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

rose. then realized with a sense OF
desertion that father was not coming
with me. I would have 10 be alone.
Feeling strange. oh very strange. with
tho echo OF my own name stin ringing
in my ears, battered up the aisle toward
that railing. AS I 1dvanced 1 felt as II
were walking away from all the world.
heard the movement and the stir Of it
behind me. In front I saw only the faces
Of the lawyers, Of the clerk. Of the Judge.
and these all seemed without any feeling.
as If they were not people at all
] found myself standing in front of the
railing. and two men were facing me. one
the clerk Of the court, who was holding
an open book had an impression that
they were speaking TO me, still in those
monOtonous. artificial voices. as II they
were not saying anything with human
meaning IN IT, and while they spoke they
held their hands up. palm out. and I held
mine. The next thing 1 knew I was
mounting into the little raised and rallied
in seat on the left hand Of the judges
desk.
what Is It that is going to happen
here?" I thought. turned and took the
chair, and found myself facing a mass
a monster-numberless heads and eyes.
all gazing at me. A cold sensation Of
fear went over me. Ike a great wave.
closing my throat and making my head
feel as II It were fitted with a cap OF ice.
oh. cannot. cannot 1 kept repeat
ing 70 myself
But while 1t still seemed 10 me as II
should never make another sound.
heard a voice asking me my name.
recognized it as Mr.. Dingley's. To see
him standing up there and gravely. as II
he had never seen me before. putting
that question was indeed absurd. It was
| Impossible 10 be frightened with such
laughable procedure. He asked me my
age. my place OF residence, when he
knew both very well: then where had
| been walking when I heard the shot,
and with these questions I vas familiar,
having answered them all the day in the
library. so It made the speaking now a
little easier. And f;c.dlly. when he said:
Now tell the court and the gentlemen
Of the jury. as we'll as you can remember.
exactly what you saw. my only thought
was. "Oh. how often I have repeated
this before! VIII there never be an end
OF it?"
/ But as / began. l was aware that the
/ judges pen. which had been steadily
/ scratching ever since the court had
opened, had ceased: and as 7 went on ali
the rustling and whispering in the room
fell silent The stiffness made the place
/ seem immense. and for a little while my
voice went on through the silence like a
tiny thread And now II had stopped.
had come 10 the end OF what I knew. Il
had been so small a thing TO say, But
the silence was Sc deep dared not look
around. / kept my eyes on Mr. Ding
| ley's face. and thought Il looked very
| strange and worn
can YOU" he began. in his ponderous
official voice. each word coming down
heavily upon my ears. can you posi-
lively identify this person you describe
\ with the revolver"
believe that my Yes" was a move
/ ment Of the lips and a bend OF the head.
do you see him here in this court?"
/ They very idea Of looking again at
! that terrible mass OF head and eyes,
! all watching me- like some fabulous
dragon, brought back the sickening
panic. But, queerly enough, when
my eyes did move across them. I saw
only a dark. impersonal blur, and then
1 the one face. 1t appeared In the indeh-
niteness AROUND It, singularly near and
| distinct. He was looking al me with that
gentle, sweet expression which my sick
! fancy limited ne never showed except
when ne looked at me. And he was smil-
/ ing. reassuringly. as # he were enCOur-
/ aging me 10 go on: as II he would have
me to understand that no great issues
hung upon what was going TO say, that
really what was happening was not Sc
very momentous after all
! He is sitting there" I said 1.-THE
third from the end Of the bench. next e
Mr.. Jackson
Instantly voices or officers rang al
about the court, crying, order. order"
though there had been no sound. only q
great stir. which seemed 10 pass across
the crowd. and which the next moment
might have become artlculate I sa
trembling. wondering what II all meant
clasping my hands tightly in my lap. Al
the back of the hall was crowded with
men, and most OF these looked ike street
/ loungers, unshaven and rough. They stoOS
so close together they hid the door. and
seemed TO sway and press forward upoT
the room; and I thought, There are &
great many Mexicans in here"
Mr.. Dingley asked me more questions
II 1 had heard voices quarreling. and
had not: which side of the street had beer
in sunshine. and what color dress I haC
worn. told him. thinking that this wa.
nonsense again. And then Mr.. Jackson
said something to the judge, Mr.. Dingley
sat down. and Mr.. Jackson leaned on tn,
railing. making me think of a figure OF
the stage. and asked me why had I gon,
out at that early hour OF the morning
what had been my business, how had &
happened that I was walking through
such a street as Dupont, and how did
suppose the doors OF the saloon haO
happened to be open so early I
was all in such a tone as made my
cheeks burn with a sense OF sham,
and Indignation. though I could no
see what she was getting at TheI
suddenly he veered and demanded how
could ! tell that the handle OF the re
volver had been mother Of pearl when &
had fallen on the shady side Of tn,
street. how large was il exactly, how
had Johnny Montgomery held It. hov
had he thrown it, then-Quickly leaning
toward me-could I produce this re
volver?
At this there were sounds from To-
back Of the court like Kisses, aud voice
chOked of on the first syllable by rap
pings and calls Of Order The small
man. who was Mr.. Dingley's ASSOCIATE
attorney. was calling out, Il object, you