The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-07-22
CHAPTER NJ.
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Having agreed regarding the verdict
they should pass on Dunstan Burbage.
the jury returned to their places With
the slow and solemn gait of men
weighted by the heavy responsibility of
another's fate. At sight of them the
conversation of those who had remain
ed in court sank to a whisper and died
out in ominous silence.
sudden glaam of scarlet on the
bench told that the judge had taken
his place, from where. within couple
| of minutes he would pronounce SEN
tence that meant life or death to the
prisoner, who, almost at the same in
slant, was brought into the dock.
tremor went through all when the
judge, in Il voice hollow as the rum
bling of an underground current. in
CURED of the jury if they had agreed
upon a verdict.
Yes my lord" the foreman an
swered.
Then. in reply to the inevitable ques-
ton, came the verdict. Not guilty. =
The second of profound silence that
followed was slnote by the sob of a
woman's voice, and Dunstan. touched
to the quick. turned to see Lady Bysshe
lying back in her seat. Edith holding
her hand At the same instant he
caught sight of Neneto wildly gesticu-
lating. After that all seemed confusion
and noise to him. He knew that the
judge addressed him, but his words
seemed far away, as though spoken
through q telephones: he saw the Jury
rise and file out of the box and the
general crowd make toward the doors,
as an audience in a theater when the
curtain has dropped.
Then in a moment or two he was in
the private room of an hotel where
Lady Bysshe had embraced him and
Edith had told him of her gratitude at
i 4 l,S L;
Wrung his hands in silence. Even Max
was there, patting him nthe shoulder
and saying in an excited voice:
J Il am awfully glad, old chap. at your
escape-that is. l mean that they have
let you off,
His hilarity was a little cooled by
Lady Bysshe's stare, and he began to
feel that he had not expressed himself
as he should.
You will, hope, come back and stay
with us as long as you can, Dunstan,"
Lady Bysshe suggested.
We shall be very glad if you WILL"
Edith added.
And we shall do everything we can
to soften the painful Impressions the
hall may have for you, remarked the
count
'"Oh, thank you; I know that you
are all very kind, but just yet l could
not bear to see the place; besides, I
have promised a friend to stay with
him. Signor Veneto has asked me to
return with him.
Yes, he has arranged to come with
me- said a tall, handsome man, with a
brown face and pointed beard, a trife
untidy in his dress. but with a free
breezy picturesque air, who had Just
entered the room unnoticed by the GA
/ ers.
"Signor Veneto" Dunstan said by
way of introduction.
Lady Bysshe looked at the Italian
shreWdly. and then held out her hand
to him, over which he bowed with the
air of a prince.
Il have heard Mr.. Burbage speak of
you, Signor Neneto,' she told him,
adding, Perhaps it will be better If he
gees with you"
My place is very quiet" responded
Neneto; there he will be far from
the world. he will recover himself, for
you see how he has suffered The
| darkness of the prison is still binding
| him, but in a little While he will begin
TO see clear. My daughter and myself,
we will take care of him He is dear
| to u.s.
Il think said the count, who at his
! request, was led forward by Edith, Il
am addressing a fellow countryman? 2"
! 1t is true, count" Veneto replied. 7
have heard of you"