The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04


ed angry. Then Mr.. Rood got up sud-
denly. overturning his chair and said,
Il won't hear anything from you" and
though he had not finished supper paid
his bill and went out of the resta urant
Mr. Montgomery had waited a few mo-
ments before he followed him. The
gentleman who had sat near the door
had been the last to leave the restau-
rant
And then" said Halle. warming TO
her narrative, they called the man
who had come into the Poodle Dog
with Johnny, and what do you think
il was Willie FELTON,"
"Not the one who went to dancing
school with us and had such red
cheeks?' I wondered.
His cheeks aren't red now" said
Halle; and he has wrinkles all
around his eyes, just like an old man.
He has been awfully dissipated. And,
oh, Ellie, you should have seen him
sitting up there looking at Mr.. Ding
ley and looking at Mr.. Jackson, and
biting his nails, and never daring to
look at Johnny Montgomery. He said
he had met Johnny about IL o'clock
that night, by chance on Montgomery
street They had walked a little way
together, and Johnny had said. L am
going away tomorrow and Willie Eel
ton asked was he going to the races.
Johnny laughed and said, No. l am
going to some place I've never seen
before, and I'm not coming back until
everybody has forgotten me- He be-
haved queerly. seemed to be very much
excited: although. Willie said, he was
sure he hadn't been drinking.
AS they came to the Poodle Dog
Johnny said. There is some one here
] want 10 speak to- And after they
were inside he said. Excuse me mo-
ment,' SO Willie FELTON, took table
near the door, saw Johnny talk with
Rood saw Rood upset his chair as he
went out. and Johnny follow him out
Of the door. When he himself got
outside he said that Rood was no.
whore in sight and that Johnny was
standing looking up Montgomery street.
He seemed TO be very angry. Willie
said, Where are YOU going?' and
Johnny turned on him and said, I'll
tell YOU where I'm gong-I am going
about my business! And then he
walked quickly away up the street in
the same direction that Rood had taken.
While he was telling about it"
Halle went on. 'Mr. jackson kept
interrupting, saying. Object. your
honor, and making it awfully hard
to follow the testimony. Then an
other young man was called, and
he didn't tell any story They had
hard time even making him
answer the questions. But he did tell
that he knew the quarrel between Rood
and Johnny began three years ago at
the time OF the California bank short
age, when Johnny said that Rood had
lied himself out Of prison and an inno-
cent man in
oh" 1 cried. I'm so glad."
Halle looked as il she thought I was
crazy. but ] explained that what
really was glad OF was that the quarrel
had been Rood's. and not Johnny's
fault; indeed, that it had shown Johnny
TO be in the right. at least that once.
Well" Halle declared ''he does need
a good word. must say"
This morning, she informed me, had
been awfully stupid-iust cross exam
ining, ard interrupting: but finally they
did call some one new-a Mexican
woman. And she testified that for two
years Carlotta Valencia's friends had
known her as Mrs Rood And then
mother wouldn't let me stay any
longer" Halle lamented, because she
said the woman wasn't proper person
But l wanted awfully to hear what else
she said"
Here Abby came in and remarked
that IL we were going to talk all day
we would better go somewhere else and
give Lee q chance to clear off the table
The garden has lovely places in which
TO sit, so we went out there and took
the rustic bench in the shade of the
cypress hedge.
But what does Johnny Montgomery's
lawyer say?" l asked, for that was
really the point Of interest to me.
Why, he claims that Rood committed
suicide because he was despondent over
something-business I guess; and of
course they did find a discharged re-
volver in the bar The weak spot in
that, father says, is that the bullet
Rood was shot with is much too small
for that revolver"
/ knew there was a far weaker point
in the defense than that and | won
dered, in the face of it, how l was ever
going to drag my unwilling spirit up
into the witness box. The summons
might come at any moment-might
come now. while we sat talking with
our feet in the sun and the cypress
shadow cool upon ou4 foreheads
At o'clock father came stepping
out of the conservatory, called out
what young person will give a tired
my questioning look. NO summons
for us today he said so l ran in TO
fetch the tea table
Tea In the garden was a rare event
The few warm spring days gave the
opportunity. and nothing was prettier
than the scarlet lacquer tray with the
Nankin cups set out under the hello
trope vines. | asked whether this was
any special celebration. aud father said
yes; It was 4 farewell complimentary
to him. He had to go out of town to-
night. He hated to be away over Sum
day. he explained. but there was busi-
ness at Alma which he must look into
some time during the next five days.
and week days for the present would
be out of the ouestion=by which
knew he meant he must stay on ac-
count of the trial Then he stopped
being sensible. and began teasing Hal
lie about her latest beau. He loves to
do that. because she takes It ali so
seriously. and never sees that he is
Joking her. Just as she was protest
ing that she had no serious intentions
toward the person in question, two
young men came around the path from
the front of the house. Hallie's beau
and Jack Tracy, who had fluttered my
sentiment a short time before by ask
ing me TO marry him. But now he was
too bubbling over with Importance 10
remember to look sentimental.
Had we heard the latest sensation
they wanted to know? Montgomery had
tried to break jail. Came mighty near
doing ii. too,
/ had been holding a cup and saucer
when he began speaking, and when
he stopped IL was on the brick path
in a hundred pieces.
-Poppycock," father said, "the town
is full of rumors."