Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-07-15

evening previous. IL was grim war
den who ushered two prisoners into
the. prisoners dock instead of one.
and, despite the efforts of the sur.
prised Judge and the believing district
attorney, there they remained.
The lawyers for the defense bright
come of this farce but one thing.
namely, the capitulation of the prose
cution and the acquittal OF their ell
ent. They kept a discreet silence
and waited.
The Judge refused to grant a post
ponement of the trial until the crimi-
nal could be detected. He hated ridi-
Guile. In a few crisp words he gave
the district attorney to understand
that he was there to try one Daniel
Holly for murder and as at this time
the said Daniel Holly was there before
him in the prisoners dock the trial
must proceed.
1t did. But old John Hampton, mas
ter of satire, ridiculed the prosecuting
attorney and defied him to pick the
accused from the two glowering men.
This, of course, he was unable to do.
The faces of the IL men in the jury
box were wreathed in smiles. And in
this way they strobe out to duly de-
liberate and deliver verdict.
With all confidence the attorneys
| for the defense waited. The district
attorney scowled grimly. BY far the
most disinterested appeared the prls-
oners.
An hour passed. The confidence of
the defense began to wane. Two hours
passed. The district attorney became
optimistic with the fight of time. The
prisoners seemingly remained in the
same glum frame of mind.
And now came the foreman to re-
port a disagreement and recommend
that the jury be discharged. Eleven
men stood for acquittal; one for con-
viction.
| Hampton gasped; an excited heart
pumped the thick blood into his face
and for moment it looked as If he
would suffer an apoplectic shock. The
district attorneys harsh, derisive
laugh revived him.
D. such luck!" Hampton whis-
pered to Brown after the Judge had
acceded to the foreman's request and
the jury had been dismissed. Were
done for now"
Yes, / guess you're right" sighed
Brown. THAT double idea of yours
was clever, but Holly's brother will re-
fuse to keep silent tongue until the
next trial. He's bound to give the
game away or else the district attor-
ney will find him out. It's miracle
that he doesn't know of him, as it is"
BY this time they were at Hampton's
offices.
There, complacently awaiting them,
sat Miss Preston, the dingy pompa-
dour in confident evidence beneath a
shabby picture hat.
Il just thought I'd drop in for my
money" ventured the stenographer.
Hampton and Brown gazed at the
girl in amazement. In the complex
ties of the trial they had forgotten
her. Gradually look of comprehen-
sion flashed into the eyes of the older
| IlC iCuuChCo LIZ ~
mean to tell me-" he rasped, that you
are responsible for this diabolical
miscarriage of my plans?"
Miss Preston gave her rated head
a defiant toss, and snorted like tried
war horse smelling powder.
Il don't like your tone, Mr.. Hamp-
ton," she shrilled, nor do / like any
better this hostile attitude" She peered
at the attorney suspiciously. 1T looks
very much like an attempt to beat me
out of my money"
your money!" Hampton roared like
an angry bull. Brown glared as if he
would like nothing better than a
chance to seize upon the girl and 90
her bodily injury. you certainly
haven't got sublime nerve enough to
come here and expect me to pay you
for electrocuting my client?" asked
the older man.
His stenographer laughed. Your
client is guilty all right" she said
but that has nothing whatever to do
with the case, for can prove that you
offered me $4,000 to bring about a
disagreement. I've done it, Now I'll
either have the money or I'll ruin your
good name, and put you in an unenvi-
able position. The papers would ap.
preciate this, / am sure"
Hampton smiled grimly. "You say
that you can prove that / offered you
this money. Pray how will you at
tempt it?"
The girl turned quickly to the ALI
gator grip and removed therefrom a
small talking machine. She quickly
adjusted a record and started It
Whir-r-r went the instrument, tS,en
What was my proposition" came
the squeaky but unmistakable voice OF
Miss Preston, and in the soft, insinu
ating answer from Hampton: You
are to bring about jury disagree
ment in the Holly easel"
The machine would have continued
had not Brown in some unaccountable
manner, tripped and fallen against the
table, which was promptly overturned
by the encounter, the machine
sma shed and the record broken