The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-02
appeals to the charity of some good
American Catholic who will agree to
support these children.
Continued from Page 81
THE PROUD LADY.

THE PROUD LADY.
There came a night in the early
autumn when she was particularly
restless. She was sinking at last,
toward midnight, into uneasy slumber,
when the sound of stealthy footsteps
below her window in the passage on
the right, aroused her to agonized
wakefulness. For long time there
was silence, the stiffness that falls
on the jungle when the tiger crouches
for his prey. Then came the quick
tread of other footsteps, definite, IN
hesitating, homeward bound. A sud-
den outcry as suddenly muffled, and
the dull thud of stricken body falling
brought Margaret to the open win
dow in a flash. In the dim light that
shOne in from the street lamp she
looked down on the evil, SCARED face
of man glowering beside his ina
sensate victim, the cleaning instru-
ment of his crime still clutched in his
hand. One horrible instant he
| waited, then dropped the weapon be-
side the slain man and fed into the
night.
Margaret tried to cry out, to move,
her, and she dropped down into sense
lessness. When consciousness re-
turned it was almost morning. She
was very cold, though her face and
hands were burning; and every at
tempted movement caused intense
pain. Her brother John turned out of
his way to his Office by the startling
headlines of the morning paper. found
her so ill that he asked no questions,
but made arrangements to have her
taken to his own home at once.
In the anxiety of the weeks that
followed, when she lowered between
life and death, her people almost for
got the crime committed so near their
old home. They did not think of it as
having anything to do with Mar
garet's illness. 1t could not have
caused pneumonia, of course. Mar
garet had probably been ill all night,
and so knew nothing of the dreadful
thing so near her. That conviction of
theirs led them to say nothing to her
of the tragedy even when all danger
was passed and convalescence well
advanced. Suffering had mercifully
dulled the vividness of it for her, and
when she thought of it at all it was
like the memory of some evil dream.
With returning strength came anxi-
ETY. for the deserted home, a fretting
desire to be back, lest harm befall it.
Her sister-in-law still insisted upon
sending up her breakfast, and some
times the morning paper accompanied
it. One morning Margaret felt so
much better that she could see no
reason why she should longer remain
indoors. She glanced through the
paper, seeking the weather forecast,
hoping wistfully that it might promise
a fair, dry day. A headline on the
first page caught her eye, and in a
moment she was reading breathlessly.
1t was a recountal of the crime she
had witnessed that dreadful night six
weeks before, and Of the evidence that
fastened the guilt Of it on the
prisoner, Angelo Lusano, whose trial
was drawing to a close. His picture
was there-a sad-faced, rather good
looking young fellow, who might be
anything but criminal.
When the terrible significance OF
that picture dawned upon Margaret
she sprang up and began to dress with
trembling haste. If she should be too
late! It was the last day Of the trial
If the verdict of guilty should come in
before she got there. Even SO, they
would reverse it. But that would
mean, perhaps, the formality Of new
trial, more days in cell for an limo
cent man. There was not moment
to lose.
She got out of the house without
being seen, and, excitement lending
her strength, made her way to the
criminal court. The car that took hel
there seemed barely to creep along;
but at last the gloomy, grey building
lay before her She was directed to
Judge Landon's courtroom, those Of
whom she inquired wondering at hel
strange eagerness and haste.
There was a strained silence in the
crowded room when she entered, the
judge just having arisen to charge the
jury One swift glance she cast at the
prisoner and then walked straight to
the judges desk.
Your honor" she cried, this must
not go on. There's something wrong
some dreadful mistake. This is not
the man."
Her wringing words that an electri.
cal effect on the dropping, despairing
man about to be condemned. He was
instantly erect, renewed hope gleam-
ing suddenly in his gloomy eyes. AS
constituent held court and spectators
silent for long moment. Then law
yers sprang to Margaret's side, and,
amid a smothered rumble of excited
Fcomments, the case was re-opened.
She was led to the witness stand and
the oath administered. Very simply
her story was told. the reason for her
long silence being accepted without
question, so apparent were the traces
of her recent illness.
| uor unnoicfokahle statement that