Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-08
DARK DAYS
By HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER XV.-(Continued.
THE BLACK CAP.

II
1t is well for me that / heard the eau
ton just now given by the judge.
take such comfort as | can by thinking
they have tried the evidence, not the
man. What can the evidence be? All.
we shall soon know.
The clerk turns, and, addressing no one
in particular, says. Bring up the prison
en-" Once more | set my teeth. | feel
my wife's arm tremble: her hand grows
cold. / hear a buzz, as of expectation,
run through the crowded court Every
eye turns in one direction-toward the
empty dock For a moment a species of
dizziness comes over me; objects swim
before my eyes. The sensation passes
away | recover myself. The dock is no
longer untenanted. In the center, with
stalwart policeman on either side of
him, stands the accuSed-the man who,
II needs be, must be saved by such
sacrifice!
From my place far back in the public
gallery, | can, of course see nothing
more Of the prisoner than his back. l
gaze at this with intense curiosity, en-
deayOring to determine the station of the
man who is now about to be tried for his
life. l can but gather this much: He is
tall and slight. His dress is of a semi
respectable nature, but seems to have
seen much service. He might be any
thing from broken-doWn clerk to gen
tleman's servant out at elbows | re-
JOlCt DIT IllS IJOtCIbS -SlIChCA dDJGdIuHCe.
Judging from it, money will be welcome
TO him. Let the jury but assert his in
nocence, and | feel certain that the liberal
pecuniary compensation which it is my in
tentiOn to mete out will repay him a
hundred times for the ordeal which he is
undergoing.
Ordeal! Yes, it is the right word. 1t
is easy to see it is q terrible ordeal TO the
poor fellow. No need to look at his face
TO be told that much. Even as he emerged
from the cells below he seemed to quake
with fear Now he absolutely falls for
ward in the dock, supporting himself by
grasping the iron railing which runs
round the top. | notice that his fingers,
as they cling to the iron bars, open and
close convulsively. Every movement of
his back and shoulders betrays fear and
anguish of mind. His state is pitiable, SO
pitiable that one of his custodians places
his hand under the wretched mans arm.
and gives him the physical support which
he so sorely needs. lie bends his head as
in shame. and l know that could | Sec
his face, it would be as white as my own
or my Wife'S.
In spite of the strain upon my mind. |
was able to wonder at the prisoners
hopeless demeanOr. Although | had, as
il were, torn my very heart out by the
roots to insure this mans safety i'll the
event Of things going wrong with him;
although / did not even now regret the
that his cowardly behavior took away
much of the sympathy which / should
otherwise have felt for him in his I'M
merited predicament. 1t is, of course,
very easy to say what one would do If III
anothers place l certainly felt sure
that. were / in that poor fellows plight,
consciousness of my own innocence would
give me strength enough to raise my
head. and face boldly all the judges,
juries, and prosecuting counsel IN the
world. | was willing to make every. al
lowance for the nervousness natural to
such position; but l groaned inwardly
as / gazed upon that miserable, limp,
understanding half-reclining form.
Why does he not stand upright? Too
we'll i know that another is watching
that abject wretch with interest even
more intense than mine. | know that
every attitude of shame or fear is under
stood by Philippa, and adds to the scruples
which she feels at following my advice
and awaiting the result of the trial. Ev-
cry agonized movement OF the prisoner
in the dock seems to be family repro
duced by the hand within my own. Ev-
cry pang he suffers runs through the
frame of the woman who knows that he
is suffering for her deed.
The clerk reads over the Indictment:
'"That he, William Evans, did felonious-
ly. willfully. and of malice aforethought,
kill and murder Sir Mervyn Ferrand,
IDdG00Gl. AS Tic ISduIllS pIOCCCdH,
Philippa draws me towards her. Basil,
she says, in low whisper, this is more
dreadful than / dreamed of. / cannot
bear it longer Think of that poor mans
anguish Basil. he also may have wife
who loves him: she may be in the court.
Think of her! Oh! what can | do?
What can ] do?'
Nothing-nothing but wait and hope"
! answer.
Gould you not go down and speak
to him, or send a message in some way?
Tell him not to be SO Wretched; that
even at the last moment he will be saved!
that the real murderer will confess and
free him. Basil, you must do this
II cannot. l dare not. 1t would ruin
us. Hush, dearest; be calm and listen
The reading Of the Indictment is now
over The clerk turns to the prisoner.
Are you guilty or not guilty." he asks,
in n clear voice. Although everyone in
that court knows what the answer will
be, there is Il silence so profound that a
pin might be heard drop. Everyone
seems DESTROYS of hearing the prisoner S
voice. Even /, myself, lean forward,
and strain every nerve to hear his plea.
There is long, dread pause. 1t may
be that the prisoner does not understand
that he is expected to reply. 1t may be
the power of speech. i notice that one
of the policemen touches him on the
shoulder and whispers to him. Still for
a moment there is silence.
1t is broken, but not by the prisoner.
Philippa gives q low, soft wall, heard
only, | think. by me.
II can bear it no longer" she whis-
pers She snatches her hand from mine.
She throws back her thick, dark veil,
and stands erect in the body of the court.
| cast one glance at her pale but deter
mined-loOking face, then bow my head
upon my hands, and wish that death
might at that moment smite us both.
All is over! / am conquered!
Even as | hide my face | see every
eye III that thronged court turning TO the
tall, majestic, dark-robed figure which
rises in the midst of that motley throng.
Then, clear and loud, hear her beloved
voice ring out.
"My lord" hear her say. raise my
head at the sound. The eyes Of the
bench. bar, jury and public are fixed
upon her. The very prisoner turns in
the dock and gazeS straight at her.
She gets no further than those two
words. Order in the court! Order in
the COURT is shouted so sternly and
Eo, hot bA oil hui 1ocac bor,