Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-09-06

II on, rs ne might not HdNc SutH
chance every day; whercupon the par
ty retreated. highly amused, all but
their leader, who was said t. have
marched straight across the street to
book n window for the execution.
When Claire heard this story. she
showed her feelings in rather peril
Gus manner. "Well done" she cried,
and clapped her hands. 80 they have
not taken all the spirit out of him yet.
Let us be thankful. Mr.. Daintree." she
added In an instant. that 1t Is ut least
a man of spirit whose cause you have
espoused Next to an Innocent man.
q 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 l believe him to
he both"
Il have heard you say so. Yet you
never go near him yourself"
Daintrec admitted his repugnance to
personal contact with the prisoner. Il
certainly prefer to draw the line ut
that" said lie, Especially as it could
do no good. No. it was bad enough
seeing him at Marylebone. l 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 oil that II you hon
estly believed In his innocence. You
do not. Yet you go Oh spending your
money, throwing 1t away to crafty II
passing impulse Of mine! It's mad
ness, Mr.. Daintree. 1t Is indeed"
The tears stood In her eyes as she
spoke, hut 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 1t 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 dcepened 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
b meet him 1t was In order that be
might think her less eager to hea, than
he to tell. And once when 10 not only
thought 80, but told her what he
thought In his TOUGHEST manner. 1t 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. Claires notions of trial
were exceedingly simple, although her
father had stood his within tho year.
On the other hand, her belief In the
efficacy Of counsel was unbounded. 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 1t was the fine
defense. combined with innocence-at
least everybody whose opinion Claire
was In the way Of hearing. Mr.. Ser
geant Culliford had not been solicitor
general but Claire was told that In
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 to
have made a statement before the
magistrate Then the defense would
have had something to work upon. at
the trial. AS 1t was they had nothing
until the learned sergeant devised a
means Of obtaining statement at the
eleventh hour. He went to Newgate,
made Tom give him his version Of the
interview with Blaydes and Of his
subsequent proceedings; disbelieved
every word. but kept nOdding so en-
couraglngly with his ugly, inscrutable.
attentive face that Tom received the
very opposite impression and told his
tale with some spirit and CLEAN OF
hope. The great man heard him out.
then glared Mt Bassett (whO had given
him certain look and addressed the
prisoner In kindly undertone.
That's all very WELL" sold he. THE
only pity Is that We didn't have It at
Marylebone. for, you see, your tongue
will be tied at the Old Bailey. No. no;
you couldn't know. You may thank
your solicitor. 1t was his duty to ad-
vise'-
Excuse me. SIR" interrupted that
gentleman, "but l really must protest
l never supposed We should be unable
to call single witness for the defense,
and did not think the story
Think" snapped Culliford. "Who
wants you to think? There's q class
of men. sir. that is most dangerous
when it thinks. You appear to belong
to it. BE good enough not to interrupt
me again. We must have that state
and there is only one way now Of get
ting it as evidence. Tell q turnkey or
q wardsman what you have told me,
Erichsen. and the other side are pretty
safe to put him In the box. Then I
shall cross examine him and have
something to talk to the jury about
Do think we have leg to stand up
on? Two. sir, two, and better ones
than they suppose. only tell the turn
keys exactly what you have told me,
and good day to you. Come, Mr.. Bas-
sett I've something more to say to
you"
And so Tom had his eyes opened to
the little ways Of great lawyers, but
his. impression Of his champion was
by no means an unfavorable one, for
the glib. spruce Bassett he disliked,
but this rough tongue and rugged face
filled him with confidence and so re-
doubled his gratitude toward his un-
known ally. who heard that he had
spoken Of him with tears in bis eyes
and who did not fail to let Claire hear
1t too.
Upon her meanwhile the strain was
beginning to tell. More than once she
was within an ace Of breaking down
at telltale moment. And Just vhsn
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