Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-03-01

lalilNt e. Il lNliAiSh ~ At1bJ
had heard OF their devotion; l reflect
ed how her whole life, so far as l knew
IL, pointed TO a nature singularly calm
and self controlled, charitable and
loving. AS TO the lover theory, did not
the light in her eyes which had greeted
our junior disprove that, at once and
forever? Certainly, there was some
fatal flaw in the evidence, and 1t was
for us to find IT.
/ leaned my head back against the
wall with a little sigh Of relief. What
a fool ! had been! OF course, we
should FIND it! Mr.. Royce had spoken
the words, the district attorney had
pointed out the way. We had only to
prove an alibil And the next witness
would do 1t. Her coachman a only
to tell where he had driven her, at
what places she had stopped, n the
whole question would be settled. At
the hour the crime was committed she
had doubtless been miles away from
Wall street! So the question would
be settled-settled. too, without the
] necessity of Miss Holiday undergoing
the unpleasant ordeal OF cross-exami-
nation.
1T IS a most extraordinary affair"
said a voice at my elbow, and turned
with a start to see that the chair just
behind me had been taken by a man
who was also reading an account of
| the GIiIIlC. ne ldlu tic paper bo"l ~
and caught my eye. "A most extraor-
rdinary AFFAIR."" he repeated, appealing
to me.
1 nodded, merely glancing at him, too
preoccupied TO notice him closely. l
got an impression of a florid face, Of a
stout, we'll dressed body, OF an air UNI
mistakably French.
You will pardon me. SIR" he added,
leaning a little forward. LAS a stranger
in this country l am much Interested
in your processes of law. This morn
ing l was present at the trial. per-r-
ceived you there. 1t seemed TO me
that the young lady was in-what you
Gala tight place"
He spoke English very well, with
an accent Of the slightest. / glanced
at him again, and saw that his eyes
were very bright and that they were
fixed upon me intently.
1T does seem So" / admitted, 10th
to talk. yet not wishing TO be discour-
teous.
The YER thing / said to myself"
he continued eagerly. "The-what you
call-coe-encidence of the dress, now!"
l did not answer; l was in no hui
NOR to discuss the case.
You Will pardon me-" he repeated
persuasively, still leaning forward, but
CONCERNING one point | should IKE
much to know. If she is thought guilty
what Will occur?"
"She will be bound over to the grand
jury" l explained.
THAT Is, she will be placed in pris-
on?"
"of course"
But. as l understand YOU law. she
may be released by bondsmen."
Not in n capital case" l said; mot
In a case of this kind, where the pen
atty ia be DEATH"
"Ah, / see" and he nodded slowly.
"She would then not be again released
until she shall have beer proved in
nocent. How great a time would that
~occupy?"
II can't say-six months-a year. per-
haps."
"Ah. / see," he said again and
drained a glass of absinthe he had beec
toying with. Thank you, YER much.
sir"
He arose and went slowly out, n I
noted the strength of his figure, the
short neck
The waiter came with bread but
ter and i realized suddenly that ii was
long past the half hour. Indeed, a
glance at my watch showed me that
nearly ar hour had one 1 waited
fifteen minutes longer, ate what I
could, n taking a lunch o under
my arm, hurried back to the coroner's
office. AS l entered X, l saw a bowed
figure sitting at the table, and my
heart fell as 1 recognized our junior.
His whole attitude expressed a despair
absolute, past redemption.
I've brought your lunch. MIR.
Royce" / said. with what nghtness I
could muster. 1.-The proceedings will
commence in half an hour-you'd better
eat something" and 1 opened the box.
He looked at 1t for a moment, and
then began mechanically to eat.
"You look regularly done up" l ven
tured. Wouldn't I better get you a
All right" he assented listlessly,
and I hurried away on the errand.
The brandy brought a little color
Jack to his cheeks, and he began to
eat with more interest.
Must l order lunch for Miss Holla-
day." 1 questioned.
no" he said. "She said she didn't
wish any"
He relapsed again into silence. Plain
ly, he had received some new blow dur
Ing my absence.
after ALL" began, you know
we've only TO prove an alibi to knock to
pieces this whole house OF cards"
Yes. that's ALL" he agreed. But
suppose we can't do il, Lester?"
mean-?"
- tA&AAt N&ANNN 4ACG 1ApltiAdl pOCIllAE-
ly refuses to say where she spent yes
terday afternoon"
Does she understand the-the neces-
sity?" I asked.
II pointed it out to her as clearly as
I could. I'm all at sea. Lester"
Well. IL even he were beginning to
doubt. matters were indeed serious.
It's incomprehensiblei" / sighed, aft
er n moments confused thought. It's
--"
"Yes-past believing"
But the coachman-
The coachman's evidence, I fear,
won't help US matchmaker the re-
verse"
1 actually gasped for BREATH felt
like a drowning man from whose gasp
the saving rope had suddenly, unac-
countably, been snatched.
I'm that case" / began and stopped.
We'll. In that case?"
we must find some other way out
I concluded lamely.
rs there another way. LESTER" he
demanded. wheeling round upon me
fiercely. rs there another way? III
there is. / wish to God you'd show 1t to
me.'
There must be-" I protested desper-
ateiy, striving to convince myself.
There must be-; only, / fear, 1t will
lake some little time to find"
And meanwhile. Miss Holiday will
be remanded! Think what that will
mean to her, Lester"
a. thought. l was desperate as he
but TO find the flaw. the weak spot in
y q -