Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-25
CContinude from Last saturday,
CHAPTER n.
The Ora mn of the Law.


The Ora mn of the Law.
When the first pale shreds Of dawn
rising triumphant above the river mists
we're hailed by the days shrill whistles.
a thin trickle OF humanity DETECTED
from the main current Of hurrying work.
ers. began to form idle little pools in the
shadow OF the grim buildings where the
law stages so many tragedies.
Hourly the pools grew larger, Soon
the corridor that led to the court room
where Mary Page was battling for her
life and liberty in the face Of over
wheIming evidence was filled with the
greatest crowd II had ever known.
From the window of his taxi as it
threaded its way through the heavy
traffic, Langdon could catch Rlimpses
OF the people outside. and in spite Of
his confidence in Mary's innocence. his
heart sank. He was too good a lawyer
not TO realize how important a factor
public sentiment was.
He had felt ever since the coroner's
inquest that there had been note
struck. not only in the newspapers. but
by the public itself. that declared Mary
guilty. There had even been a subtle
suggestion that her plea Of mot guilty
was no more than a mere formaiity.
He wondered irritably why It was that
this ''curbstone jury" as he termed It
contemptuously to himself. oould not real
lie that Mary would not have ruined her
career in such a fashion. however much
she had loathed Pollock and whatever
the provocation TO kill him. 1t was incon-
ceivable that a girl who had reached
the zenith of her career at IL o'clock and
had been hailed as one Of the greatest
stars of the century. should deliberately
fling all that success aside TO wreak her
vengeance on a man-and watch the dawn
come from a cell in the Tombs.
AS the young lawyer in his cab drew
up at the curb. within hands breadth
three women hung over an early edition
OF an afternoon paper whose flaring
headlines flung their words like a blow
straight into his face:
LOVERS FIGHT FOR LIFE!
Old Sweetheart Defends Mary Page,
Noted Actress. Charged
with the Murder
Of
DAVID POLLOCK
Another wooer.
The words bit like acid, and with a
shudder of aversion Langdon closed his
eyes to shut out the ugly sight. The
notoriety of It was in truth almost as
bitter to him as the awful. overshadow-
ing fear. He hated to think that Mary s
name should be dragged in the mud of
public gossp-as an actress who had shot
! a millionaire. while just outside the door,
with laughter and music and lights, the
great world supped and danced. He hated
the thought that his love for Mary had
been smirched and had become a spicy
morsel to he rolled on the tongues OF
those hungry for sensation; and there
were times when he was even glad
that Mary was in prison--for there al
least, in spite of its grim horror, there
was a semblance Of peace.
Something of that was in his mind a.
he fought bis way through the crowd tina
pressed about him. shouting his name
hombarding him with questions and cling
ing TO his arms In a vain effort to hole
him long enough to make him talk-to ge
from him some hint or clue as to wha
the day might bring forth.
At the cell door the lawyer paused. anC
| quickly raised his hat. Unbidden tear
sprang TO hts eyes. for Mary was hneelinl
| like a little child. her head in her moth