Connecticut western news., 1916-04-06

wrong moment, but except for a har- assed frown he showed little signs of his disappointment as he again called Mary to the witness-stand. She came more willingly this time; it seemed somehow less of an ordeal for she sensed that things had gone in her favor for a moment, and she did not even finch when, with a flourish, the District Attorney took up the re- volver dying with the other exhibits of the case before the jury) and, thrusting it toward her, asked sharply:
 Have you ever seen this revolver before, Miss Pager"
 Yes. 1t belonged to MT. Pollock"
 Was it in his possession on the night when he was murdered?"
 No" Her voice broke now and fell. "It was in my possession then"
 ''And you had it at the Hotel Repub- lic."
 "Yes."
 And was it your habit" the prose cutor's voice was satirically mocking, twas it your habit, Miss Page, to at tend banquets with a revolver in your handbag?"
 Mary flushed angri1y.
 ''The revolver was lying on my dress ing-table at the theater," she said, "and I put it into my bag, intending to give it to MT. Langdon, butt forgot it. Tt was an unfortunate loss of mem ory for MT. Pollock" said the attorney dryly, with a glance at the jury. Ther he abruptly waved the witness away, as though it would be waste of time to question her further. Langdon halt ed her
 Will you explain to the court he cried, "how that revolver came into your possession, Miss Pager
 Gaining courage at his tone, and the smile that accompanied his words, Mary turned toward the jury and in that beautiful modulated voice that had held so many audiences spell l bound, she told rapidly, but in detail. the story of Pollock's visit to her dress | ing-room on the afternoon of that ia | tai day. She faltered little over the recital of his abrupt proposal and, wo- man-like, put in the world-old apology for his brutality by the simple state ment:
 "He was drunk, you know" Then, vividly, her slender hands ges- turing and her voice rising with poign- ant memories and pride of Langdon | she told of the latter's entry in re sponse to her screams and of his bat tie with Pollock. Tensely silent but with every nerve alert, the crowd lis tened as she described how Pollocl, had pulled the revolver out of his pock ct only to drop it.
 "He tried to pick it up again" she said, unconsciously visualizing for them the picture of the struggling men, "but I crawled close and snatched it up be fore he could reach it.
 She paused, and when she would have taken up the thread of her story again, Langdon's hand stopped her.
 ''That is all, thank you, Miss Page, ' he said, and the District Attorney, sur prise on his face, but with a new glint in his eyes, got quickly to his feet.
 "I crave the courts permission to ask the witness one more question: '' sent he asked slowly, knowing the sen. sation his question would create:
 Miss Page, was there anyone else in the room at the time this struggle was going on?"
 "Not-not exactly in the room," said Mary. after an instant's hesitation. "There were people outside the door, Rnd-and my maid, who had been out. ran in during the excitement"
 "Is your maid Janet or Jeannettc BeauchampT'
 "Yes" Mary's voice was uneasy now.