Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-04-01

flesh upon which hung the vibrant liv-
ing tragedy of Mary herself.
The formal routine of the opening of
court was hurriedly gone through. The
district attorney and Langdon held a
subdued and secret .colloquy with the
judge. and then the first witness of
the day was called.
"Mary Page!"
At the sound Of her name Mary rose
unsteadily 20 her feet. her eyes turned
appealingly to Langdon, one trembling
hand crushing back the little cry that
rose involuntarily to her lips. But HER
agitation was no more than an echo of
the excitement that swept through the
crowded room Somewhere n woman
caught her breath in a stined sob. and
at the back the spectators elambered
upon their chairs. crowding forward
in snite of angry whispers Of asst
down. and the sharp rap of the
judges gavel augmented by the official,
"Order In the COURT
To Lancdon alone the calling of Mary
came as no surprise. and he was at her
side in q moment. whispering reassur-
ance and urging her to answer as sim
ply and clearly as possible the queS-
tons she was asked. His calm gave
! her back some measure of her own Sc
renity, and her voice was low but clear
! as she took the oath and, stepping up
! into the witness stand, looked down
| upon that sea of faces. For moment
they swan before her eyes. and with a
catch in her throat she remembered
the last time she had looked down upon
crowded faces: looked down across the
fOotlights upon thousands Of smiling
lips and friendly eyes above a snow
storm of applaudlng white gloves How
long ago it seemed, and yet how short
time. And now the faces that stared
up at her were avid with curiosity.
some hostile. some sympathetic, but
all pallid with the voracity of the SEN
! sation seeker.
Then her eyes. travelling beyond
them, met the tear dimmed ones of her
mother leaning forward yearningly
from the witness bench, and because
of the. suffering on that face Mary
smiled. Her first answers to the ques-
lions of the District Attorney were
spoken with quiet dignity.
Miss Page. isn't it true that James
Pollock wished TO marry your"
Yes" The answer was lower now.
and hot flush crept for moment into
Mary's pale cheeks.
"And you found his attentions I'M
welcomeT'
Something in the tone brought her
head up sharply.
Il had told Mr.. Pollock that / could
not marry him. she said firmly and
with hauteur that wrung a little
whisper of admiration from the spec
tators.
Abruptly the prosecutor changed his
train of questioning.
"NOw. Miss Page" he said harshly.
please tell the court exactly what
happened just previous 10 the time
when the revolver-shot was heard ana
Mr. Langdon found you unconscious
beside the murdered man. Begin with
! the moment you left the banquet"
with n shiver OF aversion Mary clos
ed her eyes for second; then, grip.
ping the edge Of the witness-stand, she
began speaking slowly and with an Oh
viOus effort.
"When the boy brought me the me-
sage-I-was glad TO go. They were
drinking and were very noisy at the
banquet-and | was tired. The boy
showed me the door Of the suite. and !
went In
She paused and covered her eyes rs
II TO shut out something terrible that
she saw.
Mr. Pollock was in the ROOM" she
said at last. "He-he had been drink
ing-he wasn't himself-he could hard
ly stand. He-he said he wanted to
talk TO me alone for five minutes-anl
he wouldn't let me out. though was
afraid and begged him to-
did you try to get out? Was there
struggle between you and Mr.. Pol
lock?"
She shook her head. mot them" she
very angry-I told him he had trlcked
me-and wouldn't listen to him. We
we quarreled over his being drunk.
and-he tried to make me take drink
OF the whiskey myself"
A shudder Of repugnance swept over
her. and her eyes grew wide and star
ing and she swayed for a moment like
flower IN a storm; then. with "A tre-
mendous effort, as one called back
from the borderland to consciousness.
she added hoarsely:
II remember striking at him--and
! knocking the glass out Of his hand |
heard It break-and then-I must have
faintedr'
"AIiss Page" came still another ques-
ton. IF you had refused James Pol
lock-if you feared him-why did you
grant him nm interview late at night
In private room at the hotel?"
"Grant him an interview her voice
rose In startled protest. II didn't
Thai was why I was 20 sngry-r had