Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-07-21
The Mysterious
Question
BY WILLIAM FALL
20. 1921. Western Newspaper Union J

room There was suppressed cheer
following the solemn announcement
Df the foreman OF the jury:
"Not guilty."
Cameras and eyes sought one espe-
cial corner of the place. 1t was where
dignifed, fine faced old man had sat
all through the triai--w;iere he sat
now. He was the accused, Robert
Dayton. A faint expression of grati-
fcation crossed his face. Then it
softened down to extreme tenderness
Evelyn, his daughter, his constant
companion during the trying ordeal Of
the past few days, had thrown her
arms about his neck and was sobbing
out her joy upon his BOSOM
"Not guilty!" she gasped-"Oh IA
Their, did you hear?'
what else could it be, my child 2"
replied Mr.. Dayton proudly. II ex-
pected it."
1T was so unjust, SO cruel" MUIR
INJURED Evelyn.
Evelyn did not exaggerate in her
filial statement 1t had been a nine
days wonder to the little city when,
one week after the destruction by fire
of the unused plant of the Dayton
Manufacturing company, two former
partners of Mr.. Dayton had accused
him Of burning down the property.
There had been friction and litiga-
ton between the three partners, so
severe that Mr.. Dayton had closed
down the works. He had offered his
partners fair settlement, which they
had bitterly refused. The fire had set
tied 1t all. The only beneficiary
through the insurance was Mr.. Day.
ton.
This point his enemies had used
against him, and this, together with
the rather vague evidence of night
Waterman that he had seen a cloaked
person resembling the manufacturer
In appearance near the factory at
nine o'clock in the evening, one hour
before the fire was discovered, had
formed the basis of the accusation in
court
Mr.. Dayton had been able to prove
that he had been confined to the
house all that fatal day with slight
indisposition.
The base implication of the prose-
cutiOn was that Mr.. Dayton had
slipped out of the house between the
hours Of eight and ten in the evening,
They limited that he had fired the
plant and returned to his room before
the flames were discovered.
1t was at the darkest moment in the
trial for the anxious father and daugh-
ter when their lawyer called DR.. Paul
Merwin.
His evidence was plain, simple and
convincing. The evening of the fire
he had been resting In the garden of
the vacant house adjoining the Day.
ton mansion. Doctor Merwin swore
positively that he had sat there, the
Dayton house in clear view, from eight
o'clock in the evening until nearly
eleven p. m. During all that time,
he testified, he had been In full sight
Of the music room where Miss Dayton
was entertaining some guests, and the
upstairs apartment in wing of the
house where her father had been stu
di0usly engaged in going over some
account books.
The prosecution was COMPOUNDED.
The lawyers asked a few formal ques-
tions. There was no refutation of the
evidence. Robert Dayton was free
man, honorably acquitted.
The young physician was close at
the side of Mr.. Dayton's attorney as
the latter approached his client.
II must thank you for your great
services, Mr.. Telford," said the man.
ufacturer gratefully to the lawyer.
"Your thanks are rather due to our
most excellent witness, Doctor Mer-
win," insisted the attorney.
II must see more of you. You have
done me the service of my life this
day." spoke Mr.. Dayton, grasping the
young physicians hand warmly.
In later years Evelyn never forgot
the third evening he called. He
seemed more carefree on that occa-
sion than he ever had been before.
Then moonlight. a charming garden
spot, the air like new wine, and in the
hazy silence Evelyn said:
Doctor Merwin, l have always
wished to ask you very particular
question for some time"
"Yes" he intimated gently. with
his usual rather sad smile.
You remember that day in the
courtroom when we first met7'
IL have not forgotten it," he replied.
mir. Telford said TO you: 1T was
fortunate the prosecution did not ask
you the question:
"what did he mean?"
THAT the evening was In the next
garden was one of many evenings
spent there. had known you for a
long time before that, Miss Dayton"
"You had-known me-for long
timer" she repeated vaguely.
"But you did not know me. How