Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-04-08

me that Mary didn't want 20 marry
James and that her brother and Mr..
Langdon had just quarreled about IT,"
What did you doY'
4 II went in search OF Langdon"
Where did you find hlmT
Brandon flushed. and again his eyes
turned appealingly toward Langdon as
II begging forgiveness as he said in a
low voice:
"He was In the bar. drinking with a
group of workmen."
did you Join him?"
Eyes. Or. rather, | urged him TO
Join me at one Of the tables. was
surprised to see him take anything to
drink. but when said so he answered
that he was drinking to forget that he
had lost a girl who still loved him,
though she was going to marry anoth-
er man. asked him If he meant Mary
Page. and he said yes"
Did you remain with him long?"
mo. tried to persuade him to
come home with me. and when he
wouldn't, left him. In the hall, how
ever. | met Miss Page. l wanted her
to see Mr.. Langdon at that bar. led
her to the door. | remember how hor-
! rified she seemed, and how she strug-
gled to control herself. | tried to
steady her; but suddenly she went right
over to Langdon's table, and several
loafers gathered around them. She
/ seemed not 10 see them at all. Her
mind was apparently on Langdon
alone. Langdon was just sober enough
TO realize that Miss Page ought not to
be in such a place. He tried to push
her away; but she cried out, Don't
! drink any more, Phil!"
Did Mr.. Langdon make any replyP"
YES. He said. why should l stop
drinking? What have / to live forY
Then she put her arms around his
neck. and it was while they sat thus
that james Pollock came in This
seemed to sober Langdon completely.
| rushed forward. fearing there would
be horrible scene, and urged Pollock
, to go away. He pushed all of us back.
i want to get at him! he kept calling
Just let me get my hands ON himv
Langdon was trying to get Miss Page
out of the place. He did succeed while
several of US held Pollock back by
main force, in getting Mary into a lit
tie nnteroOm, a sort of parlor next to
the cafe"
Yes, go on, Mr.. Brandon" urged the
prosecutor. who seemed pleased with
his witness
well, Pollock was determined to fol-
low them, and we couldn't prevent him.
| found myself dragged into the little
room with him, and | slammed the
door. But James, for some reason, was
calmer now. What does this mean,
Mary? he said.
"'It means, Miss Page answered,
that | can't marry anyone but Mr..
, Langdon,' and Langdon went on, Now,
James, what are you going to do
about it?'"
The prosecutor interrupted: Did Mr.
LangdOn know at that time that Mary's
father had forged Mr. Pollock's check?''
/ mo, sir, he did not, for Pollock pro-
duced it at that moment, and Langdon
didn't know what it was. He looked
at Miss Page. who seemed overcome
with emotion. What does this mean.
Mary?' he asked. But she didn't an
swer. Then Pollock told him-the
straight truth. Her father did it,
remember he said, and she's going TO
marry me. Now do you understandY
"Langdon thought he was blut1ing.
You skunk" he shouted; and Pollock
waved the check In his face. Langdon
grabbed it, and there was a struggle.
The check tore In two, and when Lang
don looked at the piece he held. he saw
that it bore the forged signature, as
Dan Page had written it. | saw him
turn white as n sheet But suddenly
he smiled, and then he went calmly
over to lamp on the mantelpiece and
burned it, | remember, as though it
had been yesterday, how happy Miss
Page looked when she thought this evil
dence against her father was de-
stroyed."
The people in the courtroom gasped
with relief. They could almost share
Mary's sense of relief. But they were
soon brought back with a shock as the
witness went on:
Pollock had fallen down; but he re
covered himself, and began to sneer ut
Langdon. That isn't the check. any
how, you fool! That's only a copy
for just such occasions as this""
WAS Miss Page disconnected? the
prosecutor wanted 10 know.
"Oh, yes, sir. she said, What shall |
do, Phil? III do whatever you say
And he said, Il won't influence you
now. Do as your conscience Dictates
or something like that. | can't remem-
Der every werd, of course, There was
something about his not being weak
again, and then he turned as II to go.
He looked pretty downhearted."
'What did Pollock do all this timer
"He jumped up then, when he saw
that LangdOn's back was turned, and
tried to put his arms around Miss