Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-01-28
"A ~ ~
NORA'S Jest
From
Darkness
To Light
BY MARY CECIL HAY

SSOC-oo2S2SSS
trust myself to talk of just now" he
added, both his eyes and voice earnest,
1T is that which fills my thoughts as
well as yours. Come, you, who have so
bravely spent three years of exile and
denial, would never show che white feath-
er at the very last, when such differ
ent life is opening. just because we must
needs stumble over the threshold. I'm
afraid that adroit and patient officer is
very tired of keeping his eye upon me.
He so thoroughly deserves his reward at
last, that | viii so and anticipate it for
him.
So when, ten minutes afterward, the
man who had waited until this hour TO
arrest Arthur Poynz, came up to the
room to act upon his information, Mark
came with him; and the departure of the
three seemed quite simple and natural.
and altogether unlike legal arrest.
Doyle" whispered Mark, in his leis-
urely way-the Irish lawyer sat anxiously
scrutinzing the faces in the police court
while Lord Keston spoke to him-"Dr.
Armstrong looks pretty confident of hold
ing the winning cards, eh?''
The lawyer nodded, without a word. his
attention thoughtfully fixed upon Nuel
Armstrong when he was sworn. Then
he followed every word, as DIR. Arm
strong testified to the fact that Arthur
Poynz had been suspected of administer
ing poison in the year 1853, to one Cath
crime Say, at Heaton Place, in the Coun-
ty of Surrey, and had escaped before the
conclusion of the inquest, throwing his
hat and cloak into a certain lake of deep
water, with intent to elude the law by
suppostitious death.
All this Nuel Armstrong was slowly
and distinctly making evident in his an
swers, when the presiding magistrate
broke the thread of information with
question which-as far as the listeners
could tell-had at that moment struck
him.
Were you sworn upon the Gospels?
II was sworn" returned Nuel, with
the air of scornfully dismissing an irrel-
evant subject, I'm the usual way"
do you." continued the magistrate,
unmoyed, believe in the Gospels?'
With the calm and supercilious smile
which so often stirred his thin lips, DR..
Armstrong glanced into one or two of
the faces around him, and answered.:
II believe in them, of course-as men
generally believe in them-as detached
portions of the history of certain
epoch"
DO you believe in them?" persisted
the magistrate, without the slightest
change in the expression either of his
face or voice.
II acknowledge" Nuel answered; still
with the smile upon his lips, Just what
all sensible and thoughtful men acknowl-
edge-that they are trustworthy records
of a particular age. And beyond that, |
consider myself bound in honor to speak
the truth, and the whole truth, after be-
ing sworn upon them"
There is no need at all for you to en-
large upon the subject" returned the
magistrate, briefly. Your answer can
only be a word. Do you believe in the
Scriptures-yes or mop
in a general way, and for this pur-
pose, l.
ATTEND to my question, if you please"
interrupted the magistrate, with empha-
sis on the reiterated query. DO you
DtllCNt III tiAC MS IN ubAOh VI liOSt NiOS-
pels on which you have been sworn? If
you do not, your oath cannot be taken"
"I-no man believes in the whole" as
serted Nuel, his plausible smile growing
an effort to him, as his fury was reused.
But l consider myself bound on my
oath to utter only what is the truth"
Then" observed the magistrate, in a
rather raised quic. voice, you do not
believe in a God?'
Il do not understand such a question
here" returned DR.. Armstrong, his lips
tightening more and more as his eyes
fell upon the bent head, and easy, appar-
emily inattentive expression of Mark
Poynz.
at is a simple question. Have the
kindness to answer it simply, too"
II do not understand the term
Il think | may safely say, then" re-
marked the magistrate, pointedly, that
you are the only man present who does
not do So
There may be a Being Of"
mo circuit of words, if you please
was the reply, uttered with growing en-
phasis. Il call upon you to say if you
believe that there is a God?'
Il have already answered that ques-
ton" replied Nuel, his lips growing hard
and dry upon his teeth.
no, you have not"
Il have already said ] believe in por-
tons of the history where that name is
mentioned.
You do not believe, then" insisted the
magistrate. impatiently at last, ''in the
Gospels on which you have been sworng'
Il do not
You do not? Stand down, if you
please. | will not allow any one to be
accused by one who dares stand here and
deny his Maker, or publicly avow his dis
belief in the Scriptures ON which he is,
as a witness, sworn. Stand down"
Lord Keston," whispered Mr.. Doyle,
his face red in his irresistible excitement,
is your witness able to appear?"
Eyes"