The Elbert County tribune., 1917-06-01

/ bOuf- Dull Hi she SdlQ Wus.
'The night court! Judge Freeman
let Trask go. He tried to persuade
me not to pursue him again. What
reason did he have? He must have
known Trask. He's got to tell the
| truth"
Royce disclaimed all knowledge of
Judge Freeman's actions, or his
motives. He saw. Judge Freneau com
| ing into the driveway in his car. He
saw the judges daughter. Lois, greet
him.
Gloria saw him, too, and she did not
wait. She gIared at Lois with savage
distrust and curtly demanded word
from the judge. She beckoned to him
and walked away, and the old jurist
followed her like guilty lad going
to his punishment.
Gloria moved away to a secluded
bench in powered nook, an exquisite
CrecIan inclosure more suited to
courtshlp than to an inquisition into a
crime. Gloria motioned the judge to
sit down. She made sure that nobody
was within sight or hearing, then she
threw off all pretence of respect for
uBt anu, stiIiiB Tie oil Dlun Dy Tie
lapels of his coat, commanded him:
"Now you shall speak. You are GO
ing to tell me why you let the muir
derer of Dick Freneau 70 free. You
are going to tell me what you know
about him. 1 can only think of one
reason. You know that your daughter
was going fo run away with him and
you had him put out of the way. 1t
was you and nobody else that hired
Trask, and that is why you sent him
away when he happened to be brought
into your court"
Judge Freeman smiled drearily at
the accusation. He shook his head.
mo, Gloria, my child, you can't
fasten a murder on me, and once more
| advise you to keep your pretty fin
gers out of the FIRE. If you don't youil
destroy somebody who is very dear to
you"
Don't tell me any more lies, judge,
or you'll burn your own fingers. You
don't know how much l have found
out. You'd better tell me what you
daughter, for David will divorce her
when he learns how false she has been
to him."
"David knowsi David knewi" the
judge retorted, driven to bay by Clio
rias manner.
Gloria laughed at this. do you
suppose that my brother would toler-
ate her presence here at his side If he
knew? Look there they are together"
She pointed to distant hilltop
where David stood with his arm about
his wife. The judge rose and glanced
at the couple, then sank back with a
groan.
"He has forgiven her, perhaps, be-
| cause he feels that he has committed
as great crime as hers"
| Gloria was infuriated at this attack
on her brother.
ITS outrageous of you to try to be-
smirch the best that lives. He has
been blind to your daughters treach-
cry, but that is his only fault"
| ''He has not been blind. He knew"
the Judge insisted. Listen, Gloria. On
the night of the murder 1 met your
brother at club. He was greatly
excited. said, What are you doing
here? You told me and you told Lois
that you were going South for week
David was like madman. He said: /:
L only pretended to co. He took a
letter from his pocket and beat it with
his hands. I've had an anonymous let
ter sent to me- he said, and it's put me
on my guard If what 1T says is true
I've got to kill man. tried to calm
| nj nd
while he held me David got away.
II was frightened. I hurried from
the club. 1 went to his house. He
was not there. The butler said that
Lois had left the house alone and
walked toward the drive. She had told
me she was going out of town. / had
seen her baggage leave the house. l
walked over to the drive. l found Ere
neau's car with a smashed wheel. The
chauffeur said that Freneau had left it
and walked north some time before. |
hurried on.
"In front of the monument 1 STUN
bled over Freneau's body. 1 knelt
down. He was dead. 1 nearly lost
my mind with horror. Evidently
David had followed him up, had met
him, and killed him, leaving the body
for the first policeman to find.
at was late and cold and the drive
was deserted. AS a judge, had seen
SO many families ruined by some mad
act, l could only think OF one thing,
the legal rule that the corpus delicti
the body of the dead man, must be
produced or its existence proved. The
insane inspiration came to me that II
could get rid of that body l could
save poor David from going to the
chair, 1 could save my poor daughter
from being disgraced before the whole
world. 1 love David and love Lois