Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-03
THE JUST AND THE UNJUST
BY VAUGHAN KESTER
Copyright. 1912 The Bobbs Merrill. Company.


shape before his very eyes, a mon
strous anachronism.
General Herbert had not been idle
while the unhufried preparations for
John Nofth's execution were going
forward; whatever his secret feeling
was neither his words nor his man
ner conceded defeat. Belknap had
tried every expedient known to criml.
nal practise to secure new trial but
had failed. and it was now evident
that without the intervention Of the
governor Norths doom was fixed I'M
alterably. Belknap quilted Mount
Hope for Columbus, and there fol-
lowed daily letters and almost hourly
telegrams but General Herbert felt
from the first that the lawyer was
rot sanguine of success. Then on the
Sth of June. two days before the
execution. came long message from
the lawyer His wife was iii, her re-
covery was doubtful; the governor
was fully possessed of the facts in
Norths case and was considering
them. would the general come at once
to Columbus?
late at night, and the next morning
father~and daughter We're driven into
Mount Hope. The pleasant life with
its agreeable ordering which the gem
eral had known for ten peaceful
wears had resolved itself into mad
race with time~ The fearful, the mon
strous. seemed to reach out and grip
him with skeleton fingers. Like the
pale silent girl at his side he was
knowing the horror of death, and a
horror that was beyond death.
They stopped at the Jail to say
goodbye to North. and were then
driven rapidly to the station. The
journey of about two hours seemed
interminable. but they rarely spoke,
Elizabeth did not change the position
she had assumed when they took
their seats. She leaned lightly against
her fathers broad shoulder and her
hands were clasped in her lap.
For weeks the situation had been
absolutely pitiless. Their wrecked eff
forts were at the door of every hope.
and If this mission failed-but It
would not fail. All they had come TO
ask was the life of an innocent
man. and surely the governor. unaf-
fected by local prejudice, muset
realize John North's innocence.
1t was O'Clock when they reached
their destination, and as they left
the car the general said:
I'VE will go to the hotel first.
Either Judge Belknap will be there,
or there will be some word for US.
At the hotel they found, not Bel
KNAPP. but a letter which he had left.
The governor was suffering from a
slight indisposition and was confined
to the house. Belknap had made an
appointment for him, and he would
be expected. The general crushed
the sheet of paper between his fin
gers with weary impatience.
"We'll see the governor at once
I'll call carriage he said briefly.
Five minutes later. when they had
left the hotel. Elizabeth asked:
what did Judge Belknap say?"
Nothing, dear, nothing-the mat
ter remains Just as it was. The gov
ernor is expecting us"
what do you think, father? This
is our last hope. oh, do you realize
that?"
She rested her hand on his arm.
Its going to be all right her
father assured her.
Then there was silence between
them until they drew up before the
governors house.
Side by side they mounted the steps
The generals ring was answered by
man-servant, who took their cards