Connecticut western news., 1916-04-06

1 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 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 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 echo of the excitement that swept through the crowded room. Somewhere a woman caught her bre2th in a stifed sob, and at the back tie 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- tions she was asked. His calm gave her back some measure of her own se 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 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 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 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- tions of the District Attorney were spoken with quiet dignity.
 Miss Page, isn't it true that James Pollock wished to marry you?'
 ''Yes." The answer was lower now, and hot flush crept for a moment into Mary's pale cheeks.
 And you found his attentions un- welcomep'
 Something in the tone brought her head up sharply.
 ''I had told MT. Pollock that I could not marry him. she said firmly, and with 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 MT. 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 ob- viOus effort.
 When the boy brought me the mes sage-I-was glad to go. They were drinking and were very noisy at the banquet-and I was tired. The boy showed me the door of the suite and 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 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-an1 he wouldn't let me out, though I was afraid and begged him to-
 Did you try to get out? Was there a struggle between you and MT. Pol lock?"
 She shook her head "Not then" she said, with a little sob. "But-I was very angry-I told him he had tricked me-and I wouldn't listen to him. We we quarreled over his being drunk, and-he tried to make me take a drink of the whiskey myself.'
 shudder of repugnance swept over her, and her eyes grew wide and star ing, and she swayed for moment like a flower in a storm; then, with a tre- mendous effort, as one called back from the borderland to consciousness. she added hoarsely:
 '1 remember striking at him-and knocking the glass out of his hand. l heard it break-and then-I must have fainted!'
 Miss Page,' came still another qucs- tion, eff you had refused James Pol lock-if you feared him-why did you grant him an interview late at nighu fn a private room at the hotel?"
 Grant him an interviewr' her voice rose in startled protest. 'I didn't That was why was so angry-I had