The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-08-29

o1AxA
But nobody stirred; no one would
lave thought of leaving before the last
act of this interesting play. The chief
actor was not on the stage for the mo-
ment, but his presence was felt. 1t was
magnetic in its appeal to excitement.
Every question put by the coroner, ev-
cry reply given by the witness, had, as
1t were, Luke de Mountford for it's aim;
every word tende toward him, his un-
doing, the enmeshing of his denials in
the close web OF circumstantial evil
denoe.
hen a diversion occurred.
The man in the shabby clothes, who
looked like a beetle, and who had mar
shalled his companions into the court
room early in the day, was called upon
by, the usher to come forward. His
strange, poorly clad figure detached it
SELF from the groups Immediately round
him, his long, loose limbs seeming to
swing themselves forward.
HIS tour comprehensive three
women and the other man-were seized
apparently with great agitation and
whispered eagerly among themselves.
these people had been called. They
seemed so completely out of the picture
which had it's invisible frame in Gros-
venor Square.
60 on, Jim!" whispered one OF the
young women, they can't do nothing
to ye."
And the beetle : like creature
shambled forward, with arms dangling
beside him, a humble, apologize look
on his care-worn face. He might have
been any 6 from 80 to 60; time and
a perpetual struggle for existence a
wiped way all traces Of actual age. The
cheeks We're hollow, and eyes, mouth,
and moustache had a droop which ad-
ded to the settled melancholy of the
face.
He was obviously very nervous and
looked across at his own friends, who
strove to encourage him by signs and
whispers.
He nearly dropped the bible when it
was handed to him, and no one could
really hear the oath which he repeated
mechanically at the usher's bidding.
AT last he mustered up a sufficient
amount of courage to state his name
and address.
James Baker" he said in answer to
the coroner's question. "Bricklayer by
trade
And where do you live?"
l47 Chaplain Junction Road, SIR"
replied the man, scarcely above a
whisper.
Speak up. please" admonished the
coroner, the jury can't hear you. You
came here, I understand, prepared to
make a statement"
Yes, sir"
"Of what nature?"
The man shifted his position from
one leg to the other. Heavy beads of
p~erspiration stood out on his pallid
forehead.
Go on. jim; don't be afeeard," came
from the body of the court.
Silence there!" commanded the ush-
Il wished to say, sir" resumed the
man, trying to steady his voice, that
the deceased whom l saw lying in the
coffin yonder is my own son, Paul
Baker. sir"
Your son!"
MY son, sir" asserted the man
somewhat more steadily, my son and
is mothers, as is sitting over there.
My son, Paul Baker, as left 'ome two
year ago come next Christmas. We
all come ere, sir, today, me and is
mother and sister an Smith ar Jane
we all como ere to swear to i'm"
your son!"
The exclamation once more came
from the coroner, but had any one else
dared, hat exclamation would have
peen echoed and re-echoed by every
mouth in the court room, coupled with
emphatic calculations of incredulity
II was as If In a new castle of some
grim. sleeping monster a magic wand
a touched every somnolent spirit.
smelling salts n scented handker-
chlefs We're forgotten; the jurynen
leaned forward half across the table,
oblivious of their own dignity, In their
e~ndeavour to obtain q fuller view of
this w1elder of the magic wand, the
peetle-like creature with the sad eyes
ana pale. hollow cheeks. Even the re-
porters-acCustomed to sensational
e~Vents-gave up scribbling in order to
stare open-mouthed at the shabby fig
ure standing by the table.
AT first, of course, the predominant
sensation wac one Of sweeping incred-