The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-05-25

AAo night CouIt! 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 glared at Lois with savage |
distrust and CURLY demanded a 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 a powered nook, an exquisite
Grecian Enclosure more suited to a
courtship 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
age and, Selling the old man by the
lapels of his coat, commanded him:
Nov you shall speak. You are GO
ing to tell me why you let the MUIR
derer of Dick Freneau so free. You
are going to tell me what you know
about him. / can only think of one
reason. You know that your daughter
was going to run away with him and
you had him put out of the way. It
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 you'll
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 I have found
out. You'd better tell me what you
know or you'll destroy your own
daughter, for David will divorce her
when he learns how false she has been
to him.
David knows! David knew the
judge retorted, driven to bay by Clio
ria's 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 a 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 Infatuated at this attack
on her brother.
: cts 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
' Gle 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. I said, What are you doing
l here? You told me and you told Lois
that you were going South for week.
David was like a mailman. He said :
4 I only pretended to 60 He took a
letter from his pocket and beat it with
l his hands. I've had an anonymous let
q ter sent to me- he said, and it's put me
g on my guard. If what it says is true
I've got to kill q man. I tried to calm
v him, but a club bore came up, and
: while he held me David got away.
n Il was frightened / hurried from
the club. / went to his house. He
was not there. The butler said thai
Lois had left the house alone ant
walked toward the drive. She had tolt
me she was going out Of town. I hat
seen her baggage leave the house
walked over to the drive. l found Ere
neau's car with a smashed wheel. TIL
chauffeur said that Freneau had left i
and walked north some time before.
hurried on.
I'm front of the monument I stun
bled over Freneau's body. I knel
down. He was dead. I nearly los
my mind with horror. Evidentl
David had followed him up, had me
him, and killed him, leaving the bod
for the first policeman to find.
cit was late and cold and the driv
was deserted. AS a judge, I had see
so many families ruined by some ma
act I could only think of one thin:
the legal rule that the corpus delict
the body of the dead man, must h
produced or it's existence proved. Th
insane inspiration came to me that
81 I could get rid of that body | coul
aM save poor David from going to tt
chair, I could save my poor daughte
J" from being disgraced before the who
T., world. I love David and love LOi
OF course. They are my childre