Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-01-18
The World Against Him
By WILL N. HARLEM.
Copyright. 1900. by
a. N. Kellogg Newspaper Company.
CHAPTER XV.-CoNT1NUED.

CHAPTER XV.-CoNTINUED.
The prisoner shuddered visibly.
Ibid Col. Hasbrooke have anything
TO say about the case?" he asked.
mot to me, he didn't, but when Capt.
Wrinkle was talkin' so shore about yore
conviction, he spoke up an lowed that
1t was a shame to talk of a mans guilt
before his trial. He said it sharp-like,
rs if he didn't have much use for
Wnikle, an I noticed that the captain
&hut up like clam. I was surprised,
for kinder thought the captain was
goin' to get one O. the old mans daugh-
,ters."
Ronald had another question ready.
What are my chances on getting
Aailed out?''
ITO be perfectly candid with you,"
answered Ratclif, 81 am afraid you are
goin' to have big disappointment.
You see, accordin' to the readin' O. the
law, justice O. the peace can't set bail
I'm any case whar thar is a reasonable
suspicion of murder, an it wouldn't
surprise me (as the land lies now for
you to have to lie in Jail till the spring
term @ court. I wouldn't say this"
added the sheriff, his eyes averted, eff
4 didn't think it is always better to be
prepared for the worst. I don't want
to give the prosecution a chance to eX-
alt over yore looks. When told my
wife how the case stood this mornin' i,
she actually cried. A body never can
tell how Squire Richardson is gwine to
act; he's a little wishy-washy; he tries
10 imagine he belongs to the aristoc-
sTacy. Jest minute ago I seed i'm in
Smiths bar a-drinkin' with Capt.
Wrinkle. I can't imagine why that
little dude is so much concerned in
,ahis trial. I'd bet boss to an empty
,hen's nest that he was talkin' about
Aahis CASE
@.He's not a friend of mine," eX-
plained Ronald, despondently.
do you mean that he is shore
~nough enemy?" questioned Ratcliff,
with some concern.
81 think he would like to see me
suffer as heavily as possible in this
znatter, Mr.. Ratcliff."
THAT accounts for it, them" the
sheriff muttered an oath to him.
4aelf- 81 wish that Richardson was
a broader man; he thinks men
OF Wrinkles stamp are just the thing
However, we mustn't cross a bridge
r before we come to it: the truth is
you've got the best criminal lawyer in
seven states; he hain't got much
schoolin', but he can speak like rips
He's been scourin' the country to
catch up with Thad Williams; he
wants to corner i'm fore the state So
HECTOR does. You know Solicitor Webb
would rather win case'n to eat cake
NJ he gets hold of Williams fust, he'll
grill i'm SO as nobody alive could
catch him in cross-questionin'. By the
sway, Mr.. Reddin' told me to say tt
you that he'd be too busy to see yo,
fore the trial. I'll come up to fetcf
ecu down to the courtroom in plenty
a time"
A few minutes before two o'clocl
the sheriff came after our hero. III,
had little to say, and his very reti
eence confirmed Ronald's fear that NJ
new thing in his favor had turned VI
since morning. The courtroom wa
crowded to the doors. The first fac,
that fell under the notice of the dis
5 spirited prisoner was the sinister on
of Capt. Wrinkle, who sat suspiciousl.
near Squire Richardson's elbow; thu
next was the round, good-natured on
OF Col. Hasbrooke; but Ronald hat
never seen it look quite SO pale ant
downcast. The thought ran through
Ais. mind that Wrinkle had reported
dhe fact of his having been driven t
Ratclift's by Evelyn. Yes, he was sur
of it now, for nothing but the dis
1covery of lis daughters secret woul'
have induced a man of Hasbrooke'
stay-at-home habits to attend court
Ronald felt thrill almost of horro
pass over him as he thought that per
maps the colonel had come with tn
sole hope that the trial would perma
tnently remove him from the path o
Shis daughter The next moment h
$felt his arm 'nervously clutched b
Redfling-
~Come inside the railin' an set b.
Ame," the lawyer whispered. his breat
len his clients cheek. "I'll want yor
suggestions as the case proceed,
Ramn it," he added. as if e. himsel