The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-04-03
CHAPTER XIV.

The next morning every available
seat was filled early. People had
blocked the rough plank walks lead
ing to the courthouse long before the
doors we're unlocked. The day prom
Used to be fine, and the many teams
coming and going between Kemah and
the river to pick up the Velpen peop-
pie who had crossed the ice on foot
gave to the little town somewhat of
the gala appearance of fair time. The
stately and blanketed Sious from their
temporary camps on the fat were
standing around, uncommunicative,
waiting for proceedings to begin. Long
before the judicial party had arrived
from the hotel the cramped room was
crowded to it's limits. There was
loud talking, laughing and joking.
Local wits amused themselves and
others by throwing quips at different
members of the county bar or their
brethren from across the river as they
walked to their places inside the rail-
ings with the little mannerisms that
were peculiar to each.
The door in the rear Of the bar
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 of her
gloves and took her place, examining
the end of her pencils with critical
eye. 1t would be busy day for the
gal reporter" Then Langford came
showing his way down the crowded
aisle with a sad-faced, brown-eyed,
young woman in his wake, who yet
held herself erect with a proud little
tilt to her chin. There was not an
empty seat outside the bar. Louise
motioned, and he escorted Mary to
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 DOW
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 lust
and telling wrath. He scintillated with
a
Black, easy and disdainful as of old.
After them, small man came gliding
in with as little commotiOn as if he
were sliding over the floor of a waxed
dancing hall in patent leather pumps,
He was an unassuming little man with
quick, cat-like movements. which one
lost if one were not on the alert,
When he had slipped into a chair next
his associate, Small, the inflammable
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 it. l fancy that is what
the Scriptures meant by the mark of
CAIN"
The remark was addressed to no in
particular, but it reached the ears of
Jim Munson, who was standing near,
Good Lord, mani" he said, with a
grim, that's the plumb smartest Grim
inal lawyer in the hull county. That's
a 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 delight
whenever he thought of it. What a
tale for the boys when he could get
to them!
These cattle mem" This time the
tenderfoot communicated with him.
self-he had square chin and a d.
rect eye; there were possibilities in
him. Their perverted sense of the
ridiculous is diabolical."
There were others who did not
know the little man. He hailed from
the southern part of the state But
Gordon knew him. He knew he was
pitted against one of the sharpest.
shrewdest men of his day.
Gentlemen, I think we are ready
said the judge, and the game was on
again. ~ ~
The state called Paul Langford, it's
principal witness in default Of VIII.
iston. -. :
"Your name, place of residence and
business?" asked the counsel for the
state. % -.
Paul Langford. I reside in Kemah
county and own and operate a cattle
ranch" Al. @:.
After Langford had clearly de-
scribed and identified the animal in
question, Gordon continued:
Mr.. I4angford, when did you first
miss this steer? =# *.
On the 18th day Of July last,
How did you happen to miss this
steer? p 2%
My attention was called to the fact
that an animal answering this de.
scription and bearing my brand had
been seen under suspiciOI1s f1nt an ~ ),