Middletown transcript., 1915-05-22

That there were other reasOns--that
the place recalled another scene OF
brutality In which intention had been
followed by act. did not then know.
1t was sufficient to me then that my
safety was secured by his own guilty
consciousness and the prevaricatiOns
into which it led him. Instead Of
owning up to the encounter he had go
barely. escaped he confined himself to
the simple declaration of having heard
voices somewhere near the bridge.
which to all who know the ravine ap-
peared impossible under the condi
tions named.
Yet, for all the incongruities and
the failure of his counsel to produce
any definite impression by the prison
eTs persistent denial Of having whit
tied the stick or even of having car
ried 1t into Dark Hollow. | expected
a verdict in his favor. Indeed. | was
so confident of 1t that | suffered less
during the absence Of the Jury than
at any other time, and when they re.
| turned. with an air of solemn decision
which proclaims unanimity of mind
and ready verdict, was SO prepared
for his acquittal that for the irst
time since the opening Of the trial I
felt myself being of flesh and blood
with human sentiments and hopes
And It was: GUILTY."
When | awoke to q full realization
OF what this entailed (for | must have
lost consciousness for a minute.
though no one seemed to notice). the
one fact staring me in the face was
that 1t would devolve upon me to pro
nounce his sentence; upon me. Archi
bald Ostrander. an automaton no
longer. but a man realizing to the
full his part in this miscarriage OF
justice Chaos confronted me. and In
contemplation of 1t, fell i'll
Somehow, strange as 1t may appear
! had thought little Of this possibility
previous to this moment. found my
self upon the brink of this new gulf
before the dizziness of my escape from
the other had fully passed. Do you
wonder that | recoiled. sought to gain
time, put off delivering the sentence
from day to day? had sinned-sinned
irredeemably-but there are depths OF
infamy beyond which a man cannot
go. l had reached that point.
What saved me? A new discovery
and the loving sympathy of my son
Oliver. One night-a momentous one
to me-he came to my room and, clos
ing the door behind him. stood with
his back to 1t, contemplating me In q
way that startled me.
What had happened? What lay be
hind this new and penetrating look
this anxious and yet persistent man
ner? I dared not think. | dared mo-
yield to the terror which must follow
thought Terror blanches the cheel
and my cheek must never blanch un
der anybody's scrutiny. Never, never
so long as lived
"Father"-the tone Quieted me. for
knew from its gentleness that he wal
hesitating to speak more on his owl
account than on mine-"yOu are no
1 looking we'll; this thing worries you
l hate to see you like this. Is 1t jus
/ the loss of your old friend, or-or-
4 He faltered. not knowing how to pre-
| ceed.
Sometimes think" he recon
| menced. that you don't feel quite sur
of this man Scovilles guilt. Is tina
80? Tell me. father?"
did not know what to make OF hin
There was no shrinking from me; n
conscious or unconscious accusatiO
: in voice or look, but there was a d'
= sire to know. and a certain latent n
2 solve behind 1t all that marked tn
line between obedient boyhood an
thinking. determining man. With a
my dread-a dread so great felt tn
first grasp OF age upon my hear
strings at that moment recognize
u no other course than to meet this IL
3 Quiry OF his with the truth-that Il
9 with just so much Of the truth as wa
" needed. No more. not one jot NOR
Il therefore answered, and with sho'
u Of selfpossession at which I now VOL
der:
: "You are not far from right. Olive
II I have had moments of doubt. Th
T. evidence, as you must have noticed.
+" purely circumstantial"
e What evidence would satisfy you
. What would you consider cOnclusiv
proof of guilt?"
& told him in the set phrases I
= my profession.
"Then," he declared as fnishe
!. % "you may rest easy as to this man
= right to receive a sentence of death
y could not trust my ears.
- 'T know from personal observation
y he proceeded. approaching me with
O. 9 firm step. that he is not only capab
of the crime for which he has bee
3 convicted, but that he has actual
u, committed one under similar circuT
y stances. aud possibly for the san
end"
y And he told me the story of thl
III night of storm and bloodshed-a stol
y which will be found lying near thi
le In my aIcove of shame and contritlo
Us (To BE CONTINUED)
lie Daily Thought