The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-02
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

sweet, inocent young face beside him with hungry eyes. and had hated Frank Yancsy in his heart for having wooed ns hsS 1een sst her eela r:t n S. % told him:ef. she would have taken him: and he tossed on his bed all that night, torn with Jealous rage and love that could never pc told. No matterConat was long ago. nc canre to the city tho next morning and entered upon his career.
 When he thought of her during the next few years 1t was to thank Heaven that he had escaped a marriage which would have kept him a grounding to the end cf his days. But now. as he looked away went to his heart-he felt the light touch on his arm. making a leaping madness In his veins-and saw the moonlight drift ing over the brownest hair and bfuest eyes at the memory of 1t. We'll. it was long ago. and he was successful among men. but there lad never been another night like that.
 'oh. dear! f papa could only, come awakened him. He started and turned. to zee Boy asleep on his sisters lap. while two tears rolled slowly down her thin aesfes. Tea-you musn't ery.a h. s,.mm.rsd.
 T don't let mamma see me cry, she replied. smiling up at him with childish womanliness that broke his heart: He santched his hat from the bench ana started up, looking at his watch. 1T theTs were oniy time!
 .See irere," he said. with an excite- ment that he had not felt in many 2 ions day. You go home and-and talk tn'nss over with mamma-rand tell her-ask net if she remembers Dick Fioman-and tell her--well, tell her that Frank isn't with out friend. after ali"'
 If there were only time.
 Ten minutes afterwards he was pushihs through throrg of spectators tnas crowded the court room and extended into the corridor outside. Men stood on tiptoe to peep over one anothers heaas. that they might catch a ghmpse oL lno and yet had donc singie-handed what some of them longed yet did not dare to do; who had kept persistent silence dufins his Imprisonment, and who refused to eni. ploy a lawyer though he knew himself to he in dire extremity.
 .sTen to one his neck'if stretch said a man in the door as Floman pushed by him. He heard the whisper. and saw the dark looks cast upon ths prisoner; theh his place at the prisoners side.
 He was just in time.
 '.DJes any one volunteer tp represent Francis Yancey? the judge was asking. and Floman stood up.
 II do. your honor" he said.
 There was a moment of amazed silence. broken by an excited whisper that went around the court room. If Floman had taken up this case--the great flomaI-
 People who saw him saw how he stopped and whisperedl word in the stupneo prisoners ear, and oiasped his hand. Thcn he arose, with head thrown up ana ilps set and those who knew him knew unak there was a battle in hand.
 What that battle was Is still remem- bered and spoken of with a thrill of pride by those who watched Its progress; who heard the examination and cross-exam- laughed for two hours, swayed by such or atory as he had never uttered and as they had never heard. If he had been famous before, those two hours left his verdict of not guilty. without leaving the box, and hotly denied afterward that they were under spell. When the ver- dict was rendered. men shouted and threw was cieared. went out wiping their eyes.
 Frank Yancey was led out staggering by tke man who had saved him. As Floman put him into cab he leaned for ward his. his face y~,kn wsrkins; Son. tb,. Dick" he whispered, "Iil tell you why I beat that hound. I reached home in time to Lear him insult my wife--an' I'd a gone to the sa1iows before I'd "a mixed her name up in 1t"
 "Gced for you. old n,' returned Flo man, with barren speech, but with re- turn of his long, gone drcartfneSS that save him tender feeling abou: the eyes. Per taps the tender feeling reached its roots down further, for he grasped the tremb- ling hand on the cab window. Keep ur a stout heart, Frank" he said, I've got my eye on a position-world better than the one you hsd--chance of promotion. too. Well, good bye Give my love to- to the little girl that talks things over with mammal.
 It was late when the great lawyer reached home that evening. He had box-which, after being packed to the brnn, had to be marked, For the Yaneey birthday" and sent by a careful messen- ger When he went home at last. tired but smiling. the lady, cold and proud. met him at the door, reminding him of q social obligation to which they were al- ready late.
 ''Oh, the willoughby dinnerv he sx- claimed T forgot all about it. You go. my dear. and make my eycuses. an too tired, and not fit for it. I've been I've been fixing up birthday Tor some little chiidren---
 She smiled, but there was a hurt in the smile. and in her eyes. u. ,,,.sua
 Good night" he said as she kissed him There is a little girl-but you shal see her. and be friend to her. Good night"
 He sat down, looking into the glow of the fire, and long after the coals were yelled with siivery ashes he still saw there the brownest hair and bluest eyes that were seen. and a raw country boy lost ont of kis life long ago, looking at them and dreaming futile young dreams.
 CIENCE' hv D. H. TalmadGe.