoulder, and the leaf Tapped
lazily open until 1t stood in bold relief.
Never moving from her seat Miss
Marshall, with glowing eyes and com
pressed lips, had silently noted every
word and motion. She was bending
forward eagerly, as though striving 1T u
distance Of six or seven fcct TO deciphcr
the writing on the page thus glaringly
exhibited. When finally Lawler laid it
on the table, and Mr.. HeaTn began SLOW
y studying the page. she still retained
her position. Forgetful apparently Of
everything around her, the Young girl
was now so near that she could have
touched the table ar which sat the &C
cused soldier.
Studying with panied, troubled face
Mr.. Hearn at last began slowly turning
over tho pages and looking at the head
inFs of the other accounts. There was
something which he evidently desired to
satisfy himself about, yet everything
looked otraiSht and plausible. Again
rcnt on taking every opportunity to
score point against the accused LAWYER
suddenly arose:
Il submit again, if the court Will but
hear me, that while tho accused has
been accorded the privilege Of examining
his long neglected account lie has no
right whatever to PRIV into the affairs Of
other officers. l maintain that he should
be compelled to contlne his attention TO
his own page; there is quito enough
there"
Kenyon suddenly felt a slim white
hand gripping his wrist like vis,.
Uealn was just turning down a page
after briefly scanning the dates, but a
rustic at his side attracted his attention?
To his alnazemenU Miss Marshall had
bent forward ont Of her chair and was
motioniug and whispering to him;
Again. Let me see through that
mage again"
The court was discussing at this in
slant tie question raised by Lawl-r.
Maitland and rhorp protested lhat Elearn
had right to compare other accounts
with his own If he suspected fraud Of
any kind Hcarn himself, with throb-
bing heart. could only SEQ and hear her.
Ohediont 70 her signal. he aGlin raised
The leaf. and would have turned the
book so that she could read it right side
up, but with impc-ious gesture she for
babe.
Hold it as it is" she signaled Us still
bending low sho seemed stddyiug every
line Of the paper thus vertically placed
between her and the sunshine flooding
in ao the open barrack window.
Quick, now! More! more" she mo-
toned. And wondering he turned sew
cral paccs, holding each n moment or
two. But she shook her head impatient
Is and sigraled. SEQ onl" until in sue
cession hale dozen leaves were turned;
then with eager light in her eyes, again
she held upa warning hand, and the page
was stopped.
VERY well then" LAWYER was saying
at this moment, with sarcastic empha,is
"On the principle that misery loves
company, l suppose we must accord him
the privilege Of viewing the accounts of
his fellow debtors" And with this
fresh piece of civil legal practice on his
lips, the judge advocate turned TO the
group on his Left and stopped short in
amaze.
Uearn, utterly lost to what was going
On, was gazing with all his eyes at Miss
Marshall. who, flushed, eager, almost
radiant, once more WAS leaning back in
her chair, but signaling 70 close the
book. 1t was Kenyon now who was
half rising and whispering sudden i'm
pctuous words to Hearn.
For moment Lawler knew not what
IA think or say. Something told him
that the cause lie represented was in
peril. A sense OF disaster flashed upon
him.
AT least the accused Will have the
decency to refrain from exhibiting Off
GERS private accounts to tho public" he