Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-19
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Dismiss the subject from our mindsI I
don't know what my associates thought OF
the judges admonition, but I resented 1t as
nothing less than an insult to my inteln-
gence Certainly no human being with a
mind of his own could listen to the story
we had heard and think no more about #
until It pleased the court. Even If it had
come to me in the form of fiction, could
not have dismissed 1t without at least
mild conjecture But to instruct twelve
men charged with life-and-death respon-
sibility to give no second thought to the
vital, human issue they were facing struck
me as preposterous-imperti prepos-
ferrous
My new official duties weighed heavily
upon me, and ! was indignant that any one
should take them less seriously. l could
not even join in the grumbling of my fell
low-jurors at our prospective detention, for
il seemed petty to dwell on my personal
inconvenience in the face Of civic duty
. far more important; and, finding myself out
of all sympathy with my associates, walk
ed from the court room feeling as though
the whole burden of this awful business
rested on my shoulders alone.
l had left my horse and trap at the Mel
ton House stables, and, although II was
already late and had at least ten miles to
travel / determined to start home at once.
knowing that my faithful housekeeper. well
used to my bachelor irreguiarity, would
keep dinner waiting for me, no matter how
late might arrive.
But had I not already determined to
leave at the earliest possible moment, the
conversation at the hotel would have has
tened my departure, for the Emory case
was being debated with great energy, and,
to avoid being drawn into the discussions,
was obliged to take refuge on the piazza.
But even there the topic pursued me, and
1t was with no small relief that at last
tp+n "a and off a
pace on my homeward journey. But as /
travelled along the lonely country road my
mind was constantly occupied with the for
hidden subject and unconsciously allowed
my horse to settle into a jog-trot as /
! thought oyer the story 1 had heard from
Deake Gilberts lips
| Ny first impression of the prosecutor had
not survived his opening speech. He no
longer appealed to me as a fippant or ir-
| responsible trifier. but rather as man sure
of himself and his duty and entirely con-
scientious. His statement of facts had been
presented in quiet, conversational tone,
| without formality, but with unmistalSable
! earnestness. During its entire delivery his
| attitude had been that OF an impartial In
| vestigator bent upon making an accurate
| report Not word OF denunciation had
| passed his lips, and scarcely more than a
| suggestion of accusation, and yet the de-
| PENDANT seemed irretrieyably incriminate
| Had he attacked her and inveighed against
her crime, should have felt more COM
Portable. But his quiet, coloriess relation
/ of the facts made them speak for them
| selves. and their meaning was unrnfstak-
/ able. Even what he had left unsaid was
hauntingiy suggestive, Would he tell US at
/ had been found cIinging to the candle
| grease matched the cloth OF one OF Alice
4 Emory's skirts? He had not asserted this,
but did not doubt that he had such proof
| In his possession. Again. why had the Vie
4 tim refused to consider marriage with his
seeretary-sven at the risk OF ruin and dis