The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18
PAGE 10

be written. 1t is too incredible f3r fic-
ton. The best proof of its reality is
the very fact that it is incredible, but if
further proof is wanted it may be obtained
from the IL good men and true who formed
the jury at the trial of Harry McCurtney.
If they will not do, certainly Judge Lorry
is an unimpeachabie witness.
The story has to do with probably the old
est combination known to stories-a hero,
villain, and beautiful woman. The hero
was young, handsome, talented; the villain
was middle aged and rather stout. and
smoked big black cigars; the beautiful wom-
an was very beautiful.
Whatever the reader may think. this is
not motion picture scenario. However,
it sounds so much like one that it. might
as well start in the movie way.
The camera, therefore, opens on close
up of the middlc-aged villain. AS the rouno
spot of light widens, every one can see that
the man is villain. The way he chews
that long black cigar for instance, emit
ting SLOW luxurious puffs, is sufficient
proof.
No one but a villain really enjoys good
tobacco; but to pile Pelion on ossa, there
are other proofs-lots of them. He has
a square. bulging jaw, a straight-lpped,
cruel mouth, a great hawk nose, and keen
eyes buried under the overhanging shelter
of shaggy brows He is frowning in his
villainous way and looking down.
The spot of light widens still further
and includes the beautiful woman She is
very, very beautiful; black haired type
with questioning, dark eyes. She is dressed
in black, too filmy over the arms, so that
the rose tint of flesh shines through She
reclines in an easy chair with her head
pillowed gracefully and canted somewhat
to one side, while she studies the villain
and defies him.
One notices her slender-fingered hand
dropping from the arm Of the chair, and
compares it with the big fist of tho villain,
wondering now she can have the courage to
defy him. She seems to know all about
him. Well, she ought to. She is his wife.
The camera now opens out to the full
and one sees the room. 1t is very big.
There is soft glimmer of diffused light,
which is brightest on the corner of the
grand piano and the slightly gray head of
the villain. His big feet are planted in the
thick texture of rug. An arched doorway
opens upon a vista of other rooms fully as
sumptuous as this one. Proof positive that
the man is villain He is too rich to be
good.
The woman is talking. She leans for
ward with smile that would win the heart
of an arinored angel-one of Milton's kind;
but the man still frowns. 1T is easy to see
that he is going to refuse her request-the
beast! She concludes with gesture of
infinite grace, infinite appeal.
This is what she said;
$50 you see, John, it was really good
act on the part of Harry to rid the world of
that unspeakable uncle of his. Why, there
isn't soul in the city with single kind
word for that old miser, William McCurt-
ney, He never did a gentle act. He broke
the heart of his wife and killed her. He
has kept poor Harry in perjury"
The villain removed the black cigar from
his teeth with a sipgularly unattractive
hand. 1t looked as if it had been used
all his life for grabbing things-and then
holding them. His eyes burrowed into the
face of the beautiful woman as if it made
not the slightest difference to him whether
he was speaking to his wife or not.
This is the case" he said. Harry Nc
curtney killed his uncle, William McCurt-
ney. He did it by putting poison in the
Scotch whisky which old William was drink
ing to the health of his nephew. A maid
saw Harry put something into his uncle's
glass. She afterward got hold of the vial
of poison, out of which only few drops
l..
to kill 10 men. When old McCurtney
died that rinht tho ,,,aid callod tl.o