The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-01-27
"Mhyr-


Il must ask your honor to admon
lsh this witness against such false and |
improper charges-or to punish her
for contempt" he blazed furiously.
But the Judge spoke without great !
severity as he cautioned: Yes. the |
witness must not seek to imply mo |
tives to the prosecution"
The attorney took another step for
ward with malicious smile. lie
paused that the next question and its
answer might fall ON the emphasis OF
momentary silence Then he point.
ed finger toward the girl. with the
manner of one branding a false wit.
ness. and demanded:
is there any sentimental attach
ment between you and this defendant,
Anse Havey?"
There was a moments dead silence
In the courtroom. and Anse saw Jua'
nita's face go white Then he saw her
finger nails whiten as they lay In her
lap and sudden flush spread to her
face.
She looked toward the Judge. and at
once the lawyer for the defense was
on his feet with the old objection
The question is irrelevant"
Then. while counsel tilted with each
other, the girl drew a long breath.
and the man whose life was in the
balance turned pale, too. not because
OF this, but because the woman he
loved had been asked the question
which was more to him than life and
death-a question he had never dared
to ask himself.
Il think" ruled the court. the ques.
ton is relevant as going to prove the
credibility of the witness"
So she must answer.
The prisoners finger nails bit into
his palms and he smothered a low
oath between his clenched teeth, but
Juanita Holland only looked at the
cross-examiner with q clear-eyed and
serene glance of scorn under which he
seemed to shrivel She replied with
the dignity of a young queen who can
afford to ignore insults from the gut
ter.
None whatever"
, The defendant sat back in his chair
and the smile left his lips as though
he had been struck by thunderbolt
He knew that his case was won. and
yet as he saw her leave the witness
stand and the courtroom, he felt sicker
at heart than he had felt since he
could remember He would almost
have preferred condemnation with the
hope against hope left somewhere
deep I'm his heart that there slept In
hers an echo to his unuttered love.
The question he had never dared to
ask she had nswered-answered un
der oath. and liberty seemed now a
very barren gift.
When he had been acquitted and
was going out he saw a figure in con
sultation with the prosecutor-a figure
which had not been inside the doors
during the trial. II was Mr.. Trevor ol
Louisville and he was testify saying
"Oh, well, there are more ways OF
killing cat than by choking 1t with
butter"
Anse Havey did not require the in
depreciation of an oracle for that
cryptic comment. He knew that the
effort to dispose of him would moi
end with his acquittal.
Juanita was going away to enlist
her staff OF teachers and arrange fol
the equipment OF the little hospital
y and Anse did not tell her of his inse
curity
Ie You'll promise to be very careful
5. while I'm gone. won't your" she de
a manded, as they sat together the nigh
before she left.
ID "I'll try to last till you get back" h,
s. smiled. He was sitting with a pipe II
his hand--a pipe which had gone ou
ID and been forgotten.
Ie In the darkness OF the porch every
~ thing was vague but herself. Sh
Of seemed to him to be luminous by som,
ID light of her own. She was yer!
wonderful and desirable star shining
n. far out OF reach OF his world.
ct Suddenly she laughed. and b.
,e asked;
is What is it?"
Il. 81 was just thinking what a fool
n. was when came here" she answered
al did you know that ! brought pian
IN with me as far as Peril? It's bee
n there over year"
IS "A piano!" he echoed. then the
Of both laughed.
I'd 81 might as well have tried to brin
along the Philadelphia city hall" sh
le admitted. Just the same there hav
OF been times when ii would have mean
ir lot to me. an awful lot, II coul
N. have had that piano don't kno'
by whether music means 80 much to yoI
III but to me-"
RS 81 know" he broke in. 81 som'
e, times low that life amt much else el
N. cept the summin' up OF the things
feller dreams. Music is like dream
ey lit makes dreams. Yes. | know som'
d. thin about that"
N She went away and. though she wa
not long gone. her absence seemed II