Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-25
Several %"ayes."
Contrary, mo-
Coyorol sGnooc -

Several "noes."
The foreman and an officer Of the
court looked around the table.
"He may or may not have thought
the sales legitimate, " said one.
"Oughtn't he to have the benefit of
the doubt?:' asked another. at is get
ting very easy to accuse men of dishon-
esty."
can official like a postmaster" said
a third, "should be above suspicion"
"Rather unfair to make his wish to
be married the cause for his rascality,"
said the youngest juryman.
"And to blame him for his ambition
in trying to raise his office" said a kind
voice.
Gentlemen, said the court officer,
"a majority of one is sufficient to make
out a true bill, and a like majority OF
one may ignore a bill. Those in favor
of a true bill will please rise"
The man next to Joyce sprang up to
his feet. Another got up. Joyce counted
three, four, five.
"If he knew that the bare sale of the
stamps did not substantiate his claim,
that would make a true bill against
him." said a juror. Another man stood
up, still another.
"Only seven. All, eight, nine, ten,
eleven"
The juror Oh the other side Of Joyce
/, rose.
"Twelve."
Joyce, with a feeling of exultation
that his revenge was to be even greater
hat he had hoped-when he could give
the casting vote which would decide
the case against Alroy-straightened
out his knees to rise and form the ma
jority of one. At that moment he heard
q low, tremulous voice: II proposed the
fraud. Love for him made me do as /
have done; love for me made him do
the rest" He glanced furtively around,
almost expecting to see the owner OF
that voice-the woman he loved, the
woman who had treated him SO badly
the woman who had gagged his honor
and love.
("Your duty as a good and loyal
man'-)
"No majority" sang out the court
officer. "a tie. Let me try again an
other way. Those in favor Of ignoring
the bill please to rise"
C"Your duty as a good and loyal
man"-)
Twelve men were standing up.
"How is this, gentlemen" said the
court officer. "Still a tie"
CT proposed the fraud, came that
low, tremulous voice. "Love for him
made me do as l have done.")
Love! Did Joyce know what love
was? Did he know the power Mary's
love must have exercised over the mar
she loved-the man she had ruined? Did
he know her suffering now that she
realized what she had done? And did he
think Of Alroy's love for her, Of his
striving after happiness with her ever
at the price Of that which men hold to
be the first principle of manhood-hon
or? Was there not yet a chance for re-
trieving, a chance for their peace, made
purer by their mistake and suffering!
Was there nothing higher than mere
duty? Was it duty to irretrievably ruin
two lives which might yet be made
better? Mary would never be sure of the
part her discarded lover played in this
case, despite her guessing, and-oh, his
honor, his honor, and, oh, his pain, his
hopeless love!
"Still a tie," impatiently said the
court officer.
Oh, his honor, and, oh, his pain, his
hopeless love! But, oh, Mary's happi.
ness!
Joyce, the thirteenth juror, suddenly
shot up on his feet, making the majority
of one.
Majority p proclaimed the court Of
fcer. "The bill is ignored"
The thirteenth juror fell into heap on
the floor. Robert @. V. Myers in Buff
falo Times.