The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19
vos. Guess she will have pity for the
chap who shot him"
CHAPTER xI.

CHAPTER XII
1t was nearly over. The court crowded
and Brian Beresford stood pale and calm yet
with a strange eerie feeling, if what was
passing around him must be a horrible dream,
waiting for the result of his trial
The hum of the voices in the court hao
oeased-all eyes We're fixed on him; in few
minutes he would know his DOOM For
moment even Beresford's brave heart Qualed,
clammy perspiratlon broke out on his fore
head, and his limbs trembed as if he were
chilled to the marrow by some icy blast.
Then, by a mighty effort, he managed to re-
gain his Self-posSeSsiOn. He was innocent
yes, thank Heaven. he was Innocent; let the
world say and think of him what it might.
And Violet, the girl he loved so dearly, and
who but for this terrible accusation would
at this very moment have been his wife,
would she believe in his guilt? No. not if all
the world did.
The certainty of her 10y atty comforted him
wonderfully in this supreme moment Of
trouble. He drew himself up proudly, facing
the crowd of inquisitive eager faces boldly
and calmly, without shadow of fear or de-
preston in his countenance.
A sound without broke the eXpectant still
ness that reigned around; there were eager
voices heard, a stir about the doors of the
building. An official entered hurriedly, whis-
pered words were exchanged between the
officers of the court; the hum of voices grew
louder and louder, and Brian became aware
that something unusual was taking place.
Hope for a moment Sprang up again in his
heart, only to die almost as soon as born,
however. Could he not-did he not even yet
understand that all was over, and his fate
decided although at present his sentence had
not been pronounced?
The voices We're not stilled, however, spite
of the efforts of those in authority to hush
their clamor. Then a passage through the
crowd was cleared, and two officials, leading
a tall, slim, closely yelled woman between
them, entered the court.
Brian started and the blood rushed tu-
multuously to his heart. Who was the
woman who seemed If she scarcely had
the strength to make her way across the
court? Surely she was not quite unknown
to him-somewheIe he had seen her before,
and yet, who could she be?
Presently, with a sudden gesture, the new
conner threw back her VEIL There buzz
of astonishment amongst those present, and
Brian Beresford, to his intense surprise, rec
ognzed Hudah Beamish.
Huldah! Yes, how changed! Could the
pale, worn emacated woman, with the drawn
colorless face and wild dark eyes, be the fiery
spirited, handsome dashing girl he had left SO
few weeks before, full of life and health?
1t seemed impossible, yet how many seem
ingly impossible things had happened since
he had bade her adieu? Yes, it was Huldah.
But what had changed her So and what had
She come to say, either for or against him!
She did not look at him, but kept her large
dark eyes fixed vacancy, looking straight
before her with strange, wild, sombre light
in them and in hard, clear, unfaltering
blood of many of her hearers with horror,
and filled all with profound establishment
Il shot Devos Guarda,'' she began. Brian
Beresford'-and she waved her hand towards
Brian, without, however, turning her eyes IN
his direction-"had nothing to do with his
DEATH
She paused. A pin might have been heard
to drop during the profound stiffness that
followed this astounding statement
I was to marry Devos Guarda,' she con-
tinued, presently, in the same hard tone.
I'VE had been engaged for some time, as
many of you know when Brian Beresford
came to the farm.
We'll, Devos hated hnl-was jealous, 1
reckon, and provoked him to quarrel, when
blows were exchanged, and then-then'-and
she drew a long shuddering breath-'I knew
we'll enough Devos would never forgive a
blow and that he meant to kill him. How
did I know it? 1 knew it we'll enough knew
and understood DCvos Guarda better than
anyone, and that he never forgave-never.
4 few words he let drop one day when he was
angry let me into the secret of the plot he
was concocting to get rid of Brian Seresford.
Beresford was to return to the farm from
CliffYille early one Thursday morning. DevoS
Guarda'S plan was to lie in wait for him in
the swamp and shoot him down as he passed
through it on his homeward way 1 stole out
before it was light in order to meet him and
crcumvent his wicked plans, and took with
me the first gun I could lay my hands on,
and which, as i'll luck would have it, was
Brian Beresford's Winchester.
''When I went out it was not with the in
tention of shooting Devos. but to prevent him
T. from committing a cowardly crime.
81 caught sight of Devos after while, but
too late to get speech with him. horse
man was coming along the trail, one could
hear plainy-Beresford, as Devos, and as l.
too, imagined, and saw him suddenly lean
out of the alder clump in which he had hid
den himself and raise his gun to fire Then
L too raised my rifle and fired, and he fell
mo sooner did I see him fall than I was
overcome with horror. l knew longer