Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-23

prised to find that he had spoken aloud.
The jury were out" after the case
had been given to them, seventeen
minutes and thirty seconds by the
watch Claudine held in her hand. The
little man, whose fate was now on the
knees of the gods, looked pathetically
at the foreman and then at the face Of
his lawyer and began to shake vio-
lently, but not with fright. He had
gone to the Jail on Joe's word, az
good dog goes where his master bids,
trustfully, and yet Happy had not been
able to keep his mind from consider
ing the horrible chances. Don't wor
ry," Joe had sad. ITS all right. I'll
see you through" And he had kept his
word.
The little man was cleared.
1t took Happy n long time to get
through what he had to say to his at
torney in the anteroom, and even then.
Of course, he did not manage to put 1t
in words. for he had "broken down
with sheer gratitude, why. d--n me,
Joe" lie sobbcd, "if ever If ever you
well, by God, If you ever This
was the substance of his lingual ac-
complishment under the circumstances
But Claudine threw her arms around
poor Jocs neck and kissed him.
Many people were waiting to shake
hands with Joe and congratulate him.
The trio, taking advantage of seats
near the rail, had already done that
somewhat uproarously) before he had
Coll .AI ITar n,,1 lnI ~ a
Ladcw, both, necessarily. rather hur-
riedly. But in the corridors he found,
when he came out Of the anteroom,
clients. acquaintanceS, friends 49, old
| friends new friends and friends he
hnd never seen before everybody
beaming upon him and wringlng his
hand. as if they had been sure of it all
from the start
They gathered round him If he stop
| ped for an instant and crowded after
him admiringly when he went on
again, making his progress slow When
he finally came out of the big doors
into the sunshine there were as many
! people in the yard as there had been
| when he stood in the same place and
watched the mob rushing his clients
! guards. But today their temper was
/ different, and as he paused a moment,
looking down on the upturned, laugh
! ing faces, with hundred jocular and
/ congratulatory salutations shouted up
at him. somebody started a cheer, and
| II was taken up with thunderous good
will.
] frI1 h. ,NNa :,
! tomary in such emergencies, and the
| anxious inquirer was informed by four
or five hundred people simultaneously
/ tuat Joe Louden was all right
Head him off"' beloved Mike Shee
han. suddenly dartng up the steps
| The shout increased. and with good
reason, for he stepped quickly back
within the doors and, reueatine
through the building made good his
escape by a basement door.
He struck OFF into long detour; but
though he managed to evade the
crowd. he had to stop and shake hands
with every third person he met. A
he came out upon Main street agar
he encountered his father.
IiONON w, Jot' Sulu inlS lutOult
person and offered his hand. The,
shook briefly. Well" he continued
rubbing his beard, how are ye?"
"All right, father, l think"
Satisfied with the verdict?"
"I'd he pretty hard to please If
weren't" Joe laughed
Mr. I.ouden rubbed his beard again
II was there" he said, without emo
ton.
At the trial, you mean?"
Yes" He offered his hand one
more. and again they shook. well
come around and see us" he said
Thank you | will"
We'll" said Mr. Louden, good day
Joe"
Good day, father"
The young man stood looking afte
him with II curious smile. Then h.
gave a slight start. Far up the stree
he saw two fgures-one a lady's il
white, with n wide white hat; the 9th
or mans. wearing recOgnizably cler
ical black. They seemed to be walk
ing very SLOWLY.
1t had been day of triumph 70
Joe, but in all his life he never slep
worse than he did that night.