The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-01-31
The World Against Him
BY WILL N. HARDEN.
Copyright. 1000. By
An. rsilowG Newspaper Company.
CHAPTER yv.-CoSr,Surp.

"Not TO me, he didn't, but when Capt.
Winklc was talkin' so shore about yorc
conviction. he spoke up an lowed that
II was shame TO talk Of n mans guilt
before his trial. lie said u sharp-like,
AZ n he didn't have much use for
wnlkle, an I noticed that the captain
shut up like clam. I was surprised,
for kinder thought the captain was
goin' 10 get one o. the old mans dnugh-
tcrs."
Ronald had another question ready.
What are my chances on getting
hailed out?"
ITO be perfectly candid with you,"
answered RatclifY, ~ am afraid you are
goin' TO have a big disappointment.
You see, accordin' TO the readin' o. the
law, q Justice o. the peace cant set bail
In any case whar thar Is reasonable
suspicion Of murder, an Il wouldn't
surprise me (as the land lies now for
you to have TO lie in jail till the spring
term O. court. wouldn't say this"
added the sheriff, his eyes nvertcd, "if
didn't think IL Is always better TO be
prepared for the worst. I don't want
to give the prosecution n chance TO ex-
ult over yore looks. When told my
wife how the case stood this mornin',
shc actually cried. A body never can
tell how Squire Richardson Is gwine to
act; he's little wishy-washy; he tries
to imagine he belongs TO the aristoc-
:ncy. jest n minute ago I seed i'm In
smiths bar n-drinkin' with Capt.
Wrinkle. / can't imagine why that
title dude Is SO much concerned in
:his trial. I'd bet hoss TO an empty
hen's nest that he was talkin' about
this case."
Hes not n friend OF minc," e::-
planned Ronald, dcspondently.
"Do you mean that he Is shore
'nough encmy?" questioned Ratcliff,
with some concern.
81 think no would like TO see me
suffer rs heavily as possible in this
matter, Mr.. RatcliF."
"Thnt accounts for II, then" the
sheriff muttcred an oath to him
self. ~ wish that Richardson was
broader man; he thinks men
Of Wrinkles stamp are just the thing
However, we mustn't cross bridge
before we come to II: the truth Is,
you've got the best criminal lawyer in
seven states; he hnin't got mach
schoolin', but he can speak like rips
He's been scourin' the country to
catch up with Thad Williams; he
wants tC corner i'm fore the state so
licitor does. You know Solicitor Webl
would rather win case'n to eat cake
II he gets hold of Williams fust, he'll
drill i'm so as nobody alive could
catch him In cross-qucstionin'. by the
way, Mr.. Reddin' told me to say tt
you that he'd be too busy to see yot
fore the trial. I'll come up to fetcf
sou down to the courtroom In plenty
o. time"
A few minutes before two O'Clock
the sheriff came after our hero. III
had little to say. and his very reti
cencc confirmed Ronald's fear that M
new thing In his favor had turned NJ
since morning. The courtroom wa
crowded to the doors. The first fac'
that fell under the notice OF the dis
spirited prisoner was the sinister on,
OF Capt. Wrinkle, who sat suspiciousl.
near Squire Richardson's elbow; tn
next was the round, good-nntured on
of Col. Hasbrooke; but Ronald hat
never seen II look quite SO pale ant
downcast. The thought ran through
his mind that Wrinkle had rcportc'
the fact OF his having been driven 4
Ratclifv's by Evelyn. Yes. he was sur
of IL now, for nothing but the dis
covery Of his daughters secret woul
have induced man of uasbrookc'
stay-at.home habits to attend court
Ronald felt a thrill almost Of horro
pass over him as he thought that pei
haps the colonel had come with tn
sole hope that the trial would pcrmf
nently remove him from the path
his daughter. The next moment h
felt his arm nervously clutched b
Redding.
"Come inside the railin' an set b
me-" the lawyer whispered, his brcat
ON his clients check. I'll want yor
suggestions as the case proceed
"lll want anything l can lay hold OF
them fellers have got the best shov
In they ever had ag'in an innocer
man." As he spoke he waved b
hand towards Mr.. Webb, the state 81
licitor, q handsome man of 40, with
bushy mustache and massive hal
who sat only few feet ava
with his head close to that OF Thu
williams. They seemed to be tall
ing OF the case, for the solicitor WI
making notes with u pencil and no.
ding and smiling with evident sati
faction.
..It's but fair to you, my boy" lie
ding continued, us n bailif gave the
seats on the left Of the judges tabl
ito tell you at the outset that the
have the advantage SO far. Don't u
derstand me to say that you will
found guilty in the supreme coul
but my hope fur bail is gettin' awf
slim. I mighty nigh run myself
Aeath to ketch up with Williams, b
Webb suspicioned what was up
an kept i'm hid out. Then" Il
speaker glanced towards the judg
"i'm powerful afraid Richardson is
well, unsympathetic, to say the Leaf
know men dad drat 'em!) you dor
have to belt me over the head with
stockin' o. sand to open my eyes. ~
truth 10, Richardson Is as cold towar
our side as wet rock. He did,
want 10 talk to me Jest now. trl
to hint that Thad's oath wasn't WI
much more'n the ravelin's Of rott
wool sock, but he said that was
serious charge TO bring ag'in any C
ixeu unless I was ready to prove