The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-28

believe it, Don't you know she's going
to fight us every inch Of the way?
You'll need every scrap of testimony
you can dig up. And such an important
piece as" They were advancing up
the hall I shrank back and closed the
door.
Family 1 heard the voices in the hall
going on a few moments longer, then
the front door shut with o deep sound,
and the house was still. / got back
into bed, but 1t was not to sleep
It seemed that since I had been away
from the city this strange thing had
happened: the Spanish Woman, whom
the papers had described as mournin e
for Rood. had taken UP the defense of
Montgomery. I couldn't understand It.
It would seem that I ought to have
been glad who had been so anxious
to find champion for him-but queerly
enough the only feeling that came was
one of fear, as If, instead of saving, she
had been dragging him into worse dan
ger. | lay, staring now at the ceiling,
now at the window, where, toward
dawn. a paling light began to shine
I no longer felt the nervous anxieties
that had kept me awake through the
earlier part OF the night. I was Gained
by one great dread,-the thought of
the Spanish Woman. Her presence rose
up and possessed my imaginary court
room, obliterating the figures of tho
Judge and the lawyers. until IL seemed
that she and I and the prisoners 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 to
breakfast father laid his hand on my
cheek. which felt very burning and
said You are not fit to answer one
question" My throat was dry and
1t was hard work to swallow things,
but he stood over me and made me eat
a good breakfast. After that he had
me go over the story of what I had
seen on the morning I had been COM
ing home with my basket of mush-
rooms. When that was done. Now
remember" he said, "all you will have
to do Will be to tell that same story,
and to answer to the best of your re-
collection all questions put to you. If
you are careful to do that they can't
confuse you" Abby had fetched my
turban. with a dark veil. which 1 had
to put over my face before l went into
the street. There a carriage was wait
ing.
As we drove it seemed to me there
were more people in the streets than
usual; and when we reached the jail
there was a dense crowd in front of it.
and policemen were striking with their
clubs to make a passage through. But
our carriage drove, as Mr. Dingiey's
had done before, around the building
and through the little alley to the back
entrance. Even here some people were
gathered; and as I stepped to the pave
ment a woman called out in a shriil
voice, Amt that Carlotta Valencia?"
Father seized me, and almost lifted me
up the steps and into the high, coldly
lit hall.
Today however, 1t was not empty. A
continuous stream of men, some of
them escorting ladies, were hurrying in
the front door, and across the echoing
flags, and up the stairs. Following
them, we were upon the first balcony
and in front of the door which was
kept aswing by the people going in.
Father stopped and said something to a
policeman who seemed to be on guard
in the hall. He pointed at door next
to the one which was so constantly
opening and shutting.
This way" father said. and / found
myself, much to my surprise, not in a
crowded courtroom, but in a small
box of place, hardly large enough to
hold the six chairs that furnished 1t,
and with only one other person in 1t
besides ourselves. This is the witness
room" father explained. I'VE await
our summons here