The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-09-08


Bertha reduced her own food to the
least possible quantity and sent the
money homie that should have pur-
chased her three meals every day.
Suddenly something happened. When
Bertha, weak from fasting, dragged
up the stairs one evening and unlocked
her door, a large white envelope lay
upon the floor. She stopped to pick it
up and fell dizzily. 1t was addressed
to her plainly. Within was a bundle
Of crisp bills and slip of paper on
which was printed only four words:
'The reward of silence"
Bertha drew back in horror, but the
money lay in her lap, crisp new bills,
$500 in all. Who can measure what
that sum meant to the half-starved lit
tie woman sick with the clamor of need
in her ears and with six souls depend
ent upon her exertions?
The next day she read an announce
ment of a thousand-dollar reward for
the arrest and conviction Of the MUIR
derer or the information leading to it.
Then she understood. But her lip
curled. Desperate as was her need she
would not have gone into a courtroom
to testify for $4,000. However, the no.
tice had curious effect. She decided
to use the other money, little at a
time. She went to the post Office and
sent generous remittance home, al
though not enough to excite any sus-
picion. This quiet little woman was
not without much shrewdness. She
felt that any change in her eircum-
stances would excite suspicion among
those who still watched the neighbor-
hood. So she continued her frugal life,
only once in awhile allowing herself
a good warm meal in a 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 last long time.
In months time, during which the
search for the murderer was unavail-
ing, Bertha found another white en-
velope on the floor and the same in
closure. She wondered how it came
there, how anyone knew of her knowl-
edge, who it was that commanded so
much money and whether this was 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
a relative of the murdered man.
Bertha had not calculated on the effect
such news would have upon her. In
her soul burned the truth-the knowl-
edge that a glance would tell her the
truth She was in a fever. An limo
cent man might suffer. Her clear duty
shone before her and on the afternoon
of the examination Bertha Dunn,
pallid and grave, worked her way into
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 man
of the dark red hair, the peculiar atti-
tude, the long, 1.-THE arm, the naughty
profile. Nor did she understand the
procedure Of events. She had hurried
down after her school hours and aim
Iessly wandered about the city hall a
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 a stern voice
sounded through the room:
The prisoner will stand upi"
Bertha could not see for the crowd
ing forms pushing before and beside
! her. She struggled under one man 5
elbow and emerged, hatless, to hear
the rest of the judges words:
Arthur Kirby, you stand committed
to Jail without bail for the murder of
kincaid HomersonI"
But upon the silence that followed
the last word broke in a woman's cry:
"Hel o, no, he did not murder the
man. not hel"
Then arose the wild sounds of men
shouting and women weeping with
/ joy. And the little school teacher was
swept to the front and questioned. She
never once swerved. That was not the
man nor anything like him. She knew
that. As to the real murderer, she
might or might not know him, but this
/ young mamie was nothing like him.
/ He was innocent, because she had seen
the real murderer, and this was not
7 him at all.
Why had she not spoken?
1 Because she was unable to do any
more than save the innocent. Think
of tia flash of steel in a moment
I two forms in sunshine shaft, then a
body on the ground. And she-alone
in great building with few tenants
/ and night coming on.
The prisoner was discharged. De-
4 tectives and officers piled Bertha with
/ questions. But she was retieent. She
\ had saved the innocent; she would not
l betray anyone else.
/ AS she entered her humble home
after nightfall she was conscious of a
I presence on the stairway behind her.
/ As she fed to the security of her room
a hand detained her in the darkness.
Good and wise little woman" said
a deep voice, you shall never be for
gotten in all the years TO come. That
man cruelty treated and deserted my
sister years ago. He deserved ten
\ deaths. You shall take her place in my
care-although you may never see me.
Il M L.. J