The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-08-20

ISOLATED with this crime, Had he been
guilty-had our separation come
through his crime and not through
my own, should have been prepared
. for such contingency, and not over
whelmed by it."
And were you not prepared?"
mo, before GCl!"
The gesture accompanying this OATH
was a grand one, convincing in its
fervor, its majesty and power
But facts are stubborn things, and
while most Of those present we're still
! thrilling under the effect Of this oath,
| the dry voice Of District Attorney An
drews was heard for the first time. in
these words:
why, then, did you, on the night of
Bela's death, stop on your way across
! the bridge to look back upon Dark
Hollow and cry in the bitterest tones
which escape human lips, oliver! OH
ver!' You were heard to speak
this name, Judge Ostrander," he
hastily put 1t, as the miserable father
raised his hand in ineffctual protest.
"A man was lurking in the darkness
behind you, who both saw and heard
you. He may not be the most pre-
possessing of witness, but we cannot
disCredit his Glory"
Mr.. Andrews, you have no children.
To the man who has, l make my last
appeal. Mr. Renfrew, you know the
human heart both Is father and q
pastor, Do you find anything unnatural
in a guilty soul bem0aning it's loss
rather than its sin, in the spot which
recalled both to his overburdened
spirit?"
No"
The word came sharply, and it
sounded decisive; but the ones which
followed from Mr.. Andrews were no
less so.
That is not enough We want evil
dence, actual evidence, that you are
not playing the part your son ascribes
to you"
The judges eyes glared, then sud.
denly and incomprehensively softened
till the quick fear that his mind as well
as his memory had gone astray, van
ished in a feeling none of them could
have characterized, but which gave to
them all an expression of awe.
81 have such evidence" announced
the judge. Come"
Turning he stepped into the hall
Oliver, with Bonded head and dis
couraged mien, quickly followed
Alanson Black and the others. cast
. ing startled and inQuiring looks a.
each other, brought up the rear. Deb
orah Scoville was nowhere to be seen
At the door of his own room, the
Judge paused, and with his hand OF
the curtain, remarked with unexpected
1 composure: you have all wondered
!. and others with you, why for the las
+ ten years l have kept the gates of m!
n house shut against every conner.
!. am going to show you"
r And with no further word or look
/. scarcely even giving attention to Oil
y ver's anguished presence, he led then
o into the study and from there on t
O that inner door known and talked
through the town as the door Of mys
!. terry. This he slowly opened with tn
key he took from his pocket; Their
pausing with the knob in his hand, b
II said:
IN the years which are past, bu
\ two persons beside myself haV
\ crossed this threshold, and these onl
II under my eye It's secret was for m
HI own breast. Judge what my remors
" has been; judge the power of my ow
Il secret self-condemnation by what 70
Il see here"
i And, entering, he reached up, an
pulled aside the carpet he had strun
uS over one end of the room, disclosin
amid a number of loosened boards, tn
barred cell of condemned convict.
This was my bed, gentlemen, ii
l a stranger coming into my home, mad
IN such an acknowledgment of my sin in
vi possible!"