The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-07-11

"Why, I'll tell you. Old Wright was
as hard piece of cobblestone as you
! ever saw. He treated his wife az
if she had been his niger, and he
never had a pleasant word for any
body at home. He kicked his son out,
you know, and there's his daughter,
Miriam, Il perfectly scrumptious girl,
that he didn't take any more notice
of than if she had been mummy
The only decent thing he ever did
was to get himself killed, and he
couldn't help that"
what did he ever do to you
FRANKIE"
Nothing at all; but didn't l know
him? He used to drive up to this
Office every day, never looking tc
the right or left, or speaking to q
soul. All day long it was cotton re-
| ports. sampling cotton, thinking cot
ton, and, for all know, eating cotton
Every now and then he'd go off tc
one of his plantations and spend 9
few days cussin' out his manager and
niggers. In fact, he was perfect hog
| IL tnefe ever was one.
At this point Col. Franklin came
in hurriedly and took Warde into
his private Office. "What can l dc
for you to-day?" he said, throwing
off his cloak and dropping rather
wearily into a chair.
81 wish to learn your views on the
testimony brought out this morning.
"My dear boy" said the lawyer com
panionably. II don't want to bt
| quoted, you understand; but it wa.
simply awful. 1t looked like the in
terposition of Providence. l have
been so Mortified at the revelation.
this morning that l have about de
termired to withdraw from the case
! could not very well prosecute fol
murder the son of the man who wa:
my lifelong friend"
do you know, colonel. 1 don't be
lieve the young fellow did it," sale
Warde.
I'm the face of that evidence thi
morning."
"In spite of it; and am going tt
discover the TRUTH
Col Franklin looked seriously a
Warde as if to see whether he wer'
in Jest or earnest, but detecting moth
ing humorous in the young mans fac
said: sit looks to me like a wilt
goose chase, but | hope that you will
be able to establish Herbert Wright
it stands
81 have just been up to see him."
"What does he say?"
I "Claims to be innocent. He ha
some clew or other which l eXpec
later on to add to those l alread
have, and with these threads l hop
to get at the truth"
Ibid he tell you what it was?
asked the lawyer with evident curl
osity.
"No sir; 7 had hoped to get it fror
him. but he declined to tell me jus
yet He intimated that what he ha
to say would he of such startlin
absurd. Before | could induce hir
to change his mind and tell me hi
secret his wife came in and L lef
them together.
sit is the old story" said the co
onel. smiling sadly. 1.-The poor fello,
, is corncred, and he has not We
thought out what to say. and is put
ting up this bluff to gain time.
shrewd lawyer will probably take hil
in hand by tomorrow and tell him t
shut his mouth. When a man is il
nocent of a crime. it can never hun
him or prejudice his case for him t
speak the truth. | would advise yo
not to let Wright play upon you"
"But if he is seeking to establis
; a case on some one else he nigh
place that person on his guard if
: were to tell what he knows. and S
+ iniure his own chance. Besides, I al
satisfied that whatever clew Wrigf
has is only partial one and that
will have to be joined with other
to amount to anything like proof"
"Possibly. If can be of any assis
ance | shall be glad to put my ser
ices at your disposal" said FRANKLIN
"But | am against being led away b
every wild theory that Wright ma
advance. a desperate man will sto
: short of nothing"
81 should be glad to have your al
vice at times. but ! hardly think
would be proper for me to reveal an.
j, thing | may learn unless you shoul
). become Nright's attorney"
! "Certainly not" answered the co
r oncl promptly. 81 have no desire
a pry. but | shall watch your investig
j, ton with interest. and shall be gil;
! to learn from time to time that sc
are making progress. But hay
q an engagement at the hotel at ha
past three. and l shall have to be
)" Won to excuse me-"
- He rose to Indicate that he cou
q spare no more time. and Warde b
@ took himself leisurely toward the O
fee of the Gazette.
l. CHAPTER VII.
~ After supper Warde was busy in h