Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-25
CHATTER X.
CONTINUED From Yesterday

continued From 1esteruaNJ
WELL IL sent for Mr.. Langdon,' said
Daniels nervously. "and he came. In the
meantime we had given the regular
watchman knockout drops and left him in
corner OF the balcony, and Shale took
his place. When MIR. Bangdon was lesv-
ing 1 called this supposed watchman and,
acting on Dawes Instructions. told him
to show Mr.. Langdon out by the stage
door. But tell you"-his voice rose sud
denly to high, shrill note OF hysterical
emphasis-'1 tell you knew nothing OF
that open trap door in the stage.
thought nc was going 70 take him right
out of the theater. And when I heard
MIR. I.angdon's cry-I-I was too Mortified
to move for minute. Then l rushed
down and turned on the stage lights"
will you tell us what you saw?'
Il saw Mr.. Bangdon hanging to the
edge of an open trap that led down some
thirty feet to the cement cellar below.
and Shale standing to one side, with a
blackjack in his hand. I thought he was
going to hit Langdon. and 1 snatched It
away from him and dragged Langdon
back upon the stage. The very first
words he said made me realize he didn't
know the real reason of that open trap,
so hid the blackjack behind me and
took Mr., Langdon to the door myself and
saw him safely away"
did you see Mr.. Pollock again that
night?"
Yes. When got back TO the stage
l found him there denouncing Shale for
having failed TO do his part, and when |
asked him II he had meant murder, he
said, Yes! l meant to have him killed
through an apparent accident What Is
more, l tell you here and now, that I'll
kill Mary Page and I'll kill myself. be-
fore Langdon shall win herl' That's what
Dave Pollock said. and that's what
thought he had done-that night.
swear / didn't go into that room! But
I heard them quarrel. and ] heard the
scream and the shot And 1 thought he'd
done it-and I ran away, in sheer horror
that's all My Godl You must believe
me. It's true that quarreled with Dave
Pollock. not once. but many times. It's
true that he didn't play fair with me, but
can't you see that had everything to
lose and nothing TO gain by his death!
It's meant ruin to me-and ruin to my
wife and little girl"
His voice broke pitifully over the las
words. Leaning forward, he buried hi,
face in his shaking hands. waiting fol
the next question. But 1t didn't come
That tragic outburst had carried con,
viction, not merely to Langdon but Il
everyone IN the room, and whatever
shadows OF suspicion had hung over Mr.
Daniels faded before the pitiful but In
dubitable veracity of his story The
mystery, IL mystery It was. of Davit
Pollocks death was still as impenetrable
and the cords Of the law that for a time
seemed to be loosening from about Mary
Page, had frightened again.
But to Mary and Langdon that testi-
mony of the manager had brought some
thing that for the time at least seemed
greater than the law-an understanding
OF Mary's heart vision OF what might ye
be If freedom could be won for her.
1t was a strange moment for a grea'
love 10 find expression, and n strange
/ story which had wakened It; and. while
Langdon felt deep in hiss heart that nj
words were needed after that glance Of
Mary's he could not forbear following
her to her cell when court had adjourned
She glanced up at him with sudden shy
ness when he came in, and her handi
went out waveringly. but whether to hole
| him off or to cling she could not hersel
have told. Langdon had no doubts, how
ever. and caught them close in his warn
grasp and drew her to him In q silenc,