The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-07-02

Blacks efforts, charge like this 70
found posted up in the public ways,
the ruin of the Ostranders is deter.
mined upon, and nothing we can do
can stop it."
In five minutes more she had said
good-by to Miss Weeks and was on
her way to the courthouse, AS she
approached it she was still further
alarmed by finding this square full Of
people, standing in groups or walk
ing impatiently up and down with
their eyes fixed on the courthouse
doors, Within, there was the uneasy
hum, the anxious look, the subdued
movement which marks an universal
suspense, Announcement had been
made that the jury had reached their
verdict, and counsel we're resuming
their places and the Judge his seat.
Those who had eyes only for the
latter-and these were many-noticed
a change in him. He looked older by
years than when he delivered his
| charge. Not the prisoner himself
gave greater evidence OF the effect
which this hour of waiting had had
upon a heart whose covered griefs
were, consciously or unconsciously, re-
vealing themselves TO the public eye.
/
He did not wish this man sentenced,
This was shown by his charge-the
most one-sided one he had given in
all his career.
Silence, that awful precursor OF
doom, lay In all its weight upon every
ear and heart, as the clerk, advancing
with the cry, Order in the court" put
his momentous question:
Gentlemen of the jury, are you
ready with your verdict"
A hush!-then, the clear voice of
the foreman:
1--WE are"
How do you find? Guilty or not
guilty?"
Another hesitation. Did the fore
man feel the threat lurking in the air
about him? If so, he failed to show
it IN his tones as he uttered the words
which, released the prisoner:
mot guilty"
A growl from the crowd. almost like
that of a beast stirring in its lair
then quick cessation of all hubbub
as every one turned to the judge to
whose one-sided charge they attrib
uted this release.
Deborah experienced in her quiet
corner no alienation of the fear which
had brought her into this forbiddine
spot and held her breathless through
these formalities.
For the end was not yet. Through
all the turmoil Of noisy departure and
the drifting out into the square of 6
vast, dissatisfied thTong, she had
caught the fash of bit of paper chow
introduced into this moving mass oil
people no one ever knew passing
from hand to hand, toward the soil
tary figure Of the judge, its delay a:
it reached the open space between the
last row of seats and the judges
bench and it's final delivery by some
officious hand, who thrust it upon his
notice just as he was rising to leave
Deborah saw his finger tear its way
through the envelope and his eyes fal
frowningly on the paper he drew out
Then the peoples counsel and the
counsel for the defense and suct
clerks and hangers-on as still fingered
in the upper room experienced de
cided sensation.
The Judge, who a moment befort
had lowered above them all In mel
ancholy but impressive dignity, shrunl
with one gasp into feebleness ant
sank back stricken, If not uncon
scious, into his chair.
1t happened suddenly and showed
her the same figure she had seen one
before-a man with faculties sue
pended, but not impaired, facing then
all with open gaze but absolutely dea'
for the moment to his own condition
and to the world about.
But, horrible as this was, what sh
saw going on behind him was infinite
ly worse. A man had caught up tn
bit of paper Judge Ostrander had lie
fall from his hand and was opening
his lips to read 1t to the curious peopl
surrounding him.
She tried to stop him. She force,
a cry to her lips which should hav
rung through the room, but whicl
died away on the air unheard, Tn
terror which had paralyzed her limb
had choked her voice,
But her ears remained true, Low a
he spoke, no trumpet-call could hav
made it's meaning clearer to Deboral
scoville than did these words:
We know why you favor criminals
Twelve years is long time. but not lon
enough to make wise men forget
CHAPTER XII.