The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-18
0Sr@S fCont1nued.1

buckle this morning?''
 No, your honor, [ have not.''
 Judge Dinsmore looked at his watch Its twenty minutes after 10, MT. Dan leIs.'
 The clerk of the court started up in his place. -'Yes, your honor
 'sJust call up Mir. Arbuczle's office and find out what's detafning him.
 But before the clerk could obey the order Arbuckle entered the court He was breathless. The judge addressed him sharply:
 This court conyenes at 10 o'clock, MT. Arbuckle.s
 ArbucI1le recovered his breath with difficulty and replied:
 T must ask yourIhon to excuse me. I have been, working all night on this case. There has been an unexpected development overnight Last evening Mrs. Strickland, the wife of the de fendant, came to my house. It seems that she became dangerously i'll, and 1t is only the realization Sof the impor- tance of her testimony that has ena- bled her to be in condition to take the witness stand. She has told me a sto- ", your honor, which puts an entirely different aspect upon this case.''
 District Attorney Gray interposed an objection:
 q object to counsel commenting upon the testimony of a witness who has not yet been called"
 Every we'll, your honor' said Ar buckle. T shall call Mrs. Strickland at once. Her testimony will require no comment. Call Mrs. Strickland, please.''
 An attendant opened a door and call ed Mrs. Strickland rs,,s
 With the appeatance of May Strick- land came new sensa tfontin the trial, already oVercharged with sensational features. Her reappearance was en- tfre1y unexpeS ed by jndge and jury, the newspapers and the public. All were ger to observe her. and the great majority to comment on her appear anee. They found plenty of food for their remarks in her wan countenance for the months that had passed since the terribly tragic scenes in the home of the Stricklands on that last fatal night had told terribly on her. She was still scomeIy, but her face was thin and drawn. Indeed, as soon trans pired, physical as well as mental suf- fering had set their marks on May Strickland.
 Y Arbuckle directed her to the witness stand She was duly sworn, and then Arbuckle began his quesnoning:
 Mrs Strickland, are you the wife of < Robert Strickland, the defendant?''
 ''Yes, sir.''
 When were you married ?''
 July 15, 1908. g
 "Did you know Gerald Trask?''
 'sYes, sir, did.''
 ..When did you firstmeet Mr. Trask9''
 'In March, 190o.''
 'sThat was before you knew ATr Strickland?'
 Yes, sir, more than two years be- fore
 How old were you at that timeg'
 Just seventeen
 With the inherent inquisitiveness of all human sbeings the audience made mental calculations of May StrickIand's agG "Stfn young to pass through such an ordeal" the majority thought.
 Where did you meet Mir Trask? ?''
 At Lakewood"
 Now, Mrs Strickland went on Ar buckle, describe your relations with Mir. Trask at that time.''
 "He was very attentive to me and took me about good deal. About ten days after met him I returned to the city, and he came back too. He kept sending me things and taking me out Then one day he asked me to marry him.
 The tone was low. The words came with an effort. The woman's head was bowed, and the judge hAd to ,admonish her to speak more clearly.
 When was that?'' Arbuck1e asked
 'In April, 1900. T asked him to wait. He said he would wait as long as I wanted him to. But every time he saw me he spoke to me about it, tell IF1e ma h0r Tr1- n how much I meant to him. He seemed so earnest and sincere that believed everything, he said. At last I yielded and consented to marry him.
 When was that2H said Arbuckle. ] "On the 10th of May. He said he wanted to be married next~day. But he said that on account of his family he couldn't let it be, known for awhile, go we'd have to be married secretly Next day he called for me in his auto mobile and said we were going to a lDStel in Great Neck, L. l.. to meet a siergyman with whom. he had made ar rangements. We got to treat Neck at l about o'clock that evening"
 Despite the admonition of Judge Dins- l more, her voice had gradually become | lower and lower again. Now it falter- ed and broke. Her emotions overcame her. There was a pause in which not a sound of any sort disturbed the still | ness of the courtroom. May Strick l lands head was bent in shame. She felt the eyes of the ssembIage fixed upon her, and she-eould not raise her own eyes.
 Why was she barring to the entire sEorld this old chapter tn her hfe1