The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-04-06

back Of the palms James came to hunt
for Mary, and she didn't want him to
see she had been crying, so she went
out and Mr.. Langdon stood waiting for
James. He told my brother that Mary
was very unhappy in her engagement.
but felt that she was in honor bound
to go through with it. and he urged
James to set her Free
"What did your brother say?'
"Well. he was-very angry" she an
swered. deprecatingly. 'I-l-know he
thought it was just interference. and
he said, 1 suppose you want her set
free SO YOU can marry her. And Mr.
Langdon said, I want her set free be-
cause she doesn't love you and is
to marry you What is that to you?'
asked James. Do you think she Is in
love with you? And Mr.. Langdon
said angri!y. 1 know she is. but that
has nothing to do with the matter.
Can't you be decent for once and set
u
marry you? That made James even
more furious. and he fairly shouted.
Mary will learn to love me fast enough.
once we're married. and l shall never
set her free. She has promised and
I'm going to see that she keeps that
promise. Besides. do you think I'm
going to let everybody say she Tilted
me, after we've announced our engage
ment this way? should say not.
Did Mr.. L.anglon reply?"
NO. He just turned round with II
shrug and walked away. and ! came
nut and joined my brother"
Did he ask If you had Overheard!"
YES"
did you tell him of the conversation
between Miss Page and Mr.. IangdonY'
Yes. felt that he ought to know.
You-you see, he was my brother. even
though Mary was my friend"
did your brother make any COM
ment?"
S mo. he just flushed up little: then
he laughed and said they'd have to get
over it. and he was going to marry
Mary anyway"
Ibid Mr.. I.angdon ever make any
other plea to your brother. or see Miss
Page again?"
Not then. but Mr.. Brandon told
"Your Hon6r!" broke in Langdon.
leapiny to his feet. Il object"
"rhe court will sustain that objec,
tion." said the Judge. promptly. Miss
Pollock. you must not repeat what you
have simply heard from others. only
what you saw and heard yourself"
May it please the court" cried the
prosecutor. quickly. Il shall be glad to
have all Of the answer Of the witness
with the exception of the words mot
then stricken out. for what Mr.. Bran
don said he will tell the court him
self"
Brandon! Ianglon WINGED ut the
name. and Mary. lifting her head.
turned Il pair Of despairing eyes upon
him that seemed to ask If all their
friends were to be leagued against
them in this fight for lie and liberty.
he. coUll object-could fight to have
he witness kept out of the stand-bui
in the end he knew that he would lose
and perhaps lend added weight to the
testimony. He fancied he knew what
THAT would be. and his teeth clench
ed in an agony of longing and II rage
against the futility of that desire tc
spare Mary the raking UP Of these
old memories-memories that brought
a throbbing ache to his own heart that
was only balanced by the bitter ex
ultation Of the thought that at least
Pollock was DEAD now. And he VOW
ed to himself that Mary should sooI
be free of the law as well as of James
but he did not face the fleeting thought
Of the price that might have to be pait
for that freedom Of Mary Page.
AS for Mary herself, after that ont
feeting glance at Langdon she dropped
again like flower cut Off from rail-
and sunlight and air.
She would not look at Brandon whel
he took the stand, though his eyes a
he glanced from her to Langdon wer
full Of mute appeal as II he wantet
somehow to explain that it was no
by choice that he stood there; ant
there was an aggressive. almost
hostile note in his voice. as he an