The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1916-04-06

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 fgure-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 colloquy 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 echo OF
the excitement that swept through the
crowded room. Somewhere woman
caught her breath in stif1ed 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 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 ur
into the witness stand, looked down
! upon that sea OF faces. For moment
they swan before her eyes, and with u
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
q time! And now the faces that stared
ND 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-
tons of the District Attorney were
spoken with quiet dignity.
! "MiSS Page, isn't 1t true that James
Pollock wished to marry your"
Yes" The answer was lower now
and hot flush crept for a moment into
Mary's pale cheeks.
"And you found his attentions I'M
welcomeY'
Something In the tone brought hel
head UP sharply.
81 bad told Mr.. Pollock that l could
not marry him." she said firmly, and
with hauteur that wrung q 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 wha
happened just previous to the time
when the revolver-shot was heard ant
Mr. Langdon found you unconscious
beside the murdered man. Begin will
the moment you left the banquet"
With a SILVER Of aversion Mary clos
ed her eyes for second; then, grip
D''
began speaking slowly and with an oil
viouS effort.
"When the boy brought me the mes
sage-I-was glad to go. They wer
drinking and were very noisy at tn
banuuet-and I was tired. The bo
showed me the door. of the suite, and
went In
She paused and covered her eyes a
If to shut out something terrible tina
she saw.
Mr.. Pollock was III the roOm," sh
said at last. "He-he had been drink
, ing-he wasn't himself-he could hare
ly stand. He-he said he wanted t
. talk to me alone for five minutes-an
he wouldn't let me out, though l wa
afraid and begged him to-"
"Did you try to get out? Was ther
r q struggle between you and Mr.. Pc
lock?''
She shook her head. mot then," sh
said, with a little sob. "But-l wa
. very angry-I told him he had tricke
, me-and l wouldn't listen to him. w
we ouarreled over his being DRUM
? and-he tried to make me take drin
, of the whiskey myself"
- A shudder Of repugnance swept owe
her. and her eyes grew wide and sta
ing. and she swayed for moment liz
, a flower In storm; then. with tr
- mendous effort, as one called Oac
, from the borderland to consciousness
,, she added hoarsely:
\ 81 remember striking at h1m-an
. knocking the glass out of his hand.
= hoard II break-and them must hay
neohu :.
y fainted!''
o "Miss Page" came still announcer que
ton, If you had refused James fe
/. lock-if you feared him-why dlo ye
n grant him an interview late at mig