Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-09-13
Fiction
Observation-Disclosures


tears speamed down his large face
ali unheeded by him. He admitted
with sorrow the quarrels; they had
not been Of his seeking. His Wifi,
whom he had deeply loved, had been
of an historical nature, and of a
given her cause of jealously, how
ever. On tn. night of her death a
difficulty had arisen between them
in regard to his attendance at race
meeting, to which she had strongly
objected He was on the point Of
giving up the project when she made
an uncalled for remark concerning
his former mode of life, and flung out
Of the house. He followed as rapidly
as he could, but missed her in the
darkness. In his hurry he stumbled
into a bush and lacerated his hands
and his face-scratches which had
been made much of by the prosecu-
ton. When he extricated himself he
ran on towards the sea, but failed t.
find his wife. He heard the shrek,
but did not definitely connect it with
her. He swore positively that from
the moment she ran out of the hotel
he never saw her again until he look
ed at her as dead. In an awful voice.
and despite the protest of the judge.
he called upon his God to strike him
dead if he did not speak the truth.
He was cross examined strongly
concerning his behavior to the wo-
man; concerning, above all, the
bruises upon her wrists. She bruised
easily. he scid A mere touch upon
her flesh left It's mark. He had not
used undue force during her hysteri-
cal outbursts, save with the object of
controlling her, and preventing ner in
juring herself. There were other
men Of big statute out and about that
night, no doubt, and he certainly had
not been the man who ran at head
long speed past the coast guard sta
ton In proof OF his collected condi-
tion he called people from the hotel
who asserted hat. although deeply
agitated at his failure to find the wo-
man. he was not GREATNESS nor heat
ed.
When finally t. jury retir ed they
were absent for nearly two hours
and during that time various conject-
ures were made by the people in
court as to what the verdict would lbe
the man had made a
deep impression by his manner and by
his apparent sincerity, and opinions
seemed to be pretty equally divided.
But / think It was nothing of sur
prise when the jury returned and
stated that they could not agree.
Certain matters were made clear
to them by the judge, and they were
sent back. to return in less than half
an hour with surprising verdict, of
Not guilty."
The prisoner with a smiling face.
bowed to the Judge and to the jury,
shook hands with his counsel. and
Enoch Voyce and I de-
parted also, discussing he matter as
we went, and in the course of the day
probably forgot all about the man.
had taken many photographs, and we
determined that we would travel back
TO London by the last train, so as TO
NAVE the most of our holiday
l remember that it was a bleak and
gusty evening as Voyce and | tramp
ed up and down the platform waiting
for the train. There were two wait
ing passengers-a woman with great
quantity of luggage, seated stifHy OIL
a seat outside the waiting room and
on guard over her possessions, and
man with no luggage at all. He was
a big man. who kept for the most part
round corners either to escape rain
OF observation. Something in his
manner of moving about seemed famil-
lar and I noticed that Enoch Voyce
was watching him. Presently Enoch
stro,led away. Coming back just as
the train was signaled, he jerked his
head in the direction Of the stranger.
and told me who he was
Mr. Abraham Fowling, who mad
narrow escape to4ay from ending
his life violently" he whispered.
AS he's not likely to murder us, we'll
endeavor to get into the same car
riage, II possible
With some adroitness my little cd
friend managed just before the tram
started, to push me into the compart-
ment in which the large man sat and
to scramble in himself. The door was
slammed, and we started on our long
journey to London. Abraham Powling
sat in his corner. muffled to his eyes.
Thos eyes watched us furtive,y from
time 20 time, and were altogether
closed when we stopped at a station
For good half OF the journey moth
ing happened. and then Enoch Voyce
began To talk.
do not remember. after this lapse
OF time, what he said. Only know
that gradually. in his subtle fashion,
he seemed TO envelop the big man in
q conversational net from which he
could not escape. It was Just as II
he drew him, quite against his will.
into a declaration concerning MIN.
self and his feelings without for a
moment disclosing the fact that we
knew who he was, the big man pres
emily found himself expressing VIC.
lent opinions concerning the English
law. and the stupidity of juries. ana
and the disgraceful treatment of in.
nocont persons in custody, The little
old man played with him as II he had
been some enormous unwieldly
mouse and Euoch Voyce the cat: