Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23

utes, he cried: but I am sorry to miss
the investigation"
ed out across the sands of The Throat
and disappeared. That much was &C
complished.
And now. Jean?" said.
"Lavouche is assembled and awaits you.
/ told Surcon, the mayor. that you were
come and desired a few minutes to re-
view In private the defense you would
make And Jean smiled ironically.
Is Senior Del Hervalle in attend
ance?"
He is present Also Pilon. Esper and
every living thing upon the Isle of La
What of Espero" ! inquired. anx-
iously.
AT noon I pulled him by the sleeve.
What will thy tale be?' I asked. The
tale Senior Del Hervalle invented for you
or the TRUTH He looked down his nose.
Senior Del Hervalle has paid something.
not SO much as he should. but something.
He is a very hard orange to squeeze
How much little rogue?' asked. 'Peste,
only little three hundred Then said ::
You have taken blood money. II you
utter not the truth when the proper time
comes to speak. /. Jean. will kill you 1
caught him by the throat turning up his
chin with my thumb. so that his eyes
looked into mine and not down his nose.
I. Jean, will slay you Immediately But
,
probably I shall have to kill him.
Jean spoke in a matter-of- fact tone.
There was no doubt In my mind that
Esper was slated for death II he mouthed
Del Hervalle's invention. Little Dsper.
as we'll as myself it seemed, was in a
Hervalle and Pilon, who would stop at
nothing to revenge themselves II he con-
victed them of a conspiracy; on the other
were Jean and I. who. If he did not.
u sinking heart that heard jeans news.
The little villain had sold himself for
$500. undoubtedly reasoning that while
death was certainty from his employer
and his companion, 1t was only a dan
gerous probability from Jean and my
self.
Things look bad for me, Jean, un-
less" I stopped.
Unless what. Charles?'
Il was going to say, unless heaven in
tercedes."
What heaven will do is not known"
here"
"Ah. Jean. you are, in truth, friend in
need!"
Were we not the same as brothers
when We played in this sand?'' He spoke
with lofty severity and moved his hand
in an embracing gesture. did we not
sail together. divide our bread between
US, share our joys and our sorrows?
Wherefore should I draw away now? l
know that you are innocent"
Noble as I knew him to be, this i'm
plicir trust, this unquestioning loyalty,
affected me as nothing else at the mo-
ment could have done 1t was as II the
sun had burst through the clouds and
driven them away: the depression which
had rested upon my spirits vanished, and
1 was my confident self again. OF all
the village, save old Gaspard and one
other whom / knew not of. but who was
soon to step forth. he was the one per-
son to stand by me unswervingly
You're worth q thousand" I said.
Come. let us proceed with the business
and get it over"
1t would be foolish to say that was
not wrought UP at what lay before me.
Outwardly my friends tell me I appeared
calm. but let any man stand where I
stood and his nerves would be on edge.
his mind tense. Fear had nothing to do
with 1t, my conscience WAS clear: yet to
he on trial. informal and unofficial as it
was: to have ones honor and integrity
cation of evidence; to know that perjured
testimony would convict you; that your
defense was as slender and incredible as
a mirage: that condemnation here meant
arrest and trial by constituted authority
later on, which meant, in turn. to have
your name ring over the country as
monster of iniquity-to know all this
when at the same time knowing your in
nocence was enough to set anxiety heavy
on ones head. Men walk to the tribunal
with cool pulses. we read: but II their
situation be desperate l doubt 1t. And
to my own worries was added that of An
drew. How did he fare. / asked myself
over and over: did he yet hold to life?
AS has already been stated. old Gas
pard'S house was at the end of the street.
room. in which he conducted his business
of making and mending boats. Since it
was the largest room in the village, it
had been chosen, as was commonly the
case for all communal meetings. as the
place In which to make the investigation
into Describes death and my alleged
crime. In length the boatshop was some
fifty or sixty feet. in width half as much
into which space l perceived upon arriv-
ing that most of the village was packed.
With that practical foresight which was
a strong characteristic of the fishermen
and their spouses, they had brought stools
and chairs, on which they disposed them
selves, leaving an aisle through the mid
die. Those who had not been SO thought
full or would not grow weary of standing
were grouped in the rear. and these
crowded the shop to the door.
Ny heart beat faster as made my way
through the group of men about the door,
who separated to let me within; for now
the moment had come. Some nodded or
babe me good-day: the most part re-
manned silent and curious. The rear of
the shop had been converted by old Gas
pard into a sort Of judges rostrum; three
boats bottom up formed the foundation,
while planks laid upon these constituted
a rude platform. On this had been set a
table. where Gaspard, who, despite his
gnarled fingers, could write fair hand,
had established himself with pot Of ink
a quill pen and sheaf of paper. He, 1t
seemed, would fulfill the role Of clerk,
as he did on occasions of Importance. Be-
side him sat the mayor, sunburnt, beard
ed, solid, grave. Indeed, the whole as
semblage was grave-men. women and
children, il l count not PilOn. who twirled
his mustache, and Esper. who smiled his
uncertain smile. Before the platform
there had been left an open space to ia
cilitate the passage Of witnesses
l took my seat upon the front row be-
side Betty; her hand stole into mine and
rested there. After moment l cast
look about. Opposite and in front were
Pilon Esper. madame, the inn woman.
knitting as ever, her ragamufan boy at
her side, and two or three of the staid
advisers whom Surcon had been accus-
toned to call into counsel and who now
lent him the weight of their presence
With me We're Betty. Muriel, Mr.. Moore
Stevens, Senior Del Hervalle and his sec
rotary. Jean leaned against the wall of
the platform, erect, silent. immobile, arms
folded.