Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-03-12


ing tragedy of Mary herself.
The formal routine of the opening of
court was hurriedly gone through. The
district attorney and Langdon held a
subdued and secret colloquy with the
Judge, and then the first witness OF
the day was called.
"Mary Pager
AT the sound Of her name Mary rose
unsteadi1y to her feet her eyes turned
appealingly to Langdon, one trembling
hand crushing back the little cry that
rose Involuntary to her lips. But HER
agitation was no more than an echo of
the excitement that swept through the
crowded room. Somewhere a woman
caught her breath in stified sob, and
at the back the spectators clambered
upon their chairs, crowding forward
ia spite of angry whispers Of 'Sit
down. and the sharp rap of the
judges gavel augmented by the official,
"Order in the courtl'
To Iangdon alone the calling of Mary
came as no surprise, and he was at her
side in a moment, whispering reassur-
ance and urging her to answer as sim
ply and clearly as possible the ques-
lions she was asked. His calm gave
her back some measure Of her own Sc
renity, and her voice was low but clear
( as she took the oath and, stepping up
/ into the witness stand, looked down
upon that sea of faces. For a moment
\ they swan before her eyes, and with a
catch in her throat she remembered
I the last time she had looked down upon
crowded faces; looked down across the
footlights upon thousands Of smiling
lips and friendly eyes above a snow
storm of applauding white gloves. How
long ago it seemed, and yet how short
time! And now the faces that stared
up at her were avid with curiosity,
some hostile, some sympathetic, but
all pallid with the Yoracity of the SEN
sation seeker.
Then her eyes. travelling beyond
them, met the tear dimmed ones OF her
mother leaning forward yeaTningly
from the witness bench, and because
Of the suffering on that face Mary
smiled. Her first answers to the ques-
tons OF the District Attorney were
f spoken Win quiet dignity
Miss Page, isn't It true that James
Pollock wished to marry youT
Yes" The answer was, lower now.
and hot flush crept for a moment into
Mary's pale cheeks.
And you found his attentions un-
welcome77
Something in the tone brought her
head up sharply.
II had told Mr.. Pollock that I could
not marry him." she said firmly, and
with q hauteur that wrung a little
whisper of admiration from the spec
tators.
Abruptly the prosecutor changed his
train of questioning.
Now. Miss Page" he said harshly,
"please tell the court exactly what
happened just previous to the time
when the revolver-shot was heard and
Mr.. Langdon found you unconscious
beside the murdered man. Begin with
the moment you left the banquet"
With a shiver of aversion Mary clos.
ed her eyes for a second; then, grip
ping the edge OF the witness-stand, she
began speaking slowly and with an OBJ
vious effort
When the boy brought me the mes.
sage-I-was glad to CO. They were
drinking and were very noisy at the
banquet-and l WAS tired The boy
showed me the door of the suite, and 1
went IN"
She paused and covered her eyes as
If to shut out something terrible that
she saw.
"Mr. Pollock was in the room" she
said az last. ''He-he had been drink.
ing-he wasn't himself-he could hard.
ly stand He-he said he wanted TO
talk to me alone for I'VE minutes-and
he wouldn't let me out, though / was
afraid and begged him to-"
did you try TO get out? Was there
struggle between you and Mr.. Pol
lock?"
She shook her head. mot then" she
said, with a httle sob Butt was
very angryI told him he had trlcked
me-and wouldn't listen to him. We
we quarreled over his being drunk,
and--he tried to make me take q drink
Of the whiskey myself"
A shudder OF repugnance swept over
her, and her eyes grew wide ana star
ing, and she swayed for moment like
flower In storm; then, with a ire
mendous effort, Is one called back
from the borderIand 60 consciousness,
she added hoarsely;
Il remember striking at him-and
knocking the glass out Of bis hand. ]
heard Il break-and them must hays
fRintedl~
Miss Page" came still another ques.
ton, II you had refused james Pol.
lock-if you feared him--why did you
grant him an interview late at might
In private room at the hotel1r
Grant him an interview, her voice
rose IN startled protest Il didn't
That was why I vas 80 angfy-I had