The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-15
A Mystery
Romance
Y
Copyright. 1909. BY Dodd.
Mead O. Co.
inued from Yesterday.)


The crowd died back into the court
room. Murgaroyd came In from his
private ONCE. the court took its seat
| upon the bench. and ~ Broderick
waddled In the barred door In the far
corner opened. and Challoner. as
| though In a daxe, walked down the
aisle, an oficer In front and one be-
| hind him.
A minute that seemed minutes elaps-
ed. and then the jury died ina jury
| whose faces. whose demeanor told
nothing. gave no sign.
Gentlemen of the Jury. said the
clerk rapidly. have you agreed upon
your verdictT -
I'VE have. came in chorus.
Whom do you say shall answer for
you?"
The eleven men pointed toward their
| foreman.
Gentlemen Of the jury" said the
clerk. how do you say you 6nd-guilty
| or not guilty.
| The foreman grfpped the rati before
him with his hand.
Guilty" he replied.
"what?" came from Miriam Challo-
ner shrtily. and the next moment all
the color had left her face. She was
| pale as death.
Guilty. your honor" repeated the
foreman In louder tone-"guiity OF
murder In the 6rst degree"
Gentlemen Of the jury. your verdict
| Is guilty of murder in the first degree.
and 30 say all OF your reeied or the
| clerk.
They nodded
Meanwhile Challoner sat sullen. des-
perate. bis chin resting on his hand.
! glartng into space. All OF sudden
there was a stir among those In the
front seats, and the judge. looking mp.
was surprised to see that 1t was caus-
ed by the defendants wife. who was
making her way determinsdly to the
| prosecutors desk. All eyes were fxed
on her as she placed her hand upon
Murgatroyd's arm and exclaimed hys-
| terically:
They found him guiity-guilty! DO
you understand? What have you got
| to say?"
Murgatroyd looked at her. but he
did not answer. She screamed at him:
what have you got to say to mel
Speak,
Murgatroyd was irnperturbabie
Miriam. aghast at his GOODNESS. star
ed at him: then she began again:
"You-you"- Her voice failed her.
| and. relaxing her grasp. she chung to
the table for support. Shirley ran to
her. held her. saying gently:
Miriam. dear. you are beside your
self. Come. come away
But Miriam braced herself and raso-
Iuteiy shook herself free from her
friend.
mo" she replied evenly. II am not
going!" And her voice rose rs she went
on: Don't let anybody 20. What
have to say want all Of you to hear
And. tottering over toward the bench
as tho spectators pressed tumuItuous-
" forward. Peter Frederick among
the rest. she exclaimed:
"Your honor: Your honorr'
What Is It. madam asked the JUS
tice. And. considering that the court
believed that II had 10 deal with .
case Of hysteria. the voice was sur
prisingly little tinged With irritabiiity.
But then the learned judge felt that
he must make some concession 10 q
woman OF Mrs.. Challonsr's high social
standing. and thsrsfory be added po-
Mtely. You must BE- brief"
Il shall be BRIEF" answered Nrs.
Challoner. II desire to make charge
against Mr.. Muryntroyd. the prosecu-
tor Of the pleasg'
The court glanced sympathetically
ut her.
II accuse him Of bribery. shs went
on "He promised TO ret my husband
freeF.
Shirley Bioodgood clutrAed her.
Miriam. what arc you sayingT'
bribery r asked the Justice. some
what startled. @"Briberyy'
For an instant thers was q subdued
uproar. Graham Thorns pressed for
ward toward the court. Brcderies
from the crowd behind pushed hts
way into the inclonure. Reporters
thrust their pads ana psncils into the
scene. Spectators stirred. became
noisy. but Mursatroyd never moved.
LET Mrs. Challoner 60 or demand
ed Thorne.
Clear this courtrcom.' ordered tbs
Justice. standing mp until his COM
mand was obeyed.
In few minutes none Was left With.
In the room except the officers and
those within the rail-. who included
Broderick. No court ofscer who val
ued biz position dared TO disturb Broo-
erick.
At last the court said:
s4Now, Mrs.. Chaii0nsr.''
Il want everybody here" abe cried.
her eyes flashing. 10 know and uu-
derYtand what this .psea haa DONE:
Her face was turned toward Nnrxa-
uoyd. Il bsgsed Of him 70 1T my
husband FIRE. Hs refused. He told
~ b could Do noth.as fos M /.