The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-23

MAY his back and his brows bent wv in frown that made him
 look oddly old and tired, Langdon paced slowly up and down. Over and over in his mind he went back through the testimony of the long trial of Mary Page. He was con- fident now, as he had not been con- fident in the beginning, that she had not shot David Pollock in a frenzy of delirious fear.
 But who HAD killed hfm2
 That was the problem!
 Never in all his experience had he remembered so baffiing a case.
 At least half dozen times he had felt that his fingers were at last upon the right thread that would lead out of the maze, but each time his edifice of hope had crumbled.
 The doorman at the Hotel Republic had repeated only what the chauffeur had already told-that Shale had left Pollock as soon as he got out Of the machine; but even so Langdon had sent Brennan and his confreres to SCOUT the town for him.
 He ought not to be hard to find; but, once found could he tell anything? That was the question.
 And so wearily and endlessly, Lang don paced the stone paved room, dou- ply ugly in the clear light of the early morning.
 Suddenly he was halted in his self imposed sentry duty by the sound of a knock on the door, and in response to his "come in," Daniels entered
 q looked for you over at the offlce," he said, but they told me you were here"
 Did you want me for anything spe- cial?' asked Langdon coldly. and the theatrical man flushed.
 Yes" he said, T did. I had long talk with my wife last night and she and I decided that the hoodoo on The Covington is too black for us, anyway. No good can come out of that place for me, and she-she said, she wanted me to come down here and ask you to put me on the stand again. Do you understand what I mean?'
 1T think do." said Langdon quietly, though a flame had leaped into his eyes. You want to tell what you didn't say before?''
 He was too clever to let this man know how jubilant he was.
 "Yes," said Daniels. Tt may not  is. Its-it's about what I heard when I passed the door of the gray suite that night.'
 "Thank Godi" cried Langdon, and drew his chair close to that of Daniels. When they entered the courtroom to- gether an hour later every trace of anxiety and suffering had been wiped from Langdons face.
 He looked buoyantly young, and when he passed Mary. he whispered something to her that brought light to her eyes too, and though there was surprise there was no fear on her face when she herself was called as the first witness of the day.
 Miss Page" said Langdon in the vibrantly happy voice of one who sees success just ahead, lon the night when you went into the gray suite from the banquet room were you wearing or carrying your cloak?"
 T slipped it on as came into the hall. carried my gloves and my evening bag"
 Did you see MT. Pollock the minute you entered the room?
 "No."
 "What did you do?"
 T slipped off the cloak again because IL was WdTIn dIlQ ldiu IL OAi O SAeAA "AeA my gloves and bag"
 "Where was that chair?"
 The question snapped like a whip lash and for a moment Mary hesi tated
 I'm not quite sure," she said slowly; then, with more assurances: "Why, yes, I am! It was towards the door into the other room because it was then that saw MT. Pollock come out And you retreated?"
 "Yes" The answer was breathed rather than spoken, but Langdon push ed on, too eager to spare her.
 'Did he come toward you?"
 "Yes"
 Did he follow you so far that he came between you and that chair?"
 "Why, of course. He-he-came right up to me-"
 She shuddered and hid her face in her hands, as the tide of recollection swept over her, but Langdon had only one more question.
 Then in order to secure the revolver from your bag. you would have had to push past him and secure the bag from under your cloak. would you not?'
 "Yes. But I-I-don't remember what happened"
 That is all thank you. Miss Page said Langdon, and turning to the bailift he added briskly:
 Gall Mr. Daniels"
 A sense of something big impending stirred the spectators and the jury alike, and the Judge himself, keenly alive to that new note in Langdon s voice. turned deliberately in his chair as Daniels began his testimony.
 Everyone in the room leaned for ward. tense with excitement.
 MT. Daniels" began Langdon with no preliminaries. lon the night of the banquet you walked with Miss Page