The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-10-20
Daily Short Story
he Verdict

" ON crNlse."
Good scheme" acknowledge tne at
torncN- III arrange with the watch
man 20 look after tIe lights. and I sin
cefely hope he viii need but one Lantern
the white"
For q long time after the attorneys
departure Black carefully thought over
tNe case, searching his mind FOR the
weak spots In his defense. and going
over tne strong. damaging points his
And De realized that his fate. free
ooin or conNicts cell. were only separat
81 by a. hairs breadth. and that the
scales OF Justice were Just as apt 10
swing one way as the other.
Finally the prisoner went 10 me
" inuuw ana stood with his face close
70 the heavy iron bar and peered out
b into the night
appeared Ia The alleyway. and with eager
eyes he watched IL swing backward aud
forward. then stop and remain station
The pure hite light warmed his heart
The rumore were favorable.
lie went back t. his bench and sat
down. and 10 seemed but Few minutes
. before the clock high above MIN IN the
shado"y belfry doomed out the hour or
Again he looked on. OF the WINDOW
the white light was stiu burning
Hummlng lively tune. he turned
away and started gathering together his
books. papers and few BELONGINGS which
D. would take home with him-ror ~
.
soon toe trial. and even the Jail. would
D. a msmory-tn adventure 10 be re-
lated on dark gloomy nights before a
The packing finished. ne aagin strolied
] over 70 the window and looked out
The light had disappeared
No, there 80 was,
But now a dun. suIlen red
d,I lie shrank back from ~ barred win
which Eripped ais very vitais
The weeks OF mental worry. like
! slow poison or "a wasting Sickness. had
steadily but surely undermined hfs
system. and now. when hope the great
est tonic or ALL had Eone-he collapsed.
When human nher could stand 10
NOR. nature came 20 the rescue. the
tortured mind became blank. the
wrctched SOUL drifted OF q higher
Ilanr. me terrific heart pulsation grew
slower: the twitchiug muscles relaxed
while the strained nerves were once more
normal
Huttuaturc. when batting with terror
femorse. or Euiity conscience. for some
rsNchologtcel reason. only half does rer
work. size gives her victims short re-
f' tone up the system and make ~ more
sensitive To fufure fortunes instead or
,nd'hnitely allowing the victim TO lapse
INTO iusenSihility. or. better sim. com
IlrtelN sever tie silver thread of life
Ana 50 10 was I'm this case-slowly the
Wrstchcd man rcEained CorsciouSness
Mechanically he raised himself on one
elbow ma his dazcd orbs peered around
10 cell. gradually picking out the IA
d
memory
a nameiess awe came over him as
he reviewed This weird uncaruv ne
s"mhlv OF phautasms FOR during the
years OF his mad struggle FOR success
he had never stopped o. think or ffa
many ho had ruined. businesses hc mad
wrecked. and all Co further his own end.
f-N'n Ai- transactions nj the bank
was true Dee had specuIatcd with the de-
posters money, hut that was only high
finance. 90 ers dii ~ every dnv. only
thrN were not found ont. and he was
Ills mind wandered back 20 the Ja,-s
~ bis Cniil' ou1-0f his mother
row pro-. she had been Of his sue
cess. how she Ind rotlcrcd him and
inss'd over Hiw even when ne was a
idll-rrowu-uu man. and then her dsa o.
.e hardship - penal servitude did
h.' worry hlm ae much as that thought
- what lifo would mean after he lad
-"r.ed his senten.~
lie would h" broken old war-a fail-
bird rnt even bie wealth could rot bro
tee, him from rificule and r-istrust.
Thcr from the inner fastncss or his
convicted vet. and thar every man Is
IS assumed 90 be innocent until proven
lunocent--untu proven guilty
Again and srain the words rang IN
rs ears Ike an aggrav1ting evcr-present
chorus " "a popular song. craduaiIv
FASTER until they sUelled into a gigan-
Nr crescendo-theu stopped.
prisoner. Dis body st'Tsre7 and hfs ct.s
tlttef"d with new purr Sc
~ .r l.All DIG now. before sentence
in history a- a convicted criminal. hut IN
ihr eyes ~ tho law an innocent man.
,,l Tie T3 49, ~. lace - fac yith two Riterna-
IL those f"w short seconds he had
pulled out small raciare - - ee ems
Iif' nH| been given EIm hv ffe r.y-