The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-07-19
CHAPTER xM.-fCosrrsurp.,

CHAPTER SU.-CONTINuFDn
The principal article of furniture in
the Hall of Justice was a long, clumsy
deal table, covered with green baize.
At the head of this table sat the presi-
lent and his court, with their hats On,
backed by a heterogeneous collection
of patriots officially connected in va
rious ways with the proceedings that
were to take place. Below the front Of
the table, a railed-off space, with a
gallery beyond, was appropriated by
ME general public-mostly represented,
as to the gallery, ON this occasion, by
women, all sitting together on forms,
Knitting, shirt-mcnding, and baby-llnen
making, as coolly as if they We're at
home. Parallel with the side of the table
farthest from the great door of ell
trance, was a low platform rallied OIL.
on which the prisoners, surrounded by
their guard, were now assembled to
await their trial. The sun shone in
brightly from Il high window, and n
hum of ceaseless talking pervaded the
hall cheerfully, as Lomaque entered 1T.
He was a privileged man here, as at
the prison; and he made his way in by
q private door, so as to pass the pri5-
oners' platform, and to walk round it,
before he got to a place behind the
presidents chair. Trudaine. standing
with his sister on the outermost limits
of the group, nodded significantly as
Lomaque looked up at him for an in
stant. He had contrived on his way
to the tribunal, to get an opportunity of
reading the paper which the chief-agent
had slipped into his cravat. 1t con-
tained these lines:
Il have just discovered who the citi-
zen and cheyenne Dubois are. There
is no chance for you but to confess
everything. BY that means you may
tnculpate a certain citizen holding au-
thority. and may make it his interest,
IL he loves his own life, to save yours
and your SISTERS"
Arrived at the back of the presidents
chair. Lomaque recognized his two
trusty subordinates, Magloire and Pr
card, waiting among the assembled pa
triot officials to give their evidence. Be
yond them, leaning against the wall. adj
dressed by no one, and speaking to no
one. stood the superintendent, Danville.
Doubt and suspense were written in
every line of his face; the fretfulness of
an uneasy mind expressed itself in his
slightest gestures-even in his manner
Of passing n handkerchief yer his face,
on which the p%erspiration was gather
Ing thick and fast already.
"Sifence!' cried the usher of the court
In %top-boots, with a huge sabre buck
led to his side. and q bludgeon In his
hand. silence for the citizen-presi-
dent!" he reiterated. striking his blud-
geon on the table.
The president rose and proclaimed
that the sitting for the day had begun.
then sat down again.
The momentary silence which fol-
lowed was interrupted by a sudden con-
fusion among the prisoners on the plat
form. Two of the guards sprang in
among them. There was the thump of
a heavy fall-a scream of terror from
some Of the female prisoners-then an
other dead silence. broken by one of the
guards, who walked across the hall with
q bloody knife in his hand, and laid it
on the table. "Citizen-president," he
said, II have to report that one of the
prisoners has just stabbed himself"
There was a murmuring exclamation
us that all?" among the women spec
tators as they resumed their work.
c ,icide at the bar of justice was no UNI
mon occurrence under the Reign of
,rror.
Manner" asked the president, quietly
ing up his pen and opening a book.
"Martigne," answered the hump
.acked gaoler. coming forward to the
cable.
Description"
rant Capet."
Accusation"
Conspiracy in prison."
The president nodded, and entered In
the book-"Martigne, coachmaker. Ac-
cused of conspiracy In prison. Antici-
pated course of law by suicide. Action
accepted rs sufficient confession of
6ulAts aOOuo COllSCdlcu. ISL lueEul-
dor. year two Of the Republic"
"Silence!" cried the man with the
bludgeon, as the president dropped a
little sand on the entry, and signing to
the gaoler that he might remove the
dead body, closed the book.
"Any special cases this morning?" re-
sumed the president, looking round at
the group before him.
'"There is one," said Lomaque, max
ing his way to the back of the official
chair. "Will it be convenient to you.
citizen, to take the case of Louis Tru-
dame and Rose Danville first? Two OF
my men are detained acre as witnesses
and their time Is valuable to the Repub-
lie"
The president marked a list Of names
before him, and handed it to the crier
or usher, placing the figures one and
two against Louis Trudaine and Rose
Danville.
While Lomaque was backing again to
his former place behind the chair, Dam
Vile approached and whispered to him
There is a m that secret infor-