The Irish standard., 1908-02-15


country-starved out and homesick-
and hadn't put 'em on the range yet.
He said R was the English feller's
brand. I didn't suspicion no under.
hand dealin's. Yellow VOLTS always
treated me white before, so bar
gained for this here chap and three or
four others and then pulled out for
home driving the bunch. They fed at
home for spell and then decided to
put 'em on the range. On the way l
fell In with Billy Brown here. He
was dead set on havin' the lot to fill in
the chinks of the two car loads he was
shippin', so I up and let's him have
'em. 1 showed him this here bill-o'-
sale from Yellow Wolf and made him
out one from me, and that was all
there was to it. He rode to Velpen
and I turned on my trail"
1t was straight story, and appar-
emily damaging for the prosecution. 1t
corroborated the attestations of other
witnesses-many others. 1t had
plausible ring to it. Two bills of sale
radiated atmospheric legality. If there
had been dirty work it must have orig
inted with that renegade half-breed,
Yellow Wolf. And Yellow Wolf was
dead. He had died while serving a
term in the penitentiary for cattle
rustling. Uncle Sam himself had set
the seal upon him-and now he was
dead. This insinuated charge he
could not answer. The finality of it
seemed to set its stamp upon the peo-
pie gathered there-upon the IL good
men and true, as well as upon others.
Yellow Wolf was dead. George VIII.
liston was dead. Their secrets had
died with them. An inscrutable fate
had lowered the veil. Who could
pierce it? One might believe, but who
could know? And the law required
knowledge.
I'VE will call Charlie Nightbird,"
said Small, complacently.
There was little waiting silence
a breathless, palpitating silence.
'Is Charlie Nightbird present?"
asked Small, casting rather anxious
eyes over the packed, intent faces.
Charlie Nightbird was not present. At
least he made no sign Of coming for
ward. The face Of the young counsel
for the state was immobile during the
brief time they waited for Charlie
Nightbird-whose dark, frozen face
at that moment turned toward the
cold, sparkling sky. and who would
never come, not II they waited for
hSv,o $j11 th4 ct % -
last dread day.
There was some mistake. Counsel
had been misinformed. Nightbird
was an important witness. He had
been reported present. Never mind.
He was probably unavoidably detained
by the storm. They would call Jesse
Big Cloud and others to corroborate
the defendants statements which
they did, and the story was sustained
in all its parts, major and minor. Then
the defense rested.
Richard Gordon arose from his
chair. His face was white. His lean
Jaws were set. His eyes were steel.
He was anything but lover now, this
man Gordon. Yet the slim little court
reporter with dark circles of home.
sickness under her eyes had never
loved him half so we'll as at this mo.
ment. His voice was clear and de.
liberate.
Your honor, I ask permission of
the court to call witness in direct
testimony. assure your honor that
the state had used all efforts in its
power to obtain the presence of this
witness before resting its case, but
had failed and believed at the time
that he could not be produced. The
witness is now here and l consider
his testimony Of the utmost impor.
tance in this case"
Counsel for the defendant objected
strenuously. but the court granted the
petition. He wanted to hear every.
thing that might throw some light on
the dark places in the evidence
Il call Mr.. George Williston," said
Gordon.
Had the strain crazed him? Louise
covered her eyes with her hands.
Men sat is If dazed. And thus, tho
cynosure OF all eyes-stupefied eyes
Williston of the ravaged Lazy 8, thin
and worn but calm, natural and schol.
arly-looking as Of old-walked from
the little ante.room at the side into
the light and knowledge Of men once
more and raised his hand for the oath.
Not until this was taken and he had
sat quietly down in the witness chair
did the tension snap. Even then men
found it difficult to focus their atten-
tion on the enormous difference this
new witness must make in the case
that few moments before seemed
settled.
Mary sat with shining eyes in the
front row Of wooden chairs. 1t was
no wonder she had laughed and been
SO gay all the dreary yesterday and
all the worse to-day. Louise shot her
. look of pure gladness.
Small's face was ludicrous In its
drop-jawed astonishment. The little
a..