The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-13

~ entists who study the human
 brain declare that the focus of
 consciousness is dual, and that unless the sub conscious mind supple ments the conscious concentration, the attention is easily diverted. Thus a sailor steering by the north star quiv- ering in the tall of the Little Bear is readily diverted by the flashing of a meteor across the heavens, since it is only his outer consciousness that is fixed upon the star; but whole swarm of meteors might have streaked the sky unheeded when Ulysses, life in hand, steered between ScyIla and Charybdis, and all the din of the siege failed to disturb Archimedes bent over his fig ures in the sand. For here conscious and sub-conscious forces were welded into great intensity. Tn like fashion, Mary Page. sitting in the prisoners dock with the Damoclean sword of jus tice above her, was now unconscious of the crowd in the court-room. She no longer heard the boys who slipped from the reporters table to the door carrying the news of the trial for the special editions; she no longer felt the eyes of the crowd upon her She was even unconscious of the rustling of the papers on the Prosecutors desk, which had at first rasped her nerves so un- bearably. Now mind and soul were alike concentrated upon Langdon and upon the slow building of the evidence that was to free her from the charge of having murdered David Pollock.
 A tumult of old memories was surg ing about her, as witness after witness told of the tragedy of year before; Ga tragedy that had so grim sequel in the presently and yet there were strange nightmarish blanks in those menories-spaces where fact had to give place to imagination, and during which she had hung in the nullity of uncounted moments. merging like a person under ether to momentary pain- scared consciousness. only to sink whirling back into oblivion. And it was of these moments of which Mary herself knew only by hearsay that the witnesses were now testifying.
 They were an odd contrast, these de- lenders of Mary. Mrs. Page, slender, frail, bowed with grief and anxiety; MacPherson in his rough clothes and high boots. veritable Scotch giant with a square beard; two distinguished locking men with the grave, kindly faces of those whose lives are spent in battling against the dual enemies of disease and mental suffering; Jeanette. Mary's maid and all the others whose words were to shatter the great, omi- nous temple of accusatory facts raised up by the State.
 Mary did not realize the subtIety with which Langdon was calling these witt nesses. In fact, it was doubtful if any of those in the courtroom except per- haps the Prosecutor and the Judge ap- preciated the skill with which he brought out each detail in it's turn. There was no confusion of facts, no forcing of conglomerate array of evil dence upon the jury; but bit by bit. as one pieces together a Jig-saw puzzle. he was fitting into a perfect picture for those present. the tragedy of the life of Mary Page.
 In pursuance of his method of bring ing out events as they had happened he had already, at "bar side conference" :" asked permission to recall his witnesses a second. or even third time Thus it came as surprise only to the spec- tators when Mrs. Page again took her place in the witness-box.
 She looked pitifully pale and wan. and Langdon's voice was very gentle as he said
 Mrs. Page you told us yesterday of how your daughter, struggling with her drunken father was struck by him and fled screaming from the house. Will you tell the court, please, what follow ed that flight? Did you go after her or remain at homer"
 Tt was impossible for me to follow as quickly as MT. Langdon did" she said quietly. glancing toward the Judge. "So stood at the gate wait ing. feeling sure that it would only be a very few minutes before he would return with my poor. half-crazed girl"
 Was there anyone with your,
 At first quite a group of our neigh bors were there. drawn by the sound of--of--Mary's screams. But they soon followed Mir. Langdon and I was left alone.''
 Did you return to the house?'
 T went back as far as the window, '' she said in some hesitation. sIt-it was very cold and I wanted to get a wrap, but I-I-was afraid of my hus- band"
 "What did you see when you looked in the window?"
 T saw my husband. sitting by the table still drinking. At last. however, he fell over onto the couch asleep. and I went in and got wraps and blankets. thinking to start out myself in search of Mary. As came out of the cottage