The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-09-20

thing 80 cruel Yet he would be ac-
quilted, how could she doubt, when
the jurymen as well as she had heard
his frank, simple story and had seen
the candor of his beautiful face? Had
she not watched them and detected
expressions of sympathy, of confidence,
on at least two of their countenances
And if these men had once trusted
would they dare to condemn? Then,
indeed, were not they the murderers
who would slay for relief from Gus
tody, from fatigue, or from fear of
their associates? Oh, dreadful
thing was this law which beclouded
the truth when it was so evident 1!
Hadn't Tommy explained that he was
removing the obstruction from the
track when the wildcat" so unexpect-
edly came around the curve and struck
it, and was derailed?
Couldn't they understand why he
had remained silent when asked how
he happened to be there? Surely, any
one could see that he had discovered
his brothers plot and had striven to
thwart it, but was now too loyal to i'm
plicate them. The idea that Tommy,
her gentle, true-hearted Tommy, would
connive to slay the only brother of the
girl he loved And yet, when he had
refused to answer, the Judge, who
surely should be impartial in action as
well as word, had swung around i'm
patiently in his chair, and the District
Attorney had smiled, oh, SO ironically,
and Shrugged his shoulders and said /:
"You see, gentlemen. See?"
The case which had occupied the
Aberdeen Oyer and Terminer for the
past week, was, as the District Attorney
had said in his opening, lawful in the
simplicity and directness of its proof.
AT the further end of the county, amid
the arid sand plains, the Barlings and
the Knowleses had occupied adjacent
farms for many years. The railway
ran in front of their dwellings,, and the
young men had grown up half farmers,
half linemen, cleaning from the two
occupations livelihood and recreation.
There had been q constant feud be-
tween the two families, sprung from
some forgotten trivial cause, but en-
HANGED into bitterness through paucitN
of daily interest.
There were three Barling boys, of
whom Thomas, the defendant, was the
youngest, and one Knowles, the brother
of Patty. This latter had encountered
one evening the two elder Barlings at
the village tavern, and quarrel and a
scuffie had ensued. 1t was the follow
l..
which young Knowles was engineer,
was derailed and he thrown from the
cab and killed. Thomas Barling was
seen running away from the place
where this accident occurred. His
brothers disappeared, but the detec-
tives, melted by liberal rewards, caused
the arrest of the lad, claiming that it
was he who had set the obstruction on
the track.
His presence, his fight, his terror,
certain incoherent words which he had
uttered on his apprehension, consti-
tuted the main points of the case against
him. His defense had been necessarily
brief, consisting of his youth, good
character, and his own story slightly
corroborated-tha he had been en-
gagged in removing the obstructions,
when the wildcat, " of whose existence
he had not been aware, came around
the curve and struck. But on the
question of how he happened to be
there at just this time he had remained
silent.
Solemnly the great clock in the
courtroom beat out the dragging mo-
ments. The bailiffs droned stories and
yawned. The clerk scribbled on the
back of papers. The crier slept the
sleep of childhood and smiled over its
reviving scenes. The old woman sat
erect, motionless, intent like another
Sphynx, awaiting the elimination of
burning desires. Perhaps she alone
could explain that ancient feud; per-
haps when that bosom had been ten
der and that arm softly responsive to
caresses, an injury to her beauty had
been the dragons tooth of this future.
Perhaps the past now returned to her
for expectancy hath its panorama of
spent, but not dead, emotions. Ger
tainly little Patty, as she saw the grim
face growing grimmer, grew faint with
dread, for in its lines she read ven
geance upon Tommy and woe for her
self.
There was n sharp, demanding rap
on the door of the jury room. It's
drowsy guardian sprang to his feet and
unlocked it. There were whispers, and
then once more the door closed, the
bolt was shot, the sentinel sat at his
post. Once more, but with a differ
ence. The man no longer lolled. He
was big with the consciousness that
every eye was upon him, big in the
possession of II secret which he had no
right to know.
The great clock ticked warningly,
for the hours of excitement are mo
ments. 1t was nearing the time for
the Judges return. Tho clerk set
lockets and pen and paper in order.
The bailiffs shut windows and opened
loors, and turned up lights and took
their stations. There was one whose
post was by the door at the end of the
gallery leading TO the jury room,
which opened upon the main stairway
Df the building The guardian of the !
Jury room was his friend, and, as he
passed, whispered a single word. The |
Dailiif stepped to his place and beyond. |
He leaned over the rail and gazed |
d