The Little River news., 1920-04-17
CHAPTER XII.

Coming as it did as a dire climax to all my other troubles. the shock of old Rufus Gaston's murder sent me into an apathetic state from which it seemed impossible for me to arouse myself Without hope and even with out interest 1 duly awaited the ap- proach of my trial for murder.
 While there never had been an op- portunity for any bond of affection to become established between my aged relative and myself-in fact, 1 had seen him only three or four times in my whole life. and then only for brief periods-still his unexpected and dreadful end had bereft me of practi- cally every hope of being acquitted of the absurd charge against me. Wick, it was plain, intended to disclaim all knowledge of my relationship to Mir Gaston, and now there was no one else to explain how l happened to be living in the building at the time of Miss Lutans murder. Unfortunately l had destroyed both MT. Gaston's let ter to me and the note from my mother which had first told me of the old mans intention. My great-aunt, ] learned from the newspapers, had been completely prOstrated by the tragedy and had been unable to come to the funeral. The shock of the news of her husbands violent end had left her in a very critical condition. It tn >phn hnr aged brain, and the physicians sum- moned to the Maine camp where she was refused to permit her to be re- moved from there or to let anyone talk with her, declaring that the least excitement of any sort would be apt to have fatal results.
 To be sure there was my mother, who could prove my relationship, but l felt there was little use of dragging her into it. On reading of her uncle'S death she had hastened on from the West to attend his funeral and had been puzzled and alarmed by not find ing me there. All the time 1 had been in prison 1 had been writing her lily usual weekly letter, affecting a cheer fitness 1 was far from feeling and tell ing her nothing of what had happened. Her letters to me, addressed to the Granddeck, had been forwarded by the post office so that until after she ar rived in the city she knew nothing of my plight. It had been my hope that I would be able to conceal everything FroYn bor ,,p+il aftar I boI haar tt.i11TD. phantly acquitted. If 1 were not she would know the worst soon enough.
 When she first learned or from what source, of my predicament l was unaware. l did not even know of her presence in the city until the day after my great-uncle's funeral, when-jus twentyf0ur hours before my trial wa; to begin-a keeper brought me Worl that she was waiting downstairs tC see me
 l steeled myself for the interview with her. Naturally I expected that she would be terribly horror stricker and shocked at my plight, but what her attitude toward me would be could not conjecture. fully expected nothing but reproaches from her. She had been so opposed to my coming tC New York that 1 felt certain that sht would insist that my conduct must by responsible for my being where I now was. For years, it seemed to me, tht relations between my mother and my self had been nothing but continuou. misunderstanding. To my grea amazement and bewilderment not al unkind word nor the suggestion of { reproachful thought came from hel lips.
 "Oh, my boy, my boy" she had cried as she saw me. ''I know you didn't dt 1t. know my boy is innocent! What can l do to help you?"
 In that glorious, wonderful moment of reaction all resentment l had fell toward her forever vanished. l haC one sacred, unforgettable glimpse Ol the eternal greatness of the Mother heart, ever ready to forgive, ever quick to comprehend ever prompt to aid For one sweet hour we talked to gether, more understandingly thar ever before in our lives. Freely ant fully told her everything, even to ml wonderful but hopeless love for Bar bara Bradford. She was willing, anx ious, eager to aid me--but what wa. there that she could dO?-what wal there that anyone could do?
 It was hopeless for lone woman O limited means, unacquainted with tn big city and unused to it's ways, to at tempt to battle against such powerful and desperate criminals as were con cerned in the far-reaching plot t make me the scapegoat of their hein ous misdeeds. could only advis her that she see McGregor and GoI man and be guided by what they sue gested.
 When the morning of my trial actr ally arrived entered the courtroom i state of dull apathy. The night b' fore had not slept at all. had sper all the black hours reviewing my Tiff especially the last year, thinking wit