Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-15
.Aul6or Of THE COAST OF GU


law is Just great machine Of rules,
and that this Is one Of them: that you
must tell whatever you have seen, no
matter how unjust, no matter what
harm it does? 1t Is for that reason
do not go to the law. ] come to you,
who are q woman like me, and have
compassion. You say you do not know
this man. but you have seen him. You
can not be quite blind to what he Is.
He has been rash and foolish and 1T
is true that he has made angry some
very virtuous citizens'-she rolled out
the last two words with curl OF her
handsome lip-"but he Is a most low
able, and charming boy, and the most
brave Can't you see by his face that
he could not do an evil thing? He was
dragged into this affair as a matter OF
honor; the quarrel was fair and open
one"
A joyful feeling went through me at
her words-the first really kind, saw
| ing words had heard spoken of him.
| l almost loved her for them; and the
expectation that the next moment |
was to hear the explanation of them
! held me, leaning forward in my chair,
breathlessly.
! She made aAlittle imploring move
ment toward me with her open hands.
l''It would be cruel cruel for gentle,
ltender-hearted girl like you to speak
such words against him!" A faint color
was beginning to shine in her cheeks
and her eyes had opened wide their
wonderful blacks.
But cried, eff you know some
thing in his favor why don't you go
Into court and tell them about It.? If
only you would speak to them as you
| do to me. / know they would believe
you! They couldn't help it,"
She shot quick glance at me, half
suspicious, half fierce; but Immediately
/ it softened into rather sad smile.
THAT is very gracious of you, to speak
so, but about the court do not make
a mistaken! The words l have, the
things I know, are not those that
speak to the mind but to the heart. All
that the lawyers take count of is facts;
and for the jury, they would be more
swayed by one word little innocent
eyed girl will say, than by the most
eloquent plea could offer. 1t Is you
who will sway this balance of Justice.
Do not try to escape from that respon-
sibility. Think, think, of how, when you
saw him come out of the door, he
looked at you, and with his eyes I'm
plored you to be SILENT" Z
| stared at her, terribly wrought
upon by the memory she had called up
lby that look; astounded that she had
known OF 1t. had even been able to
translate its meaning for me.
eyes," she said smiling, "I know all
"A n and
! told them" Her voice grew very ca
ressing. But that was in the moment
when you had lost your head. Now that
you have had time to think 1t all over,
now that you know how much 1t means
oh, surely, you will not speak again!
beg you, In human mercy, not that
you plead for him, not that you tell a
false story, but only as you are a
woman, keep. silence, keep silence!"
! / listened with increasing dismay, as
the hot words poured from her lips;
| and, with the end, revulsion Of feel
ing took me, lost and bewildered
sense Of being completely astray. 1t
was not. to tell me anything she had
called me hither-oh quite the oppo-
site!+it was to try to close my lips.
! If hadn't been so blinded by my OBJ
stinate hopes might have thought OF
this before! might have saved myself
the ordeal; for had felt the very heart
in me weaken at the picture OF him
her words called up.
IF could make myself believe as
you do" said, that what have to
tell will condemn him, even though
he is innocent, should want myself,
to die. But l can't believe, can't think,
that God can be so unjust as to let him
be condemned when he is Innocent!
She let her head drop back and
laughed aNlittle. "You will find, my
child, that it is. men who control the
affairs of the earth; and that if you
believe any such fine things of them
you will be disappointed. AS for the
lawyers, they will convict an innocent
man, as merrily as they will eat their
dinner, If only the popular cry is loud
enough. and they can get enough OF
what they call evidence. against him
Do not expect any miraculous inter
vention on his behalf"
II don't" cried stoutly. ,"But some
one must know the truth Of what has
really happened; and that person sure.
ly will come forward and tell what he
knows before he will let Mr.. Montgom-
cry be condemned. oh, if only knew,
nothing should keep me from saying
! it," (.
| She had drawn herself upright in her
chair, her face whittier than her flower,
her clenched hands resting on either
arm and now she slowly rose to her
feet. Standing there she seemed fairly
to tower above me, and looking down
with her eyes glimmering upon me
through her lashes. What If he is
guilty?" she said slowly. Il
The room around me grew dreamy.
Ny head felt light. Allthe things had
ever believed in seemed to have fallen
far, far below me, tiny and incense.
| ouent closed my hands hard around
the arms of my chair. chung to 1t as
| if it had been my last principle of
faith 81 have given my word" ]. said,
"and even if had not, should have
to tell the truth. It is a question of
honor"
She stood moment longer with her
hands still clenched and slightly
raised, as If she were going to strike
a blow-myself, or her own breast.