The Washington herald., 1910-08-04
CHAPTER Iv-COntinued.

II seemed that since I had been away
from the city this strange thing had hap
pened: the Spanish woman, whom the
papers had described as mourning for
Rood. had taken up the defense of Mont
gomery I couldn't understand it, 1t
would seem that ought 10 have been
slad-I. who had been so anxious to ind
champion for him-but queerly enough
the only feeling that came was the one
Of fear as II, instead Of saving, she had
been dragging HIM into worse danger.
lay staring now at the ceiling, now at
the window. where. toward dawn. a pal
ing light began TO shine I no longer felt
the nervous anxieties that had kept me
awake through the earlier part OF the
night was Gained by one great dread
the thought Of the Spanish woman Her
presence rose up and possessed my tmagi-
nary court room. obliteraung the figures
Of the Judge and the lawyers, until II
seemed that she and / and the prisoner
were the only persons in the room. and
that the one person she was fighting in
all the city was myself
The next morning when I came IN 10
breakfast father laid his hand on my
cheek, which felt very burning, and said,
You are not ht 10 answer one ques-
ton" Ny throat was dry. and it was
hard to swallow things, but he stood
over me and made me eat a good break
fast. After that he had me 90 over the
story Of what I had seen on The morn
ing / had been coming home With my
basket Of mushrooms. When that was
done. NOW remember" he said. "all
YOU will have TO do will be 10 tell that
same story. and to answer. 10 the best
OF your recollection. all questions put 70
you. II you are careful 10 do that they
can't confuse you Abby had fetched
my turban with a dark veil which !
had 20 put over my face before / went
into the street There a carriage was
waiting
AS we drove il seemed 10 M there
We're more people in the street than us
ual and when we reached the jail there
was dense crowd in front Of it. and
policemen were striking with their clubs
10 make a passage through. But our
carriage drove. as Mr.. Dingleys had
done before. around the building and
through the little alley 70 the back en-
trance Even here some people were
gathered. and as I stepped TO the pave
ment woman called out In a shril
voice. Amt that Carlotta Valencia 2
Father seized me, and almost Hfted me
up the steps and into the colby liz hail.
To-day. however Il was not empty.
A continuous stream Of men. some of
them escorting ladies. were hurrying in
the front door. and across the echoing
flag and up the stairs. Following
them. we were upon the first bal
cony and In front Of the, door which was
kept a-swing by the people going in.
Father stopped and said something TO a
policeman. who seemed 10 De on guard
in the hall He pointed al a door next
TO the one which was so constantly open
ing and shutting
This way" father said. and I found
myself much 10 my surprise not in a
crowded court room. but in a small box
OF a place, hardly large enough 10 hold
the six chairs that furnished II. and with
only one other person in It besides our
selves This is the witness room.
father explained I'VE await our sum
mons here"
I took one OF the six chairs. The room
was a dreary little place. with a high.
dingy ceiling, one small window. placed
far up the wall. and a small air-tight
stove with no fire in 1t. l looked at the
one other occupant with a greater inter
est, now that I knew that he must be
a witness. He was a dark. slick. MeXi-
can-looking man. who daneled his hat
nervously from his fingers. and kept
glancing at the door. Presently It opened
policeman put his head in and said.
Witness Manuel Cora" The Mexican
jumped and shufied hastily out. Father
took the Alta California from mis- coat
pocket. and I sat trying TO make out the
pattern in the old carpet at my feet
7 had distinguished dead-looking rose
and some faded out sunhowers when I
heard the click Of the door. and a watt
Of perfume touched the stale air. and
made II like a garden looked up. There
she stood in the doorway, the Spanish
woman.
She was all in black. her face wax
white, a little black hat on her wonderful
golden-rod hair, and in her breast a
tuberose. II was the intoxicating sweet
ness Of that which had breathed upon me
first. and now kept on breathing upon me,
while she watched me through her eye
lashes. From sheer fright I kept looking
at her-I couldn't help it-until I felt
fathers hand touch mine. That seemed
to break the spell. looked down at the
carpet again and felt the color rushing
TO my face. I heard the rustic OF her
dress, soft, silky, indefinite sound. She
had come forward into the room, had
taken one Of the chairs, knew-I heard
the subsiding of her draperies-and then
I felt a her watching me. Her presence