The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-10-13
Copyright, 1910. By Louis Joseph vance,
CHAPTER III.


Coast walked out of Sing Sing to en-
ter his own car. his departure so con-
trived and timed that he was con-
scious neither Of strange face nor
curious stare. The occupant OF the
drivers seat proved to be the mechan-
fcian who had driven for him prior to
his trial and conviction; his Good
morning, Mr. Coast; it's a pleasure to
see you looking SO well. sir" conveyed
precisely the right degree of respect
full congratulation; in this, too, Coast
recognized the hand of his lawyer.
He was grateful, further, for the hamp-
err containing an excellent cold lunch,
as well as for the fact, which Warbur-
ton presently disclosed, that the affair
of his release had been managed SO
swiftly and quietly that only the
lates editions of that days evening pa
pers would contain the news.
1--WE tried to give you as much time
las we could" Warburton told him.
Whatever your plans are, you'll be
glad not to be mobbed before you get
a chance to put 'em across
Coasts swift smile was reward
enough for the little man. He snug
gled comfortably into his corner of
the tonneau, the broad eccentric
curves of his plump face and figure
radiating pride of conquest in addi-
ton to the honest delight he felt be-
cause of his clients deliverance.
To his client and friend the world
cred. The sense of freedom, of space,
OF motion, the soft buffeting in his
face of the clean, sweet, unpent air,
the recognition of newborn world
a-riot with color-vernal green, inef-
fable empyrean blue, flooding gold of
sunlight-played upon his heart a
muted melody.
Again he thanked his God his father
and mother had not lived to know the
day of his arrest
He experienced curious freak OF
memory, very suddenly seeing be-
tween him and the glorious world a
fragment of scene, his trial, exceed
ingly vivid; Blackstock cropping slow
way toward the witness stand, his dark
face the darker for an eye-shade, his
eyes masked sinisterly with smoked
glasses. -
Poor old Van Tuyl!
His nerves crawled with apprehen-
sions inspired by the city toward
which the car was bearing him; the
city of his birth and Punishment; the
city memorable, Unsuitable, argus-eyed,
peopled with its staring millions, raw
ening with curiosity whose appetite
should long since have been glutted
with details OF his disgrace. He found
appalling the thought of reentering It.,
of trying to take up his former life in
It's easy. ordered groove, Of coming
and going In the company of those
In whose eyes his brow would be for
ever branded with the mark of Cain
yes, even though he were exoner-
ated of the crime of which he had
been accused, for which he had been
placed on trial, convicted and sem
fenced. Would they ever learn. to be-
lieve him guiltless, even though the
truth were published broadcast,
trumpeted from the housetops? Would
he not remain to them always the
questionable hero of sensational
murder trial, whose escape from the
electric chair had been due simply
and solely to the exertions of his in
fluential friends?
Exoneration!
The word was sweeter to him than
the name Of Freedom had been to his
forebears in 1776 and 1851. He dared
not breathe it-yet; he dared not hope
for it nor even question whether or
not 1t had been made his
What II his release had been solely
due to the Offices of his friends, to
pressure brought to bear upon the
state executive? He felt that
to discover such to be the case would
prove insuferable. Death itself were
preferable to life without vindication
of the charge that had been laid
against him.
So terribly he feared to learn the
His friends, those who stood by him,
those who had been silent, those who
had denied him; what would be their
reception of him now? He conned the
names Of a dozen of the dearest; did
they believe in him. even now, in
their secret hearts? Had they ever
had absolute faith in his innocence,
despite their protestations? Would
he himself ever cease to doubt them Sc
cret1y? -
Katherine Thaxter =?
He had heard nothing Of or from
her since his conviction: before that,
little enough; note or two Of halt
ing sympathy, tinctured by con-
straint he had been afraid to analyze.
his guilt, Or to a thing more dreadful
In his understanding. he had never
found the courage to debate, not even
In the longest watches Of the hope
less nights when he had lain In wa
king torment IN his cell, listening to
some miserable condemned wretch
moaning in his sleep a door or two
down the row.
His thoughts had swung the full
circle. He ceased to think coherently.
In time Warburton touched Coasts
arm with a gentle hand. "Lunch?" he
queried, almost plainttve.
To see Coast smile once more was a
keen delight.
When they had finished. Coast, re-
freshed and strengthened, diverted
and enlivened, boldly grasped the net
tie.
"Welf-f" he asked with q steady