The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-03-02


!! sociared with this crime. hau ne beer
guilty--had our separation come
through his crime and not through,
my own, should have been prepared
for such contingency, and not over
| whelmed ty It."
"And were you not prepared?"
mo, before Go1!'
| The gesture accompanying this oath
! was grand one. convincing In its
fervor. its najesty and power
But facts are stubborn things, and
while most Of those present were still
thrilling under the effect of this oath.
the dry voice Of District Attorney An
drews was heard for the first time, in
these words:
why, then, did you, on the night Of
bela's death, stop on your way across
the bridge to look back upon Dark
Hollow and cry in the bitterest tones
which escape human lips, oliver! OH.
yer! You were heard to speak
this name. Judge Ostrander," he
hastily put It, as the miserable father
raised his hand in ineffctual protest.
Z man was lurking in the darkness
behind you. who both saw and heard
you He may not. be the most pre-
possessing Of witness. but we cannot
discredlt his :tory"
'Mr. Andrews. you have no children.
TO the man who has, make my last
appeal. Mr.. Renfrew. you know the
human heart both - a father and a
pastor. Do you find anything unnatural
IN guilty soul bemoaning it's loss
rather than its sin. in the spot which
recalled both to his overburdened
spirit?"
No"
The word came sharply, and 1t
sounded decisive; but the ones which
followed from Mr. Andrews we're no
less 30.
That Is not enough. We want evi.
dence, actual evidence, that you are
not playing the part your son ascribes
to YOU"
The judges eyes glared. then sud.
denly and incomprehensively softened
till the quick fear that his mind as well
as his memory had gone astray. van.
lshed In feeling none Of them could
have characterized, but which gave to
them all an expression Of awe.
i have such evidence" announced
the Judge Come"
Turning, he stepped into the hall.
Oliver, with bended head and a dis
couraged mien, quickly followed.
Alanson Black and the others. cast
ing startled and inquiring looks at
each other, brought up the rear. Deb
orah Scoyille was nowhere to be seen
At the door Of his own room, the
Judge paused, and with his hand on
the curtain, remarked with unexpected
composure: You have all wondered,
and others with you, why for the last
ten years have kept the gates OF my
house shut against every conner.
am going to show you"
; And with no further word or look
scarcely even giving attention to Oil
Vers anguished presence, he led then
into the study and from there on tc
that inner door known and talked o
through the town as the door OF mys
terry. This he slowly opened with the
Key he took from his pocket; then
! pausing with the knob in his hand, he
said:
! In the years which are past. but
two persons beside myself have
! crossed this Threshold and these only
under my eye. It's secret was for my
| own breast. Judge what my remorse
has been; judge the power Of my own
secret selfcondemnation, by what you
see here
And. entering, he reached up, and
pulled aside the carpet he had strung
UP over one end Of the room, disclosing
| amid number Of loosened boards, the
barred cell of a condemned convict.
This was my bed. gentlemen. till
stranger coming into my home, made
such an acknowledgment Of my sin i'm
possible!"