The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-05-21
CONTROL OF
 CIRCUMSTANCES

EcOpyrisht. iSE by the s. s. Mcclure Companyl
 Billy Burton, alias Kid" Burton, was facing situation that even he, philosopher though be was. admitted was unpleasant. Indicted for murder m the drst degree. with chain of cir .umstantial srldence that was without a flaw. locked securely In a newly built Jall. with no means of escape and no pal within a thousand miles to fur nish such means. it was but natural that he should mutter to himself that he had gone de pace and must walk de plank fer It." Yet he accepted his fate with Holcism that was admlra- ble Always expecting arrest ana drcading detection, he had come to consider that the events which constA tuted his lifr must naturally and nee essarlly terinlnate upon the gallowS Aud now that the blow had fallen he accepted lt rssignedly.
 The door swung open, and John Mar vail. attorney at law, stepped Inside The warden locked the door and left them togethsr.
 For moRcnt each man stood meas- urlng tbe other Naryall saw a man of great pb Tslcal strength, whose bet ter nature had been warped by cir cumstances Burton saw slight, ath- letlc man f perhaps twenty-three or twenty-four. with pale, aristocratic fen lures and Gn inscrutable countenance. Burton wRs In the presence of a supe- riOr and rs6llzed it.
 These two were representatives or the extrem's of society. "I sent fer you, guy'ner, to see what you could dO fer me. You see, it's like desc: I'm slightly up against 1t dis time and" began Burton, but Nur- yall stopped him.
 Wait and lc, me state your case to you. You are indicted for murder In the first degree The evidence Is all against you. and you haven't a single witness The indictment states that you administered poison to your late employer Mir. Hartford. The poison was nitric acid. and the prosecuting at' torneys hrve in their possession half q bottle ot The acid left which will be introduced as evidence"
 "Dats straight. guV'ner."
 And, now. will you pay me $3OOO if have you acquittedT'
 Don't jolly me, guv'ner. You know ,t can't be did I've got de sw0g all eight: but. say, swag don't go wh dat ildce ner wid de jury dats to try me. | , knows"
 "I don'e brlbe judges and juries," said Narral coNlly. "Wil you pay me ! that feeT'
 "Ycs, bat say
 "Then that (, 0ses our business. And, now, listen. !, win not see you again until yoLe case comes up for trial lt is set for neat Wednesday, six days from today. No matter what 1 do at that trial. yvu are not to show sur prise" NarvAn turned and called to ! the warden.
 Just CT minute. guy'uer. Do you b'lieve I'm rulty"
 ''The judP> and jury will decide that. My duty h not to determine whether or not you are guilty. but to establish | your lnnOcsnce" He turned and walk cd out.
 The six days passed by slowly to ! Burton. Al times be thought that aft or all Nesvall must have been jolly. Ing" bin. but in tue end the first im- pression 0f him still remained.
 Al las, the day for which hls trial vas set arrived. He was taken Into the courtroom and his case called. The jury wqs drawn and impancled and | the witnesses for the state were exam med avery lota Of the testimony was agalnn Burton. When the state solic. ltor rsse to make the opening argu. ment, the net of circumstances that surros nded Burton was without bro ken .yrand Not a man on the jury doubtel that be was guilty. The state aollc'.Ur ended with a smile Of trl- umpA. This would be one more con Victi0n to bis credit
 Thrl Narvall rose He was slightly pale. than usual, but faint smile hov.Ted about the corners of his mouth.
 "lt it please your honor and gentle ipen or the jury. in the face of such evl- debCe as has been introduced l have but one argument to make. They tell you that deceased died from the ef' fecis of half the contents of this bot tls. administered by the defendant" He picked up the little vial and looked at tt thOughtfully. And now, gentle men. lf that be 80 it must necessarily follow that the remaining contents will have the same effect upon hu' man being as the other half is alleged Ca have had. This, assert, it viii moi Go" Every ear was strained to catch bis speech; ,bry eye was fixed on Narvalrs cold. inscrHtable face. No one U n Fa.Wss