The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-25
The Strange Case OF
Mary Page
Continued from Wednesdays Banner)

back gate peddlcr with his packet
Of gossip-and the police of course
laundering in and bullying. His re-
SPect for Langdon not only as man
but as n lawyer Was growing, and in
the baaS Of his mind there lowered
black nhantom-the mysterious man in
the checked suit who had been in the
alley. Had I.angloa this man mp his
sleeve? He frownrd and shifted the
papers On his desk uncaSily, then look
ed up with a start of surprise as the
door Of the witness-room opened to ad
nit the ilamboyantly cownci woman.
with the hard ANA tired eyes.
She gave her name as Agnes keenan,.
but when the question came MS to her
occupation. she stared straight ahead
OF her with sort Of grim humor, then
shrugged hcr thin shoulders.
None she said with the imitation
Of an English accent. 81 live on my
income
The crowd erinned. but Langdon
flushed, and his voice was little hard
rs he said quietly:
II am sorry. Miss Keenan,, TO have to
ask You such question but were you
not an occupant Of cell in the i'iftieth
Street rolicc s,atiop on the night Of
the raid Of Barker's gambling rooms"
Il was" Her tonc was more quiet
now. 81 had failed TO come across, and
having had 4 drop TOO much sassrd
the sergeant, and he locked me up TO
cool or"
Had You a cell to yourselfY
"Wcll. ut first | thought 1t was Il
private room. but little later they
showed girl in"
Was that girl the defendant-Alary
PageG'
"lt was But she rocked some differ
ent then. She was all doiled up in an
evening gown. and hadn't even Al cloak.
| wondered what was up and tried to
make her talk, but she seemed looney.
thought II was the d. is ut first. but
when ! found ont she was plain batty.
| got scared and called the guard. But
he only cusScd ne out so | got hold Of
her hands and tried to make her stop
crying in that queer fashion. After n
| bit she began to talk. 1t was mcoher-
ont Mt first, about James, and the big
house and she wasn't Sadie or Maggie.
Then She seemed 10 come to herself
and asked who was ANA where she
was"
did she remain sane and conscious
after that?ia
"Not at lrst She'd ramble, then she
talked sanely Finally she quoted
down, and when | said that was
sure TO yet OF first thing in the morn
ing. she asked me If would take Il
note to her lawyer. And said |
you'd"
Did you ask her her namc|
mo She smiled little, half whlm-
sically, half bitterly 1T amt etiquette
to ask names under the circumstances
but said us it was the first time, the
best thing 20 DO was to say nothing
till she had lawyer to do the talking
for her"
Whom was the note she gave you
addressed to?'
Tho question seemed to surprise her
why. you know she stammcred
then laughed, Gee, | forgot I'm tell
III the cour6 The note was addressed
TO Mr.. Philip Langdon and | took Il
straight TO him. Then him and me-
beat it back TO the police station ant
he had n conference with the Magis
trate Then he shook my hand anC
thanked me like a genteman,-and-
that's ALL
"Oue moment, Miss keenan,. Yol
say that Miss Page would become
sane, and then would lapse into tic
lirium again Did she mention an,
particular incdent--or ask YOU an,
strange questions"
Yes. Once she said, lie acts fun
ny for man who has Just put on
successful play Then suddenly sh
sat up and grabbed me and crlei
WAS It blood or-was il Just re-
neckte--I saw it And said, 'Io
saw It whcre?' And size said -sane Il
she could be, 1T was the other ma
outside--I couldn't see his face-iui
the red Then she began TO eiy.an
went of again into delirium, or wha
ever YOU call It. Nextt ime She opene
her eyes she asked IL knew whethC
James Pollock was dead or If she ha
dreamed It. and said 80 far rs kne'
\ James was about the liveSt thing /
d ever bumped against in this old tow
4 Then she sighed like kid and wei
4 to sleep, but when she woke up 81
d seemed to know he was dead
u Did she make any other mention (
4 the man with the red tieY
4 NO. When ! asked her, she said
l was blur, but it would come back
\ her--she was sure of that, Someol
] else would have seen it too
\ THAT is all" began Langdon, nj
i broke off in establishment. There WI
Il commotion in the back OF the roo
and Il man stood up, raising one hal
as If about TO speak. His face WI
ashy, his jaw dropped. Then as su
, denly as he had arisen he dropp,
back out of sight into his chair.