The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-03-27


the excitement that swept through the
! crowded room. Somewhere woman
caught her breath in n stifed sob, and
NJ the back the spectators clambcred
upon their chairs. crowding forward
III spite Of angry whispers of est
| doEn.'. and the sharp rap of the
judges garel augmented by the official,
Order in the COURT
10 I.ansdon alone the calling Of Mary
c;irne as no surprise, and he was at her
side ina moment, whispering reassur-
alce and urging her to answer as sim
ply and clearly as possible the ques-
lions she. was asked. His calm gave
her back some measure of her own Sc
rcnity, 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 SNOW
storm Of applauding white gloves. How
long ago It seemed and yet how short
n time. And now the faces that stared
| up mt 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 yenrnincly
| 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 1t 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 "A 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 to the time
when the revolvcr-shot was heard and
Mr.. Langdon found you unconscious
beside the murdered man. Begin with
the moment You left the banquet"
With a shiyer Of aversion Mary clos
ed her eyes for Il second; then, grip
ping the edge of the witness-stand. she
began speaking slowly and with an OBJ
ylous effort.
When the boy brought me the mes.
sage-I-was glad to so. They were
drinking and We're 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 as
If 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-and
he wouldn't let me out, though | was
afraid and begged him TO-"
Did you try to get out? Was there
a struggle between you and Mr.. Pol
lock?"
She shook her head Not then" she
SAID, with little sob. Butt was
very angry-I told him he had trickcd
me-and l wouldn't listen to him. We
we quarreled over his being drunk,
and--he tried to make me take drink
of the whiskey myself
shuddcr Of repugnance swept over
her. and her eyes grew wide and star.
ing, and she swayed for a moment like
4 flower in a storm; then, with a ire
mendouS effort, as one called back
from the borderland to consciousness,
she added hoarsely:
Il remember striking at him-and
knocking the glass out of his hand.
heard IL break-and then-I must have
Miss Page" came still another q,Ics-
ton, IF you had refused James Pol
lock-if you feared him why did you
Srant him an interview late at night
in private room at the hotel?'
Grant him an interview" her voice
rose in startled protest. II didn't.
That was why 1 was so angry-I had
expected to find Mr.. Langdon in that
roorn!"
"0b. You had made arrangements
then to meet Mr.. Langdon thereT'
Again the satiric note crept into the
harsh voice, and crimson tide rushed
to Mary's pale cheeks.
"The boy told me" she said with dig
nifty, that Mr.. Langdon was waiting
to speak to me. thought he had come
to take me home"
"rhe boy-what boy?' The question
leapt sharply now.
why. the bellboy who brought the
message" she said in surprise. and,
turning, pointed toward the group of
witnesses where the small bellhop
covered half covering his face with
his shaking hands.
For the moment at least every eye
was upon him, and some of the hostil-
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