The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-19

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entists who study the human
brain declare that the focus Of
consciousness Is dual. and that
unless the sub-cOnscious mind supple
ments the conscious concentration, tho
attention Is easily diverted. Thus n
sailor steering by the north star quIV-
ering In the tail Of the Little Bear 10
: readily diverted by the flashing Of n
meteor across the heavens. since It Is
only his outer consciousness that Is
fixed upon the star; but a whole swarm
OF meteorB might have Streaked the Sky
unheeded when Ulysses. life in hand,
steered between Scylla and Charybdis,
and all the din Of the siege failed TO
disturb Archimedes bent over his hg-
ureB in the sand. For here conscious
and sub-ConscIous forces were welded
into great intensity. In like fashion,
Mary Page, sitting in the prisoners
dock with the Dnm0clean sword OF JUS
tIce above her, was how unconscious
of the crowd In the courtroom. She
no longer heard the boys who slipped
from the reporters table 10 the door
the news OF the trial for the
special editions: she no longer felt the
eyes Of the crowd upon her. She was
even unconscious of the rustling of the
papers on the Prosecutors desk, which
had at first rasped her nerves so un.
bearabiy. Now mind and soul were
alike concentrated upon Langdon and
upon the slow building OF the evidence
that was to free her from the charge
Of having murdered David Pollock.
A tumult Of old memories was surg
ing about her, as witness after witness
told OF the tragedy Of year before: "a
tragedy that had so grim a sequel in
the presently and yet there were
strange nightmarish blanks in those
memories-spaces where fact had to
give place 10 imagination. and during
which she had hung in the nulIity Of
uncounted moments merging like a
person under ether to momentary pain
scared consciousness. only to sink
whlrling back into oblivion. And &c
was OF these moments OF which Mary
herself knew only by hearsay that the
witnesses were now testifying.
They were an odd contrast. these de-
tenders OF Mary. AIRS. Page, slender.
frail. bowed with grief and anxiety;
high boots. a veritable Scotch giant with
looking men with the grave, kindly
faces Of those whose lives are spent in
battling against the dual enemies OF
disease and mental suffering: jeanette.
Mary's maid. and all the others whose
words were to shatter the great. omi-
nous temple Of accusatory facts raised
up by the State.
Mary did not realize the subtlety with
which Langdon was calling these wit
nesses. In fact. it was doubtful II any
Of those In the courtroom except per-
haps the Prosecutor and the Judge. ap-
preciated the skill with which he
brought out each detail in its turn.
There was no confusion OF facts. no
forcing OF conglomerate array of evil
dence upon the jury: but bit by bit, as
one pieces together a jIg-saw puzzle,
he was fitting into perfect picture
for those present. tho tragedy of the
life Of Mary Page.
In pursuance of his method OF bring
ing out events as they had happened he
: had already. at a "bar side conference
asked permission to recall his wItnessel
second. or even a third time. Thus
It came as surprise only to the spec
tators when Mrs. Page again took hei
place in the witness-box.
She looked pltifuIly pale and wan
and Langdon's voice was very gentle
as he said:
Mrs. Page. you told US yesterday o.
how your daughter. struggling with hel
drunken father. was struck ny him AMI
fed screaming from the house. vii
you tell the court, please. what follow.
ed that flight? Did you so after her OF
remain at homer"
'1t was impossible for me TO follow
as quickly as Mr. Langdon did" she
said quietly. glancing toward The
Judge. $50 stood at the gate wait.
ing. feeling sure that II would only b.
a very few minutes before he would
return with my poor. half-crazed girl
WAS there anyone with your
eat first quite group OF our neigh.
bors We're there. drawn by the BounC
of-ot-Mary's screams. But they soor
followed Mr.. LanEdon and I was Ief
alone.'
Did you return to the fouse?n
II went back as far as the window
she said in some hesitation. "It-i
Is very cold ana l wanted to get
wrap. but I-I-was afraid OF my hus
band"
what did you see when you looket
In tho Window"
81 saw my husband. sitting by tn
table Rt3ll drinking. AT last. however
he fell over onto the couch asleep, an,
went in and got wraps and blankets
thinking to start out myself in searcl
Of Mary. AS camo out of the cottag