The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25
Ath 9 I ste m

muir kept in check by the constant Isl
lence,' uttered in stentorian tones by
stalwart policeman, who seemed TO enjoy
his position even more than the magis-
trates did theirs. The injurious townspeo-
pie. who knew Mrs. L'Estrange as neigh
boring landed proprietor merely, had not
come to hear her case-one of the most
cruel. her counsel honestly considered, ever
brought before British bench. Bertram
Keen strove as a rule to keep himself free
from personal interest in the affairs of his
clients, but a visit to Mt. L'Estrange had
affected him ae--asr-his will, and as he
now glanced along the row of mediocre
faces on the bench before him, a smile Of
passionate contempt and irony gave his
strong lips a more accumulated curl than
usual For he recognized that not one of
these men. set there to judge a woman
who had devoted a long life to works of
philanthropy, had sufficient intelligence to
appreciate either her intellect or the wide
horizon of her charity. 1t was the con-
slant contemplation of such benches that
had given that expression of habitual scorn
to a face which otherwise had persisted
in its boyishness long after his early man
hood was past.
Mrs. LEstrange, after very unhappy
married life which had eliminated in a
separation, had become celebrated as a
champion woman, and had undertaken the
difficult and often disheartenng work
known as rescue" Her institutions and
her methods were famous, and like all re-
formers, she had made both friends and
] foes
A chance of injuring her had presented
itself to the latter. with the result that
Bertram Keen had been engaged to defend
her character against the blacklist stain
| that of ill-treating and morally injuring
one of the objects of her tenderest and most
| anxious care
The young barrister sat and listened to
| the counsel for the prosecution, his quick
mind taking note of every point I'm the
! speech which he afterwards meant to dis
| sect cruelty. How easy il would be to him
| to demolish that structure of lies, He had
no doubt at all Of convincing the public
all those eager listeners at the back. But
| what if. as he had reason to fear, this were
a packed bench? In that case it would
! be fight to the death, He must make
| them feel ashamed of themselves, these
Of Solomon. He would make them writhe
| force them. BALKAN was forced. to
| utter what they had not willed. His face
| looked almost cruel as he made this re-
solve.
| 'Pshaw, The fellow grows wearisome, -
said Bertram to himself. stretching his
long legs as far as he dared under the table
| and fitting his chin at his adversary See
ing that this had some effect, and that the
other lost a period, he slowly moved him.
| self around in his chair and took cool
survey of the back of the court.
| Suddenly his heart seemed to cease beat
| ing. He had just caught sight of Marion
Lee, and her image had seized upon him
with that strange grip that sometimes
| comes Unexpectedly to shake the founda-
| lions OF a strong nature which had thought
itself secure against attack.
| An intuition mounted turbulently, like
| wine, to his head-the knowledge that he
| loved. Never before had a face produced
l that effect upon him! 1t was not the result
| of thought, of criticism and admiration. II
was something which came to him from
outside. against his will; voice that said
plainly, Enthusiastically in his ear, refusing
to be silenced, This woman is yours
Marion did not see him. Her eyes were
| fixed on one point-the back of the head OF
l the young solicitor who was stating the
case for the prosecution. Her lips were hall
parted, her face white as death.
| With a supreme effort of WILL Bertram
returned to the instricacies of the case
| and when the time came for the cross-ex-
/ animation of witnesses he was as collected
as ever, and carried away the audience, as
usual by the searching nature of his
| questions and the rapidity and brilliance OF
| his repartee.
One after another the witnesses retired
discounted and Bertram keenly enjoyed
his triumph-the more so, as he knew that
| Marions eyes were fixed upon him with
| the same rapt attention as they had beer
| on his adversary, but, he hoped, with a
friendier interest.
The case was of a wearisome length and
| the heat in the crowded court grew more
| and more oppressive. Bertram created a
| certain sensation by referring in his speech
to the state in which he had found his
1 client She was suffering from an illness
which for many years had been concealed
| who could tell how far it's rapid develop
| ment was due to the anxiety occasioned her
| by q cruel accusation? At last the solemn
magistrates filed out. 1t was a moment
of intense strain, perhaps, to many-cer-
tainly to Marion Lee.
Bertram Keen knew ii, and he resolved to
send her encouragement in a glance. Ris-
| ing to his full height he bent his searching