Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-03-04
CHAPTER XXI.

10 0ttcnO tetty Sessions, Dein8 Still q
magistrate for the year by virtue OF bis
late ONCE Of Mayor. In passing he looked
up at her windows. but nothing Of her
was to be seen.
There was one case only, and the Of.
fender stood before him. She was On
old woman Of notified countcnance. She
looked cursorily ut Henchard and the
second magistrate, and Henchard looked
at her, with m0mentary pause, AZ II she
had reminded him indistinctly OF some.
thing which passed from his mind a.
quickly a. Il had come. "Well, and what
has she been doingY" he said. looking
down at the charge.sheet.
"She 10 charged, sir. with the ofiense
of disordcrly female and vasabond,"
whispered Stubberd.
"Well. woman. what have you to say p
asked Henchard.
Twenty years ago I was a.sellins OF
furmity In tent at Weydon Fair
Twenty years ago'-well, that's be.
ginning at the beginning!" said the clerk,
not without satire.
But Henchard stared. and quite forgot
what was evidence aud what was not.
"A man and woman with little child
came into my tent" the woman contin-
ued. "They sat down and had q basin
apiece. ] was Of more respectable sta
ton In life then than am now, being Q
land.sniuggler In large way Of business;
and ] used to season my furmity with
rum for them who asked fort. did Il
for the man; and then he had more and
more; till at last he Quarreled with bis
wife, and offered to sell her to the highest
bidder. A sailor came In and bid Eve
guineas, and paid the money, and led her
away. And the man who sold his wife In
that fashion 10 the man sitting there In the
great big chair" The speaker concluded
BY nOdding her head at Henchard and
folding her arms.
Everybody looked at Hcnchard. Hi
face seemed strained, and In tint % Il
II had been powdered over with ashes
I'VE don't want to hear your life and ad'
ventures" said the magistrates clerk
sharply, filing the pause which followed
you've been asked II you've anything
to say bearing ON the case"
THAT bears on the case. II proves
that he's no better than ], and has nc
right to sit there In judgment upon me-"
"'Tis concocted story said the clerk
80 hold your tongue"
@Nct tsD uc Gotuc ASou
Henchard. "'Tis as true as the light,
he said, slowly. Sand upon my soul, l,
does prove that I'm no better than she
And to keep out Of any temptation tG
treat her hard for her revenge, Ill leave
her to you"
Henchard left the chair and came out OF
the court, passing through group Of PEG
ple on the steps and outside that wal
much larger than usual; for II seemed that
the old furmity dealer had mysteriously
limited to the denixens of the lane In which
she had been lodging since her arrival thai
she knew 4 queer thing or two about theil
great local man, Mr.. Henchard, II she
chose to tell It. This had brought then
hither.
During the day Lucetta went out to ths
Ring, and to other places, not coming II
till nearly dusk. Late In the evening
HenchaPd called to see her.
| II have been very, very anxious to sex
you," he said-''ever since saw you last
I have thought over the way ] got you
promise that night. You said to me. u
! were man ] should not insist Ths
cut me deep. ] don't want to make 20,
wrstched, and to marry me just nov
would do that % nothing else could-it
~ TOO plain. Therefore agrss to y