Omaha daily bee., 1912-10-13

hoped in vain that something would occu
that would remove this bitter cup o
confession from my lips. But now, tn
end is here, and am glad. If your homo
please, | am ready. My only PRAYER j
that my friend here be released withou
further ignOminy or suspicion. | hav
done him great wrong, but one that i
not irrcparable.
"And at any rate, although the end ha
not justified the accidental yet trag
means, [ have accomplished that which
set out to do; I will not leave the wOrlc
without having done something to unit,
the lives of those who were meant fo
each other.
As Clark finished there was Il husl
throughout the court room; except for th'
convuIsive sobs of young RPnner, whC
sat with his head buried in his arms. The
girl in black clasped one of his hands
closely in both of hers. All thrnugh thu
trial she had come each day, buoying hin
up with her faith and her love - this MAJ
charged with the murder of one whom she
was to have married.
"The jury is discharged; the case OF
the State against John Renner is dis
missed. The sheriff will take into custody
Wilton Clark. The Court stands ad
journed. Clear the room' The quick
sharp orders from the judge followed the
conclusion of the remarkable confession
Clark was hurried into an anteroom to
prevent demonstration, and to this room
fled also Renner and the girl, in order to
escape the crowds that pushed and strug-
gled to be near the man who had come 50
close to death.
When the three were alone with the
sheriff, and Clark s hands were manacled,
the young lawyer turned TO the girl.
Esther, am | to be forgiven for hav-
ing caused you these weeks of awful suf-
fering and anxiety? Say that you forgive
me, dear, and | shall be content. My
motive was yours and Johns happiness
in the beginning
"Wilton, Wilton! You must - But
Renner's hysterical cry was stopped by
one commanding glance from the grave
faced lawyer.
~ want to have word of forgiveness
from Renner alone, now, Esther, if you
and the sheriff will let me- He held out
his hands and the girl, at first hesitating-
ly and then with sudden impulse, took
them. After that, burying her face in her
arm, she turned and walked hurriedly
from the room, followed by the sheriff,
an amable but lax official who ostenta-
tiously locked the door behind him.
"Steady, steady, Frank boy!" whis-
pered Clark as Renner threw his arms
convulsively about the shoulders of the
lawyer. Remember, your word We both
love her, Frank. Yes I too. You had
never guessed it? That was why | went
to Chicago the first time. She did not
care for me, and besides [ knew that
even were I to win her it was useless to
plead with her family. Life was a drab
waste for me- She loves you and you love
her. Together, you can both find happi-
ness, and in this knowledge is the only
Joy that the world holds for me. There
need be no cloud over your lives. This
trial has drawn you both so close that all
the prejudice of all the races in the world
can not keep you apart now. Her loyalty
to you has been the one great test she
needed to set herself free from her own
family. You are her all now.
"There is nothing to be remembered
about Klein. That accident must not sad
den both your lives. And as for me -
well, boy, that part of the confession
about leaving life, yes, that was mine
even if all the rest was yourS. 1t s a
glorious thought to carry with me into the
Valley - that | have made Esther happy.