The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-04-12
Copyright, 1909. by the Bobbs Merrill Co.
By
LUCIA CHAMBERLAIN

tie Wnlle my voice went on through
the silence like a tiny thread. And
now II had stopped. | had come to the
n of what | knew. 1t had been so
small a thing to say. But the silence
was so deep | dared not look around. !
kept my eyes on Mr.. Dingley's face and
thought II looked very strange and
, worn.
Can you,' he began in his ponder
Gus official voice. eacb word coming
down heavily upon my ears. Can you
positively identify this person you de-
scribe with the revolver
| believe that my yes was a move
ment of the lips and n bend OF the
head.
DO you see him here in this court?'
The very idea OF looking again at
that terrible mass of heads and eyes,
all watching me. like some fabulous
dragon, brought back the sickening
panic; but. queerly enough. when my
eyes did move across them | saw only
a dark. impersonal blur and then the
face. 1t appeared in the indeti-
niteness around it ~singularly near and
distinct. lie was looking at me with
that gentle. sweet expression which
my sick fancy limited he never showed
except when lie looked at me. And
he was smiling reassuringly, as If he
were encouraging me to 90 on.
He is sitting there | said, the
third from the end of the bench. next
to Mr.. Jackson"
Instantly voices OF officers rang all
about the court. crying: "Order. or
DER though there had been no sound.
only n great stir. which seemed to
pass across the crowd and which the
next moment might have become ar
ticulate. All the back of the hall was
crowded with men. and most Of these
looked like street l%oungers. unshaved
and rough. They stood so close to-
gethcr they hid the door and seemed
to sway and press forward upon the
room. and | thought. There are u,
great many Mexicans in here
Mr.. Dingley asked me more ques-
tions-if | had heard voices quarreling.
and | had not: which side of the street
had been in sunshine. and what color
dress | had worn. | told him. thinking
that this was nonsense again. And
then Mr.. Jackson said something TO
the Judge. Mr.. DinGley sat down. and
MI. Jackson leaned an the railing.
making me think of Il figure on the
stage. and asked me why ] had gone
out at that early hour of the morning.
what had been my business. how II
happened that | was walking through
such Il street as Dupont. and how did
| suppose the doors of the saloon had
happened TO be open SO early? 1t was
all In such Il tone rs made my cheeks
burn with Il sense of sha me and indig-
nation. though | could 20 see what lie
was getting at. Then suddenly he
vccred and demanded how could | tell
/ that the handle of the revolver had
been mother of pearl when il had fall
oil on the shady side of the street. how
( large was il exactly. how had Johnny
Montgomery held IT. how had he
thrown it, then-quickly leaning to-
ward me-could | produce this re-
v~olyer:
At this there were sounds from the
back of the court like Kisses n voices
| choked off ON the first syllable by rap
pings and calls of Order" The small
man who was Mr.. Dingley's associate
attorney was calling out, Il object.
your honor.'' very fiercely.
felt faint and did not know in the
, least what was the trouble. | began
10 answer that | had not touched the
revolver. but the judge smiled ut me
and said in his conversational voice
only now il was not Indifferent. but
very klnd-"You needn't answer that
question"
So | said. THANK YOU" And Mr..
Jackson said. THAT will do n i
noticed that some Of the jurors we're
smiling. but quite nicely. SO ] dmnt
mind that. ms | went down out OF the
witness box.
..Con If he that this is all | am TO
do thought. us it over? had
~expectei this for so Ions IN my Gays
and in NV dreams and the moment hau
come and had passed 81 quickly. Ana
here WAS father waiting for me.
II shall nave 10 testii!' "" 49,
Won TO the witness room. ana you can
v.,it for me there" he exriaihen
t. me. 49,.
ooh mo-" | said. ''let me stay mere
am afraid to he alone. SUPPOSE
the thought of the Spanish woman
occurred TO him. for he did not Insist
nut reoIly | was not afraid Of any
thing except of having 10 'eaVe .ne
courtroom before | knew "ha' tue
end was To be.
Rv the time | had got back 10 my