The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-07-13

WAS going to take him right out Of the
theatre. And when ! heard MIR. Lang
don's cry-I-I was too Mortified to
move for minute. Then l rushed
down and turned on the stage lights"
"Will you tell us what you SAW"
Il saw Mr.. Langdon hanging to the;
edge of an open trap that led down:
some thirty feet to the cement cellar
below. and Shale standing to one side, !:
with blackjack in his hand. l:
thought he was going to hit Langdon. /:
and l snatched it away from him and;
dragged Langdon back upon the stage. |:
The very first words he said made me 4:
realize he didn't know the real reason:
of that open trap. so hid the black :
jack behind me and took Mr.. Langdon
to the door myself and saw him safely
away" ;
Did you see Mr. Pollock again that
night:'' ;
Yes. When l got back to the stage
l found him there denouncing Shale
for having failed to do his part, and:
when | asked him if he had meant:
murder, he said, Yes! meant to have:
him killed through an apparent acct:
dent. What is more, I tell you here:
and now. that I'll kill Mary Page and
I'll kill myself. before Langdon shall
win her" That's what Jim Pollock;
said. and that's what though. he had:
done-that night. l SWEAR l didn't:
go into that room! But I heard them:
Y.1n1 nd bnn nd %ho
the shot. And l thought he'd done it:
and | ran away, In sheer horror;
that's all. My God! You must believe:
me. It's true that I quarreled with:
Jim Pollock, not once, but many times:
It's true that he didn't play fair with:
me. but can't you see that had ev-;
erything to lose and nothing to gain:
by his death. It's meant ruin to me:
and ruin to my wife and little GIRL
His voice broke pitifully over the last:
words. Leaning forward, he buried
his face in his shaking hands, waiting
for the next question. But it didn't:
come. That tragic outburst had car
RED conviction. not merely to Lang:
don but to everyone in the ROOM ands
whatever shadows Of suspicion had
hung over Mr.. Daniels faded before
the ptiful but indubitable veracity Of
his story. The mystery, If mystery it
was, Of James Pollock's death was still,
as impenetrable, and the cords Of the
law that for time seemed to be loos-
ening from about Mary Page, had
frightened again
Rnt m NToNxy Al,oA |
timony Of the manager had brought
something that for the time at leastt
seemed greater than the law-an IN
Outstanding Of Mary's heart. vision Of
what might yet be If freedom could he
won for her.
1t was strange moment for a great
love to find expression. and strangel
story which had wakened it: and.
while Langdon felt deep in his heart
that no words were needed after that
glance Of Mary's he could not fOrbear
following her to her cell when court
had adjourned. She glanced up at him
with sudden shyness when he came in.
and her hands went out waveringly.l
but whether to hold him off or to clingl
she could not herself have told. Lang
don had no doubts. however, andl
caught them close in his warm graspl
and drew her to him in silence mOreI
eloquent than words. Then stoopingl
till his cheek lay against her hair. he
whispered unsteadily:
MARY. when Daniels told Of JamesI
Pollock's attempt on my life. your eyes
said something to me that they havef
never said before. Did you mean it..
dear?' Then. as she chung to him
mutely. he laughed softly and added
Il know you did. You can never
deny it now. my darling. and when ALL
this is over, nm going to ask you IA