Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-08-24
CHAPTER III.

Two years after Albert Dawers had
told me the story of his betrothal with
Moa Barrios, she was on trial on q
charge of murder, and it was 1 who
had brought her to the bar of justice.
The beautiful young woman flashed
across the court at me q look of scorn
and contempt when we encountered
each others gaze, at the opening of
the proceedings. Yet 1, who mad made
these wholly conscientious efforts to
hang her that seemed certain to be
much l might deserve her detestation,
l in no was other than O procurer
of just punishment. Nevertheless, l
pitied her. Beside her sat Albert,
visibly anguished by the sorrow
through which she had brought him.
1t was but a tragic variation Of the old
story of Enoch Arden, only this Enoch,
in the person of Henry Mercer, did not
steal away, leaving her to happiness,
but remained, to be speedily removed
by her hand, unless all things in heav-
en- and earth lied against her. Still. L
felt for the first time sorry for nv
work, when that look of hers, in which
spoke a virile innocence SO sure of it.
self as easily to afford contempt, flashed
upon some inner cOnsci BUSINESS of mine.
leaving outside it the brain that had
already tried n found her guilty.
But mol had seen this strong, calm
woman in throes of fear and agony.
her not easily moved nature shaken to
its very depths. and no criminal yet
ever had circumstantial evidence SO
pitilessly arrayed against her. 1
forced my eyes from her and fixed
them on the District ATTORNEY. who
had already commenced his opening
address. 1t is bsst that l should quote
his words for this chapter, because
they told succinctly the case against
the prisoner.
This woman. your honor, and GENTLE
men of the jury, grew up in Hoosac in
the manner l have briefly described.
until her marriage to Henry Mercer,
Whether that wedlock was legal or no
Is not material. 1t is certain that she
believed it to be SO during the short
time she lived with him in New York.
and that upon leaving him she had
reason to know that he had outrageous
ly deceived and maltreated her. In
that fact we find a motive # ven 2eance.
The prosecution has not been able to
learn that there was any communica-
! between them from the moment
HSASA Lew UAa6 A4uAA VIC A1Llok UIdSSuV,
After a lapse Of about five years she
boldly announced that she was going
to marry Albert Dawers-am man whose
character was as good as her former
husbands had been the reverse, and
whom shc loved with a passion mo @
than equal to the detestation she had
felt for the other. From being the
butt OF q drunken and brutal scoun.
drel, she became the cherished and
adored wife of the best-looking and
best-natured man in the village. and
for some brief months tested that SUI
preme happiness which is known only
to those persons who in the past have
acutely suffered. Perhaps so much
content irritated the on-lookers, for
only cold looks were cast upon the
lovers. while the malicious prophesied
that Mercer'syreturn would cut short
the pairs felicity, even affecting not
to consider them man and wife at all.
so that by degrees they became iso.
lated from their neighbors. and they
decided to at once remove to tho farm