The Ordway new era., 1908-05-01
CHAPTER XIV.
The Trial.

me next morning every available
.ae 80 was hiied early. People had
o'ocked the rough plank walks lead.
'hs 10 the courthouse long before the
uoo's were unlocked. The day prom.
iSeu 10 be fine. and the many teams
coming and going between Kemah and
Tue river to pick up the Velpen neon.
pie who had crossed the ice nm foat
gave to the little town somewhat of
the gaia appearance OF fair time. The
stately and blanketed Sious from their
temporary camps on the fiat were
standing around, uncommunicatiye
"ailihe tor proceedings to begin. Long
before the judicial party had arrived
IRON the hotel the cramped room was
crowded to its limits. Thera was
loud talking, laughing and Joking,
Local wits amused themselves and
others by throwing quips at different
members OF the county bar or their
orethren from across the river as they
walked to their places inside the rail.
ings with the little mannerisms that
were peculiar to each
'''' IA Nht ItiT Oh OAR
opened and Judge Dale entered. A
comparative quiet fell upon the peo.
pie. He mounted to his high bench.
The clerk came in. then the court re.
porter. She tossed her note books
on the table. leisurely pulled on her
gloves and took her place, examining
the end OF her pencils with a critical
eye. 1t would be busy day for the
gal reporter" Then L.angford came
showing his way down the crowded
aisle with sad-faced. brown-eyed,
young woman In his wake, who vet
held herself erect with n proud little
tilt to her chin. There was not an
empty seat outside the bar. Louise
motioned. and he escorted Mary to a
place within and sat down beside her.
The jurymen were all In their chairs.
Presently came In Gordon with his
quiet. self-reliant manner Langford
had been right. The county attorney
was not tired to-day.
Shortly after Gordon came Small
Small. the dynamic. whose explosives
had so often laid waste the weak and
abortive independent reasoning pow.
ers of "Old Necessity" and his sort.
and were the subject OF much satire
and some admiration when the legal
fraternity talked shop" As he strobe
TO his place. he radiated bombs OF Just
and telling wrath. He scintillated with
aggressiyeness. With him came Jesse
Black. easy and disdainful as OF old
After them. n small man came gliding
In with as little commotion as II he
were sliding over the floor OF n waxed
dancing hall in patent leather pumps
He was an unassuming little man with
quick. cat.like movements which one
lost II one were not on the alert
When he had slipped into n chair next
his associate, Small. the infiammable
Small. lowered above him head and
shoulders.
Every inch the criminal" audibly
observed stranger. an Englishman
over to invest in lands for stocking a
horse ranch. Strange how they al
ways wear the imprint on their faces
No escaping 1t. | fancy that Is what
tne scriptures meant ny tue HdTh VI
Cain
The remark was addressed to no In
particular. but 1t reached the ears OF
Jim Munson. who was standing near
Good Lord. mani" he said. with a
grin. that's the plumb smartest Grim
inal lawyer In the hull county. That's
fac. Lord. Lord! Him Jesse Black
His risibilities continued to thus get
the better OF his gravity at frequent
intervals during the day. He never
failed to snort aloud in pure deligh,
whenever he thought of 1t. What O
tale for the boys when he could gel
to them
These cattle mem" This time the
tenderfoot communicated with him
self-he had n square chin and a di
rect eye: there were possibilities In
him. Their perverted sense OF the
ridiculous is diabolical."
CTo BE CONT1NUEDJ