Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1915-08-26

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 q contingency. and not over
whelmed by It."
And we're you not preparedi"
mo. before &c II"
The gesture accompanying this oath
was . grand one. convincing In its
fervor. its majesty and power.
But facts are stubborn things. and
while most Of those present were still
thrilling under the effect Of this oath,
the dry voice Of District Attorney An
drews was heard for the hrst 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 rps. oliver! OH,
vert You were heard TO speak
this name. Judge Ostrander." he
hastily put It, as the miserable father
raised his hand In ineuctual protest
"A man vas lurking in tho darkness
behind you. who both saw and heard
you. He may not be the most pre-
possessing Of witness. but we cannot
discredit his ttory.-
Mr.. Andrews, you have no children
To the man who has, | make my last
appeal. MIR, Renfrow, you know the
human heart both ~ father and q
pastor, DO you find anything unnatural
in guilty soul bemoaning It's loss
rather than its sin. in the spot which
recalled both to his overburdened
spirit!"
No"
Tho word came sharply. and II
sounded decisive; but the ones which
followed from Mr. Andrews we're no
less so.
That ia not enough. We want evi
dence, actual evidence. that you are
not playing the part your son ascribes
TO you"
The judges eyes glared. then sue.
denly and incomprehensively softened
til the quick fear that his mind as well
as bis memory had gone astray. van.
ished IN feeling none OF them could
have characterized, but which gave 10
them all an expression OF awe.
Il have such evidence" announced
the Judge Come"
Turning. he stepped into the hall,
Oliver, with Bonded head and a dis.
couraged mien, quickly followed
Alanson Black and the others. cast
Ing startled and inquirtng looks e,
each other. brought up the rear. Deb
orah Scovtlle was nowhere to be seen
At the door of his own room. the
judge paused, and with his hand on
the curtain. remarked with unexpected
composure: You have all wondered,
and others with you. why for the last
ten years have kept the gates OF my
house shut against every conner.
am going TO show you
And with no further word or look,
scarcely even giving attention TO oil
ver's anguished presence, he led them
into the study and from there on to
that inner door known and talked OF
through the town as the door OF rnys
terry. This he slowly opened with the
key he took from his pocket, then.
psusing with the knob In his hand, be
said:
In the years which are past, but
two persons beside myself have
crossed this threshold. and these only
under my eye It's secret Nas FOR my
own breast Judge what my remorse
has been; Judge tho power Of NY own
secret self-condemnation. by what you
see here"
And, entering. he reached up. and
pulled aside the carpet be had strung
up over one end Of the room, disclosing
amid number Of loosened boards, the
barred cell OF a condemned convict
This was my bed gentlemen. TIL
a stranger coming into my home. made
such an acknowledgment of ny sin i'm.
poss!ble!"