The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18

tie as only the voice of woman of cul-
ture can grow-"you have left out the
fact, John, that Harry McCurtney is
rare soul, an artist, a man ,unequipped
for battling with the world. With the
fortune he inherits from his uncle he would
lead beautiful an ideal existence, He
would do good to the world. He is-he is
"a chosen spirit, john
"And he murdered his uncle" said John
Barrett, while old William was drinking
his nephew's health and long life"
THAT is an absurd and brutal way
of stating it, said Mrs. John Barrett
"You cannot reduce the troubles of deli
cate and esthetic soul to such bald state
ment of fact
Il should have to be poet to do him
justice?"
you would"
However, it is waste of time to at
tempt to defend this fellow. Eve seen the
evidence. He'll hangr
His wife rose from her chair and stood
facing him. All the color went from her
face; she seemed to have been painted
white with single stroke of an invisible
brush.
HE must not hang. John, you can de-
fend him. I've seen you win more impos-
sible cases than this. | remember the Han
over trial. John Hanover was guilty. All
the world knew it; but all the evidence of
his guilt came from one witness. On the
last day, before the case went to the jury,
you put the witness for the prosecution
on the stand. I'll never forget it, You
drew him out. You seemed hopeless of
winning your case; you seemed to be ques-
tioning him simply a matter of form
to justify the collection of your fee. And
the witness grew very confident. Finally
you asked him the color of the necktie
which Hanover was wearing when he com
mitted the crime. The witness said with
out hesitation:
"A red tie with white stripes.
with that you clapped your hand over
your own necktie, sprang to your feet,
pointed melodramatic hand at the wit
ness, and Numbered in your court room
voice:
"'What color is the necktie that I'm
wearing?'
"The witness was dumbfounded. He
couldn't tell. Then you turned to the jury
and discredited all that witness testimony
You said you had been wearing the same
necktie day after day in court and the
witness didn't know what its color was
Then how could he be sure of that color
of the necktie which Hanover wore, when
he had only seen Hanover for few sec
onds, committing the murder? 1t showed
that the man was giving valueless testi-
mony; that he was lying out of hand. And
the jury acquitted your man. John, you
can do some miraculous thing like that
now for my friend, Harry McCurtney.
You'll find some way Why else are you
called Hole-in-the BARRETT"
While she completed this impassioned APP
peal, John Barrett regarded her with utter
unconcern. He might have been listening
to the accomplishments of some fabulous
character rather than to one of his. own
most spectacular exploits
''To be brief Elizabeth" he said, II won't
take the case. I've other work planned for
tomorrow"
And he turned to leave the room.
Who but villain could have turned his
back on such woman and at such time?
She stiffened; her head went back; there
was tremor of coming speech in her
throat. 'She is about to play her last
card gambler would have said, and she
played it.
"Johnr' she called.
The villain turned only half toward her
at the door.
'tThere is another reason why you must
defend McCurtney," she said II love him!'
1t sufficed to make the villain turn
squarely toward her, but he showed not