Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-20

ME ,A1NE
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I23{<3AV Copyright. !.
(CHAPTER VIII Continued.)
What is 1t that Is going to happen
here?" Thought. turned and took the
chair, and found myself facing a mass
"a ster-numberles heads and
eyes, all gazing at me. A cold sensation
of fear went over me, like agreat
wave, closing my throat and making
my head feel as IL 1t were fitted with
a cap OF ice. ooh, can not, can mott"
/ kept repeating to myself.
But, while it seemed to me as X l
should never make another sound,
heard voice asking me my name
recognized 1t as Mr.. Dingley's. To see
him standing up there and gravely, as
IL he had never seen me before, put
ting that question was indeed absurd.
It was impossible to be frightened
with such laughable procedure. He
asked me my age, my place OF resi-
dence, when he knew both very well;
then, where had been walking when
heard the shot; and with these ques-
tons was familiar, having answered
them ali the day in the library, SO II
made thu speaking now little easier.
And finally when he said: Now tell
the court and the gentlemen Of the
jury as we'll as you can remember ex-
actly what you saw" my only thought
was, ooh, how often I have repeated
this before! Will there never be an
end Of it?"
But as 1 began, was aware that the
judges pen. which had been steadily
scratching ever since the court had
opened, had ceased; and, as ] went on.
all the rustling and whispering in the
room fell silent. The stiffness made the
place seem immense, and for little
while my voice went on through the
silence like tiny thread. And now 1t
had stopped. had come to the end OF
what knew. 1t had been so small a
thing to say! But the silence was SO
deep dared not look around. kept
my eyes on Mr.. Dingley's face, and
thought 1t looked very strange and
worn.
"Can you," he began in his ponder
GUS official voice, each word coming
down heavily upon my ears. Can you
positively identify this person you des-
cribe with the revolver %
I believe that my Eyes was move
ment of the lips and bend OF the
head.
do you see him here in this court T.
The very idea of looking again at
that terrible mass Of heads and eyes,
all watching me, like some fabulous
dragon, brought back. the sickening
panic. But, queerly enough, when my
eyes did move across them, saw only
a dark, impersonal blur, and then the
one face. It appeared, in the indefinite.
ness around it, singularly near and
,distanct. He was looking at me with
that gentle, sweet expression which
my sick fancy limited he never showed
except when he looked at me. And ne
was smiling, reassuringly, as If ne
were encouraging me to go on; as II
he would have me understand that no
great issues hung upon what was
going to say, that really what. was hap
pening was not SO very momentous
after all.
+ HE is sitting there" said. "The
third from the end of the bench, next
to Mr.. Jackson.
Instantly voices of officers rang all
about the court, crying, Order, or
der!" though there had been no sound,
only great stir, which seemed to pass
across the crowd, and which the next
moment might have become articulate.
sat trembling, wondering what 1t all
meant, clasping my hands tightly IN
my lap. All the back Of the hall was
crowded with men, and most of them
looked like street-loungers, unshaven
and rough. They stood so close to.
gether they hid the door, and seemed
to sway and press forward upon the
room; and thought There are a
great many Mexicans in here"
Mr.. Dingley asked me more cues
tions-if I had heard voices quarrelins
and l had not; which side Of the street
had been in sunshine, and what color
dress / had worn told him, thinking
that this was nonsense again. And
then Mr.. Jackson said something to
the Judge, Mr.. Dingley sat down, and
Mr.. Jackson leaned on the railing, max
ing me think of figure on the stage,
and asked me why l had gone out at
that early hour of the morning, what
had been my business, how had it hap
pened that was walking through such
a street as Dupont, and how did sup.
pose the doors Of the saloon had hap
pened to be open so early? It was all
In such a tone as made my cheeks
burn with sense of shame and fndig.
nation, though could not see what ne
was getting at. Then suddenly he
veered and demanded how could / tell
that the handle of the revolver had
been mother-of-pearl when 1t had
fallen on the shady side of the street,
how large was 1t exactly, how had
Johnny Montgomery held it, how had
he thrown it, then-quickly leaning to,
ward me-could produce this re-
.velver?
At this there we're sounds from the
back Of the court like Kisses, and
voices choked off on the first syllable
by rappings and calls Of "Order!" The
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