The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-01-16
ACCOMPLICE"
By FREDERICK TREVOR HILL

y ~ -
made any mistake up to date"
"Wbo is to show the prosecutor the
error of his waysf' | inquired. NOV
ing ON again. at the same time Won
derinc where / could have heard the
assistants voice.
you can. Mr.. Lambert" he replied.
..You see. Mr.. Gilbert thinks the judge
ought 10 have allowed you to make a
fun explanation this morning. and. be-
lIeving you were not treated fairly. he
offers to take up the matter again and
procure your discharge If the facts in
any way warrant it. OF course he
does not make this suggestion wholly
in your interest. for IL there should be
any really valid reason for your resig-
nation it might give the other ! a
chance to upset the verdict IL we OBJ
tain one. and then we would all have
our work to do again."
The speaker paused, and turned In
quiringly toward him. but he seemed to
think he had made himself sufficiently
clear, for he met me with a furtive
glance of expectation.
"You will have to speak more plain
ly. my friend. if you expect me to I'M
derstand what is wanted" | growled.
I'm in no mood for guessing road
side riddles"
The messenger laughed so frankly
and good naturally that l almost for
got his fox face.
There is nothing mysterious in my
mission. Mr.. Lambert" he responded
pleasantly, 'and / am to blame IL 1t
sounds SO. The idea is for you to tell
me why you asked to be excused from
further service on the jury this morn
ing. That is to say. what facts you
learned or what you heard which In
your opinion disqualified you. With
this information Mr.. Gilbert will know
whether or not there is any chance
of obtaining your release. m II there
is he will take the necessary steps ut
once. If not, there Is no harm done.
and you can treat each others com
munication as confidential and let the
matter drop. OF course you under
stand. Mr.. Lambert, that personally
Mr.. Gilbert would much prefer to have
you remain, and it is only because'-
/ suddenly halted, for something in
the mans voice recalled the conversa-
ton in the Shaw house and in a fash
| recognized the speaker as Miss
Mapes' visitor. "Barstow's man." she
had called him! And what else? An
other moment and / would have his
name. In my excitement | grasped the
fellows arm.
".What is the matter. Mr.. Lambert:'
he inquired, but though his voice was
steady, he instinctively backed away
from me and his furtive eyes sought
the lane behind him. / did o reply
Immediately, for | was struggling to
remember his name, which was even
then ON the tip of my tongue.
Il don't know what is the matter" l
answered slowly and pointedly, land
l don't like to think, sir. You can tell
your principal, however, that i de-
cline his proposition-decline it posi-
lively, u~nequivocally, and without
thanks. Good night, Mr.. Hunt.'
Inc HdU ldHiy Sld-rtANt as bhc
name burst from me, but he recovered
himself with amazing assurance. No
one could have done better. | say it
to his credit.
Pardon me for not mentioning my
name he responded. with dignity
and calmness. Il am Mr.. Corning
Abel Corning. at your service, Mr..
Lambert. | will report your answer to
Mr.. Gilbert at once sir. Good night"
] made my way to the hotel, firmly
resolving not TO leave it again except
in the company of my fellow jurors.
NV adventure at the Shaw farm had
been the result of my own indiscre-
ton, but / certainly had not opened
myself to the gratuitous telephone con-
fidence or to Barstow's sinister APP
proach. Still if l We're to be harassed
and importuned at every turn it would
be much safer TO keep the company
of my associates and place myself be-
yond the reach of further accident or
design. But even as | determined on
this course l knew that in one way ut
least the mischief was already done,
for my latest experience had made an
impression upon my mind which could
not easily be effaced. The Pollicet
message had startled and disturbed me
at first. but maturer consideration had
Convinced me that / had merely been
appraised of one of the defenses which
Barstow was undoubtedly holding in
reserve and that the knowledge which
/ had thus acquired in advance would
not influence me n way or the other.
But the encounter with Mr.. Hunt
was quite another matter. 1t was
clearly an attempt on Barstow's part
to worm information from me which
might prove useful to his cause or to
see whether or not l was Il desirable
juror. The mere fact of his resorting
to such tricks was of itself enough to
prejudice me against him, but l could
still have depended upon myself to
discriminate between the counsel and
his client had it not been that his ac-