Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-23
CHAPTER xxvII.

~~>---S - .I Iy
 CHAPTER XXvII.
 VT was court week, and the grand
 jury was in session. There were
 many people in the streets of the
 shire town. They moved with a slow foot, some giving their animation to squints of curiosity and shouts of recognition, some to profanity and plug tobacco. SQuixe Day and Colonel Jud- con were to argue the famous maple sugar case, and many causes of local celebrity were on the calendar. The third day of that week was about the middle of the afternoons score of men gossiping in the lower hall of the court building were hushed suddenly. A young man came hurry ing down the back stairs with look of excitement.
 What's up?" said one.
 Sidney Trove is indicted" was the answer of the young man.
 He ran out of doors and down the street People began crowding out of the courtroom. Information. surprise and conjecture--a kind of food pour ing out of broken dam-rushed up and down the forty streets of the will lage. Soon, as of old, many were afoat and some few were drowning in 1t. For little, busy hands fell limp and feet grew slow and tongues halt ed. A group of schoolgirls on their way home were suddenly overtaken by the onrushing tide. They came close together and whispered. Then little cry of despair, and one of them fell and was borne into a near house. A young man ran up the stairway at the Sign of the Dial and rapped loudly at Darrers door. Trove and the tinker were inside.
 "Old fellow" said the newcomer, his hand upon Trove's arm. they've voted to lndict you, and I've seen all the witnesses"
 Trove had book in his hand. He rose calmly and flung 1t on the table.
 Its an outrage said he, with sigh.
 May, an honor." said Darrel quick ly. Hold up thy head, boy. The lau- rel shall take the place O the frown."
 He turned to the bearer of these evil tidings
 Have ye more knowledge Q the matter?'
 Yes. all day I have been getting hold of their evidence" said the new conner, law student, who was now facing his friend Trove "In the first place, it was a man of blue eyes and about your build who broke into the bank at Milldam. It is the sworn state ment of the clerk, who has now recov- cred. He does not go so far as to say you are the man, but does say It was a man like you that assaulted him. It appears the robber had his face GOV cred with a red bandanna handkerchief in which square holes were cut so he could see through. The clerk remem- bers 1t was covered with little white figure, that of, log cabin. Such handkerchief was sold years ago in the campaign of Harrison, but has gone out of use. Not store in the county has had them since 1S45. The clerk fired upon him with pistol and thinks he wounded him in the left forearm. In their. fight the robber struck him with Ssiung shot, and he fell sud re. members nothing more until he came to in the dark alone. The skin was cut in little squares where the shot struck him. and that is one of the strong points against you"
 Against mel" said Trove.
 "Yes-that and another. It seems the robber left behind him one end of a bar of iron. The other end of the same bar and slung shot-the very one that probably felled the clerk-have been found"
 The speaker rose and walked half across the room and back, looking down thoughtfully.
 "I tell ye what, old fellow" said he, sitting down again. ''it Is mighty strange If didn't know you we'll. I'd think you guilty. Here comes de- tective who says under oath that one night he saw you come out of your lodgings about Il o'clock and walk to the middle of the bridge and throw into the water. Next morn Ing bar and shot were foind. As near Y as he could make out, they lay d. rectly under the place where you had halted"
 Darrel sat looking thoughtfully at the speaker.
 "A detective?" said Trove, rising erect, stern look upon him.
 "Yes, Dick Roberts"
 Roberts. a detectivew said Trove in a whisper. Then he turned to Darrel. adding. T shall have to find the 
 Louis LeblancY the young man asked.
 Louis Leblanc. Trove answered, with surprise.
 He has been found," said the other.
 Then l shall be able to prove my point. He came to his home drunk one night and began to bully his family. was boarding with the Misses Tower lnd went over and took the shot and iron from his hands and got him to bed. The woman begged me to bring them away"
 "He declares that he never saw the shot or the iron.''
 D,rreI rose and drew his chair bit nearer.
 "yery well. but there's the wife, said he quickly.