The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-13
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

or, ne explained, ana then SonorousIy
 Call William Thome."
 The tension was acute as the man tool
 the stand. It was evident in the agita
 tion of the kindly. patriarchal judge. Il
 the feverish alertness of. the reporters l in the hungry interest of the country-fol
 negroes who hung over the rail at tn
 rear in stolid beatitude. The prisone
 was livid and stared appealingly at tn l witness.
 Judge" began the latter slowly, 'I,v
 been doing a heap of thinking over thi | business since I've been sentenced. It.
 laid heavy on my mind. and when
 found 1t could be fixed up sp l could com
 son in particular why I was so glad. His eyes rested upon the prisoner an in | stsnt as he spoke. His look was steady
 and his voice. While low. was perfectN
 she's brought me where I aD1," he con
 t'nued. She's dcne her duty, and II | r, ady to do mine. mans gC: dut. | even If he stands within the shadow o
 glanced up quickly here-the phrase. wal
 distinctly suggestive of Towards Itmh' l And I'm going to tell all ] know. | went on Thome. and it's this. He 1 paused ar instant, and there was a slight smile upon his face as he met the gazt ! of the prosecution. "Nobodys guilty for l the murder of Jim Haskell but me. and sfe-shes as innocent-as MT. l1o"a'o himself. ..
 The crowd was fairly stunned by this | unexpected declaration. That anything less than an discriminating disclosure was to follow had been undreafned of Al eyes instinctively sought the States at- torney. That officer was on his feet wild
 with dlscomfiture and rage.
 Dc you mean to say, he had furl. ously begun, when his words were lost as the voice of Thome rang through the t..I IT,
 Tit isn't what you expected. Is 1t Mir Lawyer Howard? You thought because | she told the truth about nie you'd .Ge, me here to swear her life away; And l do 1t. Why. Judge this man offered me my life to go back on her. He told m, he could handle the Governor like child
 and that he'd make him sign pardon:
 d say lives she ana put nanson5 s nP to could m As
 make me do that" Then ne turned to. ward the jail officials. "I am done." he said, i've might as we'll go back. ment. and then someone with finer ap- preciation of dramatic effect than de- corum proposed three cheers and the hall rang with instant clamor II was an uproar too vast for the efforts or the court officials to suppress It was the glorification of what was regarded as un- doubted perjury and of convicted mur- derer-but of one who had become hero because, despite all brtbeS, he ndd Snlelu- ed and screened the woman who had be- trayed him.
 She did not even give him glance as he was led out. Her whole soul was con- centrate in the expression of smiling in- science with which she favored the out ragged prosecutor. It was smile that later became badge of triumph as the twelve good men and true delivered the verdict of acquittal that enabled her to leave the room-an Innocent Proclaimed. It should be added, however that there was a disposition to enlarge upon the theme of ingratitude among the groups that delayed to gossip in the courthouse yard and that Tn the evening the gen. tiemen of the jury called upon the vim dicated widow and suggested the advis- ability of her prompt departure from St
 And two weeks later the county seat again became a Mecca. It was the day set for expiation. and the natives had begun to jog into town hours before sun rise. There was something more than that clustered. about the little jail yard, and swarmed over the hillside at its rear and the belief that Thome in this last scene would prove worthy of the prestige he had earned was fully realized. It was a crowd that fingered thoughtfully long after justice had been done and that nodded approvingly at an observa- ton of the sheriffs.
 Gentlemen" said that officer, T do not propose to deduce any morals on this sad occasion. but what I do intend-is to be present at the burial"