The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-09-07
The Prosecutors
Love
By MYRA c. LANE


Inc logs lndt enNFHppeu ner as she De
gan to understand the jury's verdict
The hand of the warden on her arm
steadied her. She became vaguely
conscious that the spectators in the
courtroom were cheering her.
Il must be brave" she thought, and
tried TO stand erect and to smile.
But the reaction after the LONG
months of strain was too great for
her, and a sigh went up from every
body as she tottered and collapsed in a
dead faint.
Eunice Capell had been acquitted OF
the murder Of her husband. They had
been married five years. Wigan Capell
had been brute and a sOt, he had
left the marks of his bruises on her
he had been unfaithful; and ut last,
when he attacked her In a drunken
fury she had calmly shot him with
the loaded pistol that she had in read
ineSS.
Acquitted, OF course! Neverthe.
less, Charles Ryecroft, the prosecuting
attorney, had bent all his efforts to
securing conviction.
Manslaughter was the verdict he
asked for; no jury would have found
her guilty of murder. But day after
day he had hammered home his points.
and with such skill that In the end 1t
became doubtful whether he would not
sway the jury.
RyecrOft was young man, a COM
Ing man; he had been friend of the
CapellS, which made his task the hard
er. But he had not fiinched from his
duty on that account.
Charles Ryecroft was known for his
singlehearted devotion to his career.
He had pressed for a conviction.
He had poured all his scOrn and
oblOQuy upon the woman In the dock.
He had urged the jury not TO yield
to the idea Of an unwritten law that
was to have precedence over the laws
Of the country
And on the last day, when he made
his great speech in surrebuttal, he had
risen to such heights of eloquence that
he had almost carried public opinion
with him.
Was woman, he asked, an unreason-
ing being, that she should be immune
from the laws? Was she incapable
Of acting with judgment? Had not
Eunice Capell plotted the crime, Sc
cure In her belief that the jury would
acqult her?
They had heard II said that no wOm-
an ever sought a divorce without
meal ticket in view. A harsh judg-
ment, perhaps, but unfortunately true.
He dared the unhappy woman in
the dock to stand up and say that she
had no lover In her heart, union with
whom would be the reward Of the das-
tardly deed.
When he sat down the courtroom
buzzed with faint applause. But the
verdict was mot guilty"
Ryecroft gathered up his papers and
left the courtroom. The spectators and
the crowd outside made way for him
In silence.
''It's broken him." was the verdict.
Then he was forgotten as they
watched Mrs. Capell and her lawyer
drive away In a taxi. They cheered
her to the echo.
That night Eunice Capell, who had
been sitting alone in her apartment,
opened the door to ring of the bell.
Ryecroft was standing outside. She
did not seem surprised to see him, but
admitted him and led the way into her
livlng-roOm.
'Sit down." she said. "Well? You
certainly did your best to secure my
conviction"
II did" said Ryecroft.
professional pride?"
'Prlde and duty" he returned, dis
regarding the slight sheer in her voice.
THAT point about the lover was
little unfair, wasn't it-seeing that you
had personal knowledge of us?"
Possibly. But it was my duty to
place all the facts before the court.
You will recall that 1 visited you In
your cell and Informed you of my in
tention."
You did. You have been fair. But
you have been merciless. And"-she
leaned forward-"one word from me
would have broken you forever. Your
career would have been at an end"
Listen to me-" said Ryecroft. n
did all in my power to secure your con-
victiOn-because l love you, Eunice.
Our love cannot be built on a lie. /
have paid you the greatest tribute in
my power; l have cleared you by q
verdict Of twelve Of your countrymen.
No man can modest you, the fear of
the future can never trouble you
again.
Had l done less than my duty, !
should have built everything upon lie.
And-I should have shut myself out
from self-pardon. My career, which
you could have broken is broken any,
way, BECAUSE want to ask you to
become my wife, Eunice."
He took her by the hands and drew
her to her feet.
Il could not love thee, dear, so
much, loved / not honor MORE" he
quoted. 81 have fulfilled my sworn
duty to the state; now am free 10
ask you to become my wife, Eunice.
VIII you come TO me, knowing that
there Is no shadow upon our past, and
that your days of desolatIon are oyer?"
And, as she lay In his arms, she
knew that he had spoken the truth
IL he had failed In his duty she could