The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-23
that d going on" said MAY ask Y
you are engaged on itf''

une0 - 6Viu8 ouy satu my sse
you arc engaged on itf'
NO." he answered. "But II 10 curl
Gus oase. A man, a clerk dismissed from
his employment, is accused Of numbering
the cashier of the firm. The evideno
against him 10 entirely circumstantiai, bu
the defense broke down at tho most crit
ical point, and the case looks very blaol
for the prisoner.
The train was now slackening speed, ant
there was general rising to go. ! ros
too.
Are you going to get out hereS" Mr.
Haywood asked, opening the door as w
glided into the station. "Have you com,
down SO early on business2'
YES" I said, wishing to goodness
knew what the immediate business was
Nothing very urgent, though" added
half to myself, as I got out.
"f you have the time to spare, you had
better turn In and hear the end of the
trial" said Haywood. 1.-THE court will be
crowded with ladies', no doubt but I can
smuRgle you into corner"
Not knowing In the very least what
should do with myself for the next two
hours, accepted the offer with gratitude.
was soon seated in an obscure corner OF
dingy, Ill lighted, Ill ventilated court
house. which would have been III smelling,
too, had 1t not been for the scent waited
from the numerous ladies who were pres
ont.
One Of these, buxom female obstruc-
tion who ought to have known better, was
just in front Of me and blocked my view
with an enormous bonnet. / could not see
the prisoner or his counsel, or even the
clock over his head, at which the people
kept looking eagerly as the hour for the
recommencemont of the trial approached
At last thore was q stir and bustle
caused by the persons invisible to me,
then call of Silence" and after few
prel1minaries the summing up commenced.
listened the more attentively because
could see nothing. The telling sentences
cut deep into my consciousness. How con.
vincing it all wasl How all those minute
facts, the minute testimony Of footmarks
and the like arranged and distributed by
that powerful intellect grouped themselves
into the damning proof of guilt 1 cared
nothing for the prisoner-had no personal
interest In the trial-but my mind was
wonderfully fascinated by the tale of hor-
ror.
At length the weighty tones ceased and
a murmur of relief and expectation ran
round the assembly. At this moment the
woman with the huge bonnet shifted her
seat, and obtained a full view of the pris-
oner. / started involuntarily Where had
l seen that face beforeP The jury returned
after short absence. The verdict was
Guilty" accoLsf,anied with recommend
alton to mercy. Once again the judges
solemn tones resounded throughout the
court; once again they ceased There was
dead silence. Isprang to my feet, as If
impelled to do so by some unseen power,
and looked steadily at the prisoner.
His face was averted from me at the
moment, but the looks of the people
showed that he was about to speak. Slow
ly he turned about, and in voice whose
deep, earnest tones could be heard all over
the assembly lie said
There lives but one man who can prove
me innocent, and there he stands!"
With white face and outstretched arm,
he ponted-at me. gazed at him with
sudden flash of recognition. 1t was the
man had seen under the lamp, and, by a
strange coincidence, at this moment the
church clock struck 10.
The plea that had been set up by the de-
Tense was an alibi. But there was a space
of two hours that could not be accounted
for, and the theory of the prosecution was
that the crime had been committed during
that time. My evidence supplied the miss
ing link, for the place in which had seen
the man was so far distant from the scene
of the murder that 1t was impossible for
him to have been anywhere near at tho
time Of its commission.
And the dreamp Only a coincidence,
you will say, perhaps, or fit of indiges-
ton, or my timber contract Nevertheless,
rs have told 1t you, SO 1t happened Elk.
plain 1t away who can.-Spare Moments.