The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-10

can II be that this IS all / am 10 dO!'
thought. rs II over?" had expected
this for so long in my days and in my
dreams; and the moment had come and
had passed so quickly. And here was
father waiting for me.
II shall have TO testify. I viii take
you 70 the witness room and you can
wait Tor me there" he explained.
"Oh. no." said. 'let me stay here. I
am afraid TO be alone, I suppose the
thought Of the Spanish woman occurred
to him. for he did not insist, but really
was not afraid Of anything except OF
having to leave the court room before 7
knew what the end was to be-
BY the time I had got back 70 my
seat they had already called another
witness. and such a queer little. COM
pact ppsitive-looking woman, with a very
gay. very best hat, was sitting IN the
witness box looking, possibly as I had
looked, like a queer, scared animal in a
zen.
She told how on the morning Of May
she had been awakened by pistol shot,
had looked out OF the window and seen
a woman running down the street Cues
toned as 20 this woman's personal ap-
peaTance. she said she could not tell, but
that she wore a white dress. In what
direction did she run? The woman thought
South. yes. she was sure it was South
At this I saw father shake his head. for
our house was north Of Mr.. Rood's gam
bling place. and I noticed that Johnny
Montgomery. who had been very calm
while ] was talking. had now grown
nervous and jerked about in his chair.
Father was the next witness, and when
he came back again he really tried 10 in
sist that We should go home But, for
the first time in my life. I stood out
against him. said I could not go until
knew al least what was going 10 be-
come OF Johnny Montgomery. Father
gave me such a strange look. neither an
CRY nor sad-sOmethIng which did net
at all understand. He didn't urge me-
further. he hardly looked at me, but I
was conscious Of his set profile while 7
listened 70 a disagreement between Mr..
Dingley's associate and Mr.. Jackson. Mr..
Jackson waved his arms a good deal, but
the little man kept saying, II insist,
your honor And finally the Judge
seemed 10 decide il in a way that pleased
Mr. Dingley's man: though Mr.. Dingley
himself seemed not to be interested, pay
ing no attention al all 10 the little MAJ.
who kept leaning over and speaking eX-
citedly 10 him, and the court crier was
calling for "Latovier"
A pale. notwithstanding creature rose
up from somewhere out OF the crowd and
shufIed slowly toward the witness box.
There he IS" I heard the whispers
around me. why, don't you know?
That's the man who was shipped
on They only got him back yesterday.
He's supposed 10 know
I felt in my heat that something de-
cisive was coming, and had "A premoni-
ton it was going 10 be something bad:
the man appeared so wretchedly nervous
as he sat there in the witness-box He
| kept glancing al Johnny Montgomery.
shutting HIS feet. and shifting his hat
4 from hand to hand, and what they got
/ out OF him came not at all as a story, but
only with very many questions.
/ II seemed he had a little gunsmith' s
shop not very well known. 70 which, he
/ admitted. gentlemen such as the prisoner
there. hardly ever came. But, he said
that on q certain night. perhaps two
months ago. the prisoner and another
man had come into the shop and looked
a long time and bargained for the very
/ best pistol he had in the place. It was
a mOther-of-pearl handle, he said. with
| trimmings of steel and quite small He
I had told them that II was hardly the
weapon for a man 70 carry, and Johnny
I Montgomery had answered him that he
/ did not mean IA carry IL long.
/ At this there was quite an uproar in
/ the court. the lawyers shouting. the clerk
/ trying TO call order. and a great com-
motion about the dooy. But do not re-
member being afraid. only the incon-
venience Of having father keep his arm
/ around my shoulders while 1 was trying
to see how Johnny Montgomery looked.
/ Finally quiet was restored, and then
the man who had gone into the gun
smiths with Johnny testified: and after
another pause. with all my expectations
strained TO tighter pitch than I could
bear. came the general uprising which
meant the court dismissed. that it was
| noon.
Father. looking down at me. said,
Now what do you propose 10 do? Are
you going home with me?'
Please" said. go this one
thing for me- have done every
thing you have wished so far. I can
not endure not TO know the worst or the
best that can happen I must hear the
end. Let Us come back here again this
| afternoon"
! was so excited that didn't care what
father thought of me But all he said
! was. "Nell"' And, Then we VIII 20
over, TO the restaurant across the street
for luncheon instead OF going home"
! 1t was a help not to have to step out OF
the excitement OF the proceedings. It
was that which kept me up, which car
ried me along. There she IS: that's the
/ girl who saw IT." The voices whispering
behind me gave me a sad stir Of feeling.
but It was better than being left 10 think
It spurred me: and the clatter Of dishes
and the crowd which filed the restaurant.
talking all az once, yet with no distinct
words audible. all helped 10 bridge over
the chasm Of the waiting. I could see
Laura Burnet sitting at a near table with
her thick veil raised only a little above
her nose, just enough TO let her drink a
cup OF tea. Some Of fathers friends and
one or two OF the young men I knew
stopped at our table 20 shake hands, bat
very little was said and OF the trial moth
ing az all For all their trying 70 De
easy and natural. I could see that my
presence embarrassed them I could ses
them CHANGING at me as II they wondered
what sort OF person I could be-as though
I had hecnme snmethlnE different from q