Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-13
CHAPTER TX.
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE
OLt-hI =
The World VS.. the Jury.

hest Sem is arrested loI
"cuhert Sem is accused Of having
killed Constance Craig" gilbert sem
resisted the officer who came to aires
him."
No one knew who Constance Crale
had been, where she had died, nor no"
nor when, nor why. No one kle"
whether she had lived in America, OF
half way round the big world IRON
Roomyille No one knew whether II
was pistol shot, or knife, or poison
which had taken her life. No one kne"
whether she had been young or olu
handsome or homely good or Dao' M
one could say whether Sem mad Killeo
har hecause she wouldn't be Mrs. Sem
,,;uad bar because she wanted to be
Mrs. Sem. or killed her for some sucr
impersonal reason as the love OF mon
ey, No one knew anything about the
matter-except that Gilbert Sem Klheo
her, The citizens of Boomville were
very few indeed-outside the church'
ward which held "the silent majority
who were not quite satisfied in thell
own minds that Sem was guilty. IheS
had little reason, of course, no Hlore
than the accusation which is all too Oh
fen taken as proof, when men fall-or
ara said to. But after all, they mao
known Sem, sober, industrious, honesI
for only ten years; behind that knowl-
edge Law a past of which they knew as
little as-as little as they knew Oh
Constance Craig. Only ten years! Can
the leopard change his spots? can
man who has made crime trade i've
q consistent life for only ten years
Can a man who has been a true ana
noble gentleman for ten years delloe-
rately go down to q level deeper thali
hone has ever sounded or salvation
reached? Can he?
Reader. with all this mystery and
doubt before you, do you know the
manner of man Gilbert was? Did COO
ever set the wrong face, the wrong
sign and seal of character, over any
human soul?
The citizens of Boomville, with eX-
ceptions of course, were quite certain
that Sem was guilty, and that Prler
was a hero-a hero and a wonderful
man..
With exceptions, said.
There were exceptions.
Donald Barron was not certain that
Gilbert Sem killed. Constance Craig
Poor old Donald Barron, with his white
hair. and his cold, sunken face; he had
no word to say about it all-no word OF
comfort for his daughter, coming into
the room where he lay in the silent
dignity of death, crying out in hot
eyed. fearless pathos that her lot was
more that she could bear
Walter Aldrich did not believe that
Gilbert Sem killed Constance Craig
II can imagine how man might
do it," he said. passionately TO himself,
but he was thinking Of the treasure OF
Elsie Barron's love, and of the way in
which Sem had made her his wife
when he said that. For Aldrich had
not heard of Senn's connection with the
robbery; he had no idea that Sem hao
done aught else than win her through
her affections: and the blessing Of Ell
sizes love semed so great-so far be-
yond any earthly good Of which ne
could think--that he could half forgive
the treachery which he believed had
been ouickened into being by a desire
as great as his own.
'I know he did not-cOuld not-dC
it," he said when he thought of the
crime of which Prier had accused his
once friend. And whatever else ne
might or might not think-howeveI
much his thoughts dealt with
strange past-however much with
dark and clouded future-howevel
bitter they might be-he had nc
more to say that morning, even tC
himself. For marriage: II can i'm
agine how a man might do it." Fol
murder: Il know he did not-cOulC
not-do it."
Elsie Barron Sem was sure that Gil
bert Sem was guiltless. She had no very
good reason for her belief, perhaps. She
would have given woman's reason hac
any one pressed her for a reason at all
Gilbert Sem was guiltles because
with a pause-because he wasn't gull
tv, Woman's reason! WOman's won
derful instinct! Higher than logic. o.
the needs of logic! We may laugh, scof
scorn; we may say our measures can
not determine it, nor our systems eX
plain it: no matter. The man who ha'
ever had a wOman's love or woman
friendship knows that she had powe
of prescience-a faculty of unreasoneC
cognition-which is as true as exist
ence. and as inexplicable. Elsie Sem
felt very sure that her husband had no
killed Constance Craig.
And j. B. Prer? What Of him? FL
sic Sem might have found new rea
son for her negative belief and a bet
ter one from a mere masculine stand
point, in Priers affirmative one, thar
she vet had. if she could only have
known that Prier knew that Sem mus
be guilty. The truth was, Prer wa!
very doubtful. He would have told yol
that he had arrested Sem 'on Suspi
cion." "On suspicion" is very con
venient term.
So, you see. Sem had very fair mi
nOrity of doubters.
Let us count them:
Walter Aldrich, whose promised brid
he had taken from him.
Elsie Sem, whom he had forced t
marry him.
j. B. Prier the great detective wh'
had arrested him.
And-and-
l am sure there were four.
And l am sure l did not count dea'
Donald Barron.
And-and-I remember now:
Lurline Bannottie knew that Gilber
Sem did not kill Constance Craig!
The trial of Gilbert Sem came oil
very speedily Mr.. Prier urged the au