The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-02-13


boys, and that delicate Jenny mus
have new 1anne1s for the late autumn
Bertha reduced her own food to tn,
Least possible quantity and sent tn,
money home that should have pur
chased her three meals every day
Suddenly something happened WheI
Bertha, weak from fasting, dragged
up the stairs one evening and unlocked
her door, large white envelope Lar
upon the floor She stopped to pick i.
up and fell dizzily. 1t was addressed
to her plainly. Within was bundle
of crisp bills and slip of paper OF
which was printed only four words:
THE reward of silence
Bertha drew back in horror, but tns
money lay in her lap, crisp new bills
$500 in all Who can measure what
that sum meant to the ha1f-staryed lit
ssie woman sick with the clamor of nee
IN her ears and with six souls depend
ent upon her exertions?
The next day she read announce
ment of a thousand-dollar reward for
rhe arrest and conviction of the muir
;derer or the information leading to i /.
Then she understood. But her lit
surled Desperate as was her need she
would not have gone into courtroom
10 testify for SIC, 900. However, the TO-
tice had a curious effect. She decided
to use the other money, a little at q
tine She went to the post office ard
though not enough to excite any sus-
Elclon- This quiet little woman was
not without much shrewdness- She
ieFt that any change in her circum-
stances would excite suspicion anon.
those who still watched the neighbor.
hood. So she continued her frugal life.
only once in awhile allowing herself
ia good warm meal in downtown
restaurant. The rest of the money she
sewed into the hem of her school gown
and went about without any anxiety
concerning it, 1t must la st a long time
In months time, during which the
search for the murderer was unava:l-
ing, Bertha found another white er-
=eIope on the floor and the same in
closure She wondered how it came
there. how anyone knew of her knows
eage, who it was that commanded so
much N oney and whether this the
end of it, Bertha knew she was not
silent for the money, but she would
be silent with the money
Then an arrest came, the arrest of
4 relative of the murdered man.
Bertha had not calculated on the effect
such news would have upon her. In
Ger soul burned the truth-the knowl-
edge that a glance would tell her the
truth She was in fever. An inno-
cent man might suffer. Her clear duty
shone before her and on the afternoon
of the examination Bertha Dunn,
the much-dreaded courtroom, packed
with spectators
UnaccustOmed to the scene, she did
not even locate the prisoner, but she
failed to find, within the room, the MAJ:
of the dark red hair, the peculiar att;-
sude, the long, 1.-THE arm, the naughty
profile. Nor did she understand the
of events. She had hurried
Gown after her school hours and aim
=ssly wandered about the city hall
long time, too shy to inquire her way
inside. There had been a number OF
witnesses examined and now the Judge
and several lawyers were consulting
together in low tones. Suddenly the
group fell apart and stern voice
through the room:
1.-THE prisoner viii stand upl"
Bertha could not see for the crowd
hg forms pushing before and beside
ner. She struggled under one mans
elbow and emerged. hat1ess, to hear |
the rest of the judges words:
Arthur Kirby, you stand committed |
o Jail without bail for the murder of |
Homerson!''
But upon the silence that followed |
he last word broke in a voman's cry: |
ssHei o, no, he did not murder the |
nan, not he'll
Then arose the wild sounds of mer |
and women weeping with |
oy- And the little school teacher was
1ever once swerved. That was not the
nan nor anything like him. She knew
hat As to the real murderer, she
night or might not know him, but this
roung mamie was nothing like him.
He was innocent, because she had seen
he real murderer, and this was not
i'm at all.
Why had she not spoken?
Because she was unable to do any
more than save the innocent. Think |
# it-a flash of steel in moment
vo forms in a sunshine shaft, then g.
,ody on the ground. And she-alone
n a great building with few tenants /
nd night coming on.
The prisoner was discharged. De
ectives and officers piled Bertha with
uestions. But she was reticent- She
lad saved the innocent; she would not
'etray anyone else.
As she entered her humble home
fter nightfa1 she was conscious of 4
presence on the stairway behind her.
IS she fed to the security of her room
hand detained her in the darkness
GOOD and wise little woman said
deep voice sVoI1 shall never he for |