Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-09-06

8. e, s

ence / gave both the woman an her
accomplice a good safe distance to play |
their havoc in. But can repeat much |
evidence of trouble wrought amongst |
my neighbors," he added eagerly.
THAT would be hearsay evidence and |
of no value. Thou canst be excused"
Josiah rose and, walking by Marga-
ret with head well up. resumed his seat |
by his mother.
Henrietta Taunston to the witness
bench!'
A full minute passed, and, as no one
moved or came forward in response to
this call, all faces were turned in the
direction of Hetty Taunston, who, pale
faced and weeping. sat by the side of
Simon Kempster on one of the benches
placed nearest the door.
The court crier looked about him.
us the witness present."
'Yea, yea, sirv' came in cries from
the audience.
"See thy mother an Josiah with their
eyes turned upon thee in anger, sweet
Thou'd best CO." urged Simon, squcez-
ing her small hand encouragingly.
"'Twill do thee naught but harm to go
against their bidding. See, thy BROTH
er's whispering to the questioner now,
instructing him mayhap to be easy WI
thee Go. Hetty. l wot twill be bet
ter for thee"
AT the earnest solicitation of her low
er Hetty rose and, making her way
slowly through the crowded council
room, reached the witness bench, where
i she stood, oblivious to all the curious
glances cast in her direction, regarding
Margaret's dropping figure with an
expression in her dark eyes of mourn
full sympathy. Sharply rebuked for
her inattention by the chief councillor,
netty was instructed to be seated, and
the young attorney took his place be-
| fore her.
| Henrietta Taunston," he commenced,
with great seriousness, chou hast been
herein summoned as n witness against
this woman Margaret Maryland on the
| representations of thy family that thou
didst on several occasions come under
! the baleful influence of her spell. Hast
thou ausht TO say?"
"Oh, Sir" Hetty faltered tearfully in
trembling tones, although the evil
lence is awful an convincing, l cam
not bring myself to think Ill of Mar
| garet, who was ever most kind to me.
| l can think Of her only as my fathers
sisters child-now both dead-alone
among her accusers, forsaken in her
hour of trouble by the man she loved
ah, how nearly, only one close to her,
as ha' been, could give thee under
| standing Of it,
| She began to sob bitterly.
| "Have pity on her. If she hath done
| aught of wrong It's Of the cross she
weareth, OH account of n promise, good
councilmen, givens her by dying
paplst, mayhap with n dying curse
breathed on 1t. Entreat her to destroy
1t and let her go away" she cried
| piteously.
Her brothers face was black as
| night, and he sat well forward on his
seat, glaring ut Hetty savagely as If
he could strike her words back into
her throat. His mother, seeing his
agitation, plucked the sleeve of the at
tOrney who stood near her and whis-
pered some instructions In his ear.
When she finished he stepped forward
sternly, with uplifted hand.
Enough, Henrietta Taunston! TITS
not thy place to plead for the prisoner,
but to give what evidence thou hast"
Good sir as l have promised to
tell the truth before God" Hetty sob
bed, not daring to look toward her
mother or brother, Il have never felt
any influences of the evil spells at
tributcd to her, but rather have re-
ceived much kindness from sweet Mar
garrett
"Didst thou not one evening meet
this woman-the accused-on the road
and pass her by with averted face In
obedience to thy mothers command"
~ did, SIR"
"And did she not in her anger stand
| rigid, fixing her baleful glance upon
| thee SO that thou didst run with all haste
to thy home, falling in fit on the floor
at thy brothers feet, where thou didst
lie like creature possessed by the
dcNll, Ut llle uuu luON-
| ing convulsively?"
| In her excitement Hetty almost rose
| from her seat.
"Nay, sir, nay" she cried earnestly.
''Thou hath wrong impression obtain
ed from evil tongues. Ills true that
l met Margaret, but her glance was
not baleful, but, oh, sirs," lifting her
fearful, suppllcating face toward the
tribunal, "twas SO sad that my heart
hath not stopped aching since with the
memory of it! An believe that twas
not our meeting that caused my swoon-
ing, but the news Drought
| Here Josiah Iuunston, unable to con-
troll himself any longer, rose from his
| seat, white faced and wrathful.
Il do proclaim the witness now to
be under the spell Of the prisoner" he
cried in loud voice hastily in his de-
sire to stop her further utterances,
"who was ever wont to influence my
sister easily, and do affirm that she is
not responsible for what testimony she
giveth.'
Immediately there was great up
roar and wild excitement in the coun-
Gil hall. Hetty frightened at her
brothers violence and bewildered by
the confusion, rose from her seat, and,
while the attorney consulted with the
councilmen and Josiah Taunston on
the ACCESSIBILITY of questioning her fur
Tier, the witness, regardless of conse-
quences. made her way hastily to ST.
mon Kempster and, sinking into her
place by his SIDE laid her face against
his coat sleeve, sobbing bitterly.
The gaping auditors eyed her curl
ously, entertaining themselves with
coarse comments on her evident fond
ness Tor her lover and sneers for her
sorrow at the prisoners predicament
Suddenly there was loud rapping for
order The council, having, decided not
to recall Hett;, made the fact known,
and when all again was quiet the Wild
ow Dawson, whose child had died of
commissions, was OH the witness bench
giving an account of that nights OK