Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-09-26

chance every day; whereupon the par
ty r~etreated. highly amused, all but
their leader, who was said to have
marched straight across the street to
book a window for the execution.
When Claire. heard this story, she
showed her feelings in a rather peril
u manner "Well done!!" she cried,
and clapped her hands. $50 they have
not taken all the spirit out Of him yet!
Let us be thankful, Mr.. Daintree," she
added in an instant, that it is at least
a man Of spirit whose cause you have
espoused. Next to an innocent man,
a spirited man has the best claim on
ones sympathy. 1t would be dreadful
If he were neither the one nor the
other!'
"But you know that 1 believe him to
be both"
II have heard you say 80. Yet you
never go near him YOURSELF"
Daintree admitted his repugnance to
personal contact with the prisoner. &"
certainly prefer to draw the line at
that" said he, Especially as it could
do no good. No, it was bad enough
seeing him at Marylebone. 1 would
give something to forget his face"
"And why?" cried Claire. Because
In your heart, like all the rest Of the
world, you know him to be guilty!
You may be sensitive, but you wouldn't
be as sensitive as all that If you hon
estly believed in his innocence. You
do not. Yet you go on spending your
money, throwing 1t away to crafty a
passing impulse Of mine! It's mad
ness, Mr.. Daintree. 1t is indeed"
The tears stood in her eyes as she
spoke, but he had turned away as If
unable to deny his latent unbelief, 9TH
erwise her face might have betrayed
her even then. She felt that it must
do so in the end. 1t was but another
question Of time. Such interviews left
her spirit PROSTATE, her heart worn out
with beating, and yet she sought them
herself. The craving for news Of Tom
only deepened with the sense Of his
guilt. When Daintree was absent, the
girl counted the hours till his return.
When he returned, if she was not there
to meet him it was in order that he
might think her less eager to hear than
he to tell. And once when he not only
thought so, but told her what he
thought in his TOUGHEST manner, it was
q great moment for the actress, who
was ceasing to feel ashamed of her
part, what with custom and the dire
necessity Of it.
For now more than ever did Claire
trust to the genius Of the great magi-
clan retained for the defense. That
vague power was the one hope left for
her to cling to, and cling she did with
all the might Of aching heart and tor
tured mind. Claire's notions Of a trial
were exceedingly simple, although her
father had stood his within the year.
On the other hand, her belief in the
efficacy of counsel vas u~nbounded, be
cause Mr.. Harding had been defended
by a former officer of the crown, and
the charge had fallen to the ground
and everybody vowed it was the fine
defense, combined with innocence-a1
least everybody whose opinion Claire
was in the way of hearing. MIR. Ser
geant Culliford had not been solicitor
general, but Claire was told that in q
criminal case his rival did not exist
One night she heard that Culliford had
accepted the brief, the next that he
had probably earned his fee already
though Bassett would admit nothing OF
the kind, but complained instead OF his
own treatment at the barrister's hands
The fact was that Tom ought tt
have made a statement before the
magistrate. Then the defense would
have had something to work upon a
the trial. AS it was they had nothing
until the learned sergeant devised
means Of obtaining q statement at tn
eleventh hour. He went to Newgate
made Tom give him his version of thu
interview with Blaydes and Of hi:
subsequent proceedings; disbellevet
every word, but kept nodding so en-
couragingly with his ugly, ~inscrutable
attentive face that Tom received thu
very opposite impression and told hi
tale with some spirit and a CLEAN O
hope. The great man heard him out
then glared at Bassett (who had givel
him a certain look) and addressed thu
prisoner in a kindly undertone.
"That's all very WE'LL" said he. 9TH
only pity is that we didn't have it a
Marylebone, for, you see, your tongue
will be tied at the Old Bailey. No, no
you couldn't know. You may thanl
your solicitor. 1t was his duty to ad
vise''-
Excuse me, SIR" interrupted tina
gentleman. "but l really must protest
I never supposed we should be unable
to call a single witness for the defense
and 1 did not think the story
"Think" snapped Culliford. "Wh'
wants you to think? There's a clas'
Of men, sir, that is most dangerou'
when it thinks. You appear to belon,
to it. Be good enough not to Interrupt
me again. We must have that state
ment by hook or crook to work upon
and there is only one way now of get
ting 1t as evidence. Tell a turnkey o
a wardsman what you have told me
Erickson, and the other side are prett.
| co 20 RI MT him IN tho Ho~ Thon