The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-04-20


need of books and clothing for the
boys. and that delicate Jenny must
have new fannels for the late autumn.
Bertha reduced her own food to the
least possible quantity and sent the
money home that should have pur-
chased her three meals every day
Suddenly something happened. When
Bertha. weak from fasting, dragged |
up the stairs one evening and unlocked
her door, a large white envelope lay I
upon the floor. She stopped to pick it
up and fell dizzily. 1t was addressed /
to her plainly. Within was bundle
of crisp bills and slip Of paper on
which was printed only four words:
The reward of silence"
Bertha drew back in horror, but the
money lay in her lap, crisp new bills,
$500 in all. Who can measure what
that sum meant to the half-starved lit
tie woman sick with the clamor ofneed
in her ears and with six souls depend
ent upon her exertions?
The next day she read an announce
ment of thousanddolIar reward for
the arrest and conviction of the MUIR
Then she understood But her lip
curIed- Desperate as was her need she
would not have gone into courtroom
to testify for $40 900. However, the no.
tice had curious effect. She decided
to use the other money, a little at
time She went TO the post office and
sent a generous remittance home, al
though not enough to excite any sus-
picion- This quiet little woman was
not without much shrewdness. She
felt that any change in her circum-
stances would excite suspicion among
those who still watched the neighbor-
hood. So she continued her frugal life,
only once in awhile allowing herself
good warm meal in a downtown
restaurant. The rest of the money she
sewed into the hem Of her schoo. gown
and went about without any anxiety
concerning it. 1t must la st -ong time.
In a months time, during which the
search for the murderer was unavail-
ing, Bertha found another white en-
! velope on the floor and the same in
closure. She wondered how it came
there, how anyone knew of her knowl-
edge. who it was that commanded so
much money and whether this was the
end of it. Bertha knew she was not
silent for the money, but she would
be silent with the money.
Then an arrest came, the arrest of
a relative of the murdered man.
Bertha had not calculated on the effect
such news would have upon her In
her soul burned the truth-the knowl-
edge that a glance would TEL her the
truth. She was in a fever. An inno-
cent man might suffer Her clear duty
shone before her and on the afternoon
of the examination Bertha Dunn.
paIlid and grave. worked her way into
the much-dreaded courtroom, packed
with spectators
Unaccust omed to the scene, she did
not even locate the prisoner, but she
failed to find. within the room. the man
of the dark red hair. the peculiar atti
tude. the long, 1.-THE arm, the haug h J
profile Nor did she understand The
procedure of events. She had hurried
down after her school hours and aim
lessly wandered about the city hall (
long time. too shy to inquire her wa,
inside. There had been number 0
witnesses examined and now the ludg'
, and several lawyers were consultin;
together in low tones. Suddenly tn
group fell apart and a stern vote
sounded through the room:
, The prisoner will stand upi"
Bertha could not see for the crowd
: ing forms pushing before aud besid
her. She struggled under one man
! elbow and emerged, hatless, to hea
I the rest of the judges words:
Arthur Kirby. you stand committe
, to Jail without bail for the murder o
. kincaid Homersonl"
But upon the silence that followe
the last word broke in woman's cry
"He o, no, he did not murder tn
r man, not hel"
: Then arose the wild sounds of me
shouting and women weeping wit
low And the little school teacher wa
: swept to the front and questioned St
: never once swerved. That was not Ii
K man nor anything like him. She kne
r that As to the real murderer, ST
d might or might not know him. but th
= young mamie was nothing like hir
s He was innocent, because she had SEE
a the real murderer, and this was n
d him at all
e Why had she not spoken?
II Because she was unable to do al
e more than save the innocent. ThiI
of it-a flash of steel in a moment
IT two forms in a sunshine shaft, then
% body on the ground And she-alo-
E. in q great building with few tenan
IS and night coming on.
ID The prisoner was discharged. 1
Re tectives and officers piled Bertha wi
~ questions But she was reticent. S
s had saved the innocent; she would Il
" betray anyone else.
at AS she entered her humble hol
le after nightfall she was conscious o
It, presence on the stairway behind h
X AS she fed to the security of her roc
q hand detained her in the darkness
be Good and wise little woman" 81
er q deep voice, you shall never be fl
e. gotten in all the years to come. I'll
ly man cruelty treated and deserted l