The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-03-30
dy; stories of his wealth. his strange

dy; stories of his wealth, his strange
ambitions and his life OF gilded ease,
but at best in the eyes Of the world
he was only lay figure-a bit Of dead
flesh upon which hung the vibrant liv-
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 collocuy with the
judge, and then the first witness of
, the day was called.
MARY Page!"
At the sound Of her name Mary rose
unsteadily to her feet. her eyes turned
appealingly to Langdon one trembling
hand crushing back the little cry that
rose involuntarily to her lips. But HER
agitation was no more than an Aho 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
In spite Of angry whispers Of "Sit
DOWN. and the sharp rap of the
judges gavel augmented by the official.
Order in the COURT"
To Langdon 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
the last time she had looked down upon
crowded faces; looked down across the
footlights upon thousands Of smiling
lips and friendly eyes above snow
storm Of applauding white gloves. How
long ago it seemed, and yet how short
timeI And now the faces that stared
up at her were avid with curiosity,
some hostile. some sympathetic, but
all pallid with the voracity of the sen
sation seeker.
Then her eyes. travelling beyond
them, met the tear dimmed ones Of her
mother leaning forward yearningly
from the witness bench, and because
OF the suffering on that face Mary
smiled Her first answers to the ques-
lions of the District Attorney were
spoken with quiet dignity.
Miss Page, isn't 1t true that James
Pollock wished to marry yOu?"
yes" The answer was lower now.
and hot flush crept for moment into
Mary's pale cheeks.
And you found his attentions un.
welcomey"
Something in the tone brought her
head up sharply.
Il had told Mr. Pollock that could
not marry him." she said firmly. and
with hauteur that wrung 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 SILVER Of aversion Mary clos.
ed her eyes for a second; then. grin
ping the edge of the witness-stand. she
began speaking slowly and with an OBJ
vious effort.
when the boy brought me the mes.
- 1nxl I'M
drink ing and were very noisy at the
banqnet-and l was tired. The boy
showed me the door of the suite. and /
went In
She paused and covered her eyes as
II to shut out something terrible that
she saw.
"Mr. Pollock was in the ROOM" she
said at 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 FIVE minutes-and
he wouldn't let me out, though l was
afraid and begged him to-"
did you try to get out? Was there
struggle between you and Mr.. Pol
lock2"
She shook her head. mot then" she
said. with a little sob. 'But-I was
very angry-I told him he had tricked
me and wouldn't listen to him. We
we Quareled over his being drunk.
and -he tried to make me take drink
Of the whiskey myself"
A shudder Of repugnance swept over
her, and her eyes grew wide and star
ing, and she swayed for e.moment like
a flower in storm: then. with q tre-
mendOus effort, as one called back
from the b0rderland to consciousness.
she added h0arsely:
II remember striking at him-and
knocking the glass out Of his hand. /
heard 1t break-and then-I must have
fainted!'
Miss Page" came still another ques-
ton, IF you had refused James Pol.
lock-if you feared him-why did you
grant him an interview late at night
in private room at the hotel ?"