The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1912-07-05


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 hts release had been managed so
swiftly and quietly that only the
lates editions Of that days evening pa
pers would contain the news.
I'VE tried to give you as much time
as we could" Warburton told him.
whatever your plans are, you'll be
glad not to be mobbed before you get
Q chance to put EN- across"
Coasts swift smile was reward
enough for the little man. He snug
gbed comfortably into his corner Of
the tonneau, the broad eccentric
curves of hts 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
rocked in a sea of emotions rediscov-
cred. The sense of freedom, of space,
of motion, the soft buffeting in hts
face Of the clean, sweet, unpent air.
the recognition of newborn world
A-rtot with cotor-vernal green, inef-
fable empyrean blue, flooding gold of
sunlight--played upon his heart a
muted melody.
Again he thanked his God his father
opd rpothor bod not I{vod ~ krow tha
day of his arrest
He experienced q curious freak OF
memory, very suddenly seeing be-
tween him and the glorious world
fragment of a scene, his trial, exceed
ingly vivid; Blackstock cropping a slow
way toward the witness stand, his dark
face the darker for an eye-shade, his
eyes masked sinisterly with smoked
glasses -.s..s..,..>
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 inexorable, Unsuitable, argus-eyed,
peopled with its staring millions, raw
ening with curiosity, whose appetite
should loug since have been glutted
with details of his disgrace He found
appalling the thought of reentering 1t,
of trying to take up his former life In
Its 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 sen
fenced. Would they ever learn to be-
ileve him guiltless, even though the
truth were published broadcast,
trumpeted from the housetops? Would
be 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
fuential friends? .
Exoneration! ga
The word was sweeter to him than
the name Of Freedom had been to his
forebears in 1776 and 1861. He dared
not breathe it-yet; he dared not hope
for it nor even question whether or
not it had been made his.
What If his release had been solely
due to the offices Of his friends, to
pressure brought TO bear upon the
state exAcrtiy92 He felt that
to discover such to be the case would
prove insufferahle. Death itself We're
preferable to life without yindication
of the charge that had been laid
against him.
So terribly he feared to learn the
truth.
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 coGnsd the
names Of 9 dozsn e the dearest; did
they behave in him, even now, HI
their sscret hearts! Had thay ever
had absolute faith In his innocence,
desnite their proteGtations? Would
he himself ever cease TO doubt them Sc
cretly?
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.
Whether it had been due to beiief In
his guilt, or to 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 70
Some miserable condemned wreton
meaning in his sleep door OF. two
down the row. .a..
His thoughts had swung the full
circle He ceased to think coherently
In time Warburton touched Coasts
arm with gentle hand 'Ldnch?" he
queried, almost plaintive.
To see Coast smile once more was
keen delight. .......s.
When they had finished, Coast, re
freshed and strengthened, diverted
-,