Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-05-18
PAGE 3


was going to take him right out Of N
theatre. And when heard Mr.. Lang
don's cry-I--I was too horrifed to
move for a minute. Then I rushed
down and turned on the stage lights
"will you tell us what you sawr
Il saw Mr.. Langdon hanging TO the
edge of an open trap that led down
some thirty feet 10 the cement cellar
below. and Shale standing to one side,
with blackjack in his hand
thought he was going to hit Langdon.
and snatched 1t away from him and
dragged Langdon back upon the stage
The very irst words he said made me
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
nightT
"Yes. When 1 got back TO the stage
I found him there denouncing Shale
for having failed to do his part. and
when l asked him IL he had meant
murder, he said, 'YesI meant to have
him killed through an apparent acci-
dent. What is more, tell you here
and now, that I'll kill Mary Page and
I'll kill myself, before Langdon shall
win herr That's what Jim Pollock
said, and that's what thought he had
done-that night. / SWEAR didn't
go into that room! But 1 heard them
quarrel, and / heard the scream and
the shot. And thought he'd done 1t
and / ran away, in sheer horror
that's all! My Godl You must believe
me. It's true that / 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 I had ev-
erythlng 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
ried conviction. not merely to Lang
don but to everyone in the room, and
whatever shadows of suspicion had
hung over Mr.. Daniels faded before
the pitiful 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 a time seemed to be loos-
ening from about Mary Page, had
frightened again.
But to Mary and Langdon that teS-
timony Of the manager had brought
something that for the time at least
seemed greater than the law-an I'M
Outstanding of Mary's heart, vision OF
what might yet be II freedom could be
won for her.
1t was strange moment for great
love to find expression, and a strange
story which had Weakened 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.
but whether to hold him Off or to cling
she could not herself have told. Lang
don had no doubts. however, and
caught them close in his warm grasp
and drew her to him in a silence more
eloquent than words. Then. STOPPING
till his cheek lay against her hair, he
whispered unsteadily:
MARY, when Daniels told of James
Pollock's attempt on my life, your eyes
said something to me that they have
never said before. Did you mean it,
dear?" Then, as she chung to him
mutely, he laughed softly and added:
81 know you did. You can never
deny 1t now. my darling. and when all
this is over. am going to ask you a