Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15


necessary to make a majority of the COM
mittee. No use buying up any more votes
than we need, suppose1'
@No, and it wouldn't be safe,' the Alder
man replied. twenty-five thousand are
the correct figures"
@Well, it's go then. It's got to be,-we
have got to put this thing across while pub
lie sentiment is still favorable, or at least be-
fore some demagogue gets to meddling and
wakes them up. They have taken your
word for it that it is just the thing, appar-
entity"
He was seen to reach into his pocket and
draw out bullying wallet. He was seen to
open it and take out packet of bills.
He counted them off, one by one, until he
had laid twenty-five of them on the table
before the Alderman. He placed goodly
wad back into his wallet The Alderman
looked over at him and smiled as he patted
his share of the bills into an even packet,
and slipped them into his own pocket.
@Well, you seem to have come heeled to
pay the price, Flannery,' he said. "Don't
know but I let you down too easy. But
never mind-this will go through like quick
silver now. Wait here until have chance
to get away"
He rose and opened the door. In the
doorway he paused and turned NGoodby,
Jim-this is like old times come again sure
enough he said, smiling. And almost as if
conscious, as an actor, of that tense court
room crowd sitting there watching him. his
face turned for fleeing moment full to-
ward them and seemed to include them all in
that farewell smile of his,-the same genial
smile that had so often bound them to him
with faith that was blind.
He turned and went out, shutting the door
behind him. Again there came that sharp
clicking of the lock, which the photograph,
sensitive to the least sound, had caught on
its telltale record. Clear cut and sharp it
sounded,-so natural that through the
courtroom there seemed to sound an echo,-
the snap of lock, followed by the gentle
shutting as of door close at hand. Oblivi-
that pictured door that had shut between
them and their highest political ideal. Then
the imaged scene on the wall was engulfed in
darkness, and only the awed breathing of
the stupe6ed crowd in the courtroom was
heard.
@Turn up the lights!r rang out the voice
of the District Attorney, tremulous with the
consciousness of the victory he had won.
THE light flooded the room, bringing the
= crowd, held as if in a dream, back to a
poignant reality that was punctuated by the
coughing of an automobile in the street.
@That is all-the people rest said the
District Attorney @And, gentlemen of the
jury, will not weary you with closing argu-
ment; for that is not needed. Your duty is
as clear to you as this damning picture you
have just seen,-your duty to find a verdict
of guilty and send to the penitentiary this
man who
He swung around dramatically andpointed
with outstretched arm to the spot where the
defendant had sat throughout the trial be-
side his wife. His eyes, and the eyes of all,
rested on an empty chair.
@Where is that mani" he cried. He looked
about the courtroom as if in terror.
The Judge sprang to his feet. 3Where is
the prisoner, Sheriff." he cried. -
All eyes swept the courtroom, and then all
dumbly waited. e
The defendants lawyer rose to his feet
nervously and looked about in helpless
manner. "Where has he gomez" he said
weakly.
Then his eyes and the District Attorneys
met. They stared at each other in speech
less CONSERVATION. Each realized that in
that darkness each side had won its victory,
that the darkness that had brought con-
viction to the One Good Alderman had also
brought his chance for liberty, while all
were oblivious in the picture of his downfall.
-1.tV