The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-11-23
The Prosecutors
Love
By MYRA c. LANE
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Copyright, 1922. Western Newananar rIv

| SopyTl80t, 1922. Western Newspaper Union
Acquitted!
Eunice Capell CROPPED dimly through
the fogs that enwrapped her as she be-
gan to understand the jurys verdict.
The hand of the warden on her arm
steadled her. She became vaguely
conscious that the spectators in the
courtroom were cheering her.
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 sigh went up from every
BODY as she tottered and collapsed in a
dead faint.
Eunlce Capell had been acquitted of
the murder of her husband. They had
Deen married five years. Wigan Capell
mad been a brute and sot. he had
lett the marks Of his bruises on her:
ne had been unfaithful; and at last.
when he attacked her in a drunken
tury she had calmly shot him with
the loaded pistol that she had in read
mess.
Acquitted, of course. Neverthe-
less, Charles Ryecroft, the prosecuting
attorney, had bent all his efforts to
securing a conviction.
Manslaughter was the verdict he
asked for; no jury would have found
her guilty Of murder. But day after
day ne had hammered home his points,
and with such skill that in the end it
became doubtful whether he would not
sway the jury.
Ryecroft was young man, a com
ing man; he had been a friend of the
Capells, which made his task the hard
er. But he had not flinched from his
duty on that account.
Charles Ryecroft was known for his
single-hearted 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
acquit her?
They had heard it said that no wom-
an ever sought a divorce without a
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
| living-room.
"Sit down." she said. swell? You
certainly did your best to secure my
| conviction"
II did," said Ryecroft.
professional pride?"
"Pride and duty" he returned, dis
regarding the slight sheer in her voice
"That point about the lover was a
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 I 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. You
career would have been at an end"
Listen to me-" said Ryecroft 81
! 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; I 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 a lie
And-I should have shut myself out
from self-pardon. My career, which
| you could have broken, is broken any
way, because-1 want to ask you tt
become my wife, Eunice."
He took her by the hands and drew
her to her feet.
II could not love thee, dear, sc
much, loved I not honor more" he
quoted. II have fulfilled my sworr
duty to the state; now I am free tc
ask you to become my wife, Eunice
! Will you come to me, knowing that
there is no shadow upon our past, anG
| that your days Of desolation are over?
! And, as she lay in his arms, she
knew that he had spoken the truth
! If he had failed in his duty she could
never have loved him as she now loved