The Jasper news., 1920-10-07

Thcy wofO ifkely. Toe. - bring ont NJ
fact thst / had been discredItnbly
discharged from the only position
had held 10 New York. The only man
who knew anything shout the matter,
Mr.. Wood, the head Of the Arm, had
been suddenly called to FrHnce IN con-
nectlon with an order for munitions,
and was not expected to return for
sevoraI months. The fact would
weigh against me. too. that 4 would
be- unable to offer the testimony Of
any character witnesses. Bifge and
Roller, my classmates with whom had
roomed ever since had come to New
York, were somewhere In France
with the American troops and could
not possibly aid me.
! All Of this was pointed out to me
by John McGregor, young attorney
whom Gormsn had employed for me.
While German and I had. think. sue
ceeded In convincing him Of my inno-
cence, the fact that he was continu-
ally citing the difficulties In the way
Of our proving II made me realize
that he was very dubious as to the
outcome.
The trouble was that we were abso-
luteiy without witnesses. Old Rufus
Gaston's whereabouts stilI remained
a mystery. II we could discover him
in time, we could at least explain sat
isfactorily my presence in the Grand
deck and could establish that was
not the homeless, penniless vagrant
they would try to prove me. The
longer old Rufus remained IN hiding.
the stronger became my suspicion
that he might be in scme way involved
in the plot. His action in keeping his
address secret from me seemed to
have been with deliberate intent.
After some discussion Gormau and
1 had agreed not to mention either Of
the Bradford girls.
sTf one word about either Of them
slips out IN court" said German,
"they'Il be in for it. The papers will
jump to 1t and print their pictures
and all that. Wed better leave them
out OF IT,"
with this I heartily concurred. /
was determined that Barbara Brad
ford must be In no way involved,
come what may. knew that she her
self would be apt to be restrained
from attempting to communicate with
me by the fact that her sisters mar
Rage was set for the day after to-
morrow. Her loyalty to her family
was such that she would not risk scan
dal by trying to aid me, at least not
until her sister was married and the
future for Claire and her mother as
sured.
Two small rays Of sunshine light
ened the gloom Of my cell-the fact
that the newspaper mention of the
tragedy seemed thus far to have en-
capped my mothers notice and the
fact that Barbara still believed In my
innocence and trusted me absolutely,
A day or two after my arrest German
had managed TO see her and had told
her that II was my wish TINT she
keep entirely quiet her knowledge Of
the affair and that she should make
no attempt whatever to communicate
with me while was in prison. Ht
had brought back with him hastily
\ penciled note which often IN my cel
I read and re-read;
Dear Mr.. Nelson;
I'm so sorry to hear Of your trou
BILE and the absurd charges agnins
you. I'll do whatever you wish, o
course. trust you absolutely. 1
anything can tell will aid you at an!
I time. / am ready to speak-cost wha
!. 1t may. know you are innocent an,
r must soon be freed. Hoping to se'
you,
a "wIth all confidence.
J. "B. b."
o Each time read anew the pencIle'
. lines, my heart FeJoiced. Come wha
h may, / felt sure that Barbara's hear
II was mine joyed to know that com
N out Of prison to her though ! NIGH
d she would be glad to see me. Joyful
" ly would have gone to the electri
W chair rather than have her fair nam
,r In the least smirched by scandal |
n trying to defend me. She alone coul
n prove an alibi for me. but no on
a must ever know 1t.
at What would a scandal-loving worl
say II the fact became public thr
- she had been alone with me In m
- apartment near midnight II only
- the sacrifice Of her good name c0uI