Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-12-19

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suddenly harsh. what do you mean?
Don't you know?"
1--WE will know" she said, trembling.
1--WE will know in a little while now.
Gibbs, I'll tell you just how it all
came about. Lizzie and Joe and
Tommy came down from Bridgeport
this morning. and 1t was while ] was
keeping Tommy quiet-for it's long
trip for a child-that he suddenly said
something about grandpa. Lizzie and
| were not listening exactly, but the
words seemed to come back to meas
words do, you know, and l said, as
quietly as l could, What did you say
grandpa let you dor
He said, Fire his revolver" Ell
lens words fell in a tense silence.
Gibbs looked at her with awakening
eyes.
My God-my God!" he whispered.
We'll, we looked at him, and / was
so afraid I'd brighten him, or make
him self-conscious, that could hardly
get any voice. But Lizzie asked him
when this was and he told us the
whole thing. That he had wandered
to the top of the stairs in his night
gown, and grandpa was walking
across the lower hall he had just put
telegram on the hall table, for Tor
rens to take in the morning, and he
called Tom down. Tommy said that
he wanted to play with the chessmen,
and he opened the table drawer
| Gibbs, you would be amazed how
clearly he told it ! He said grandpa
was sitting in that very chair. and
Gibbs, he even took the attitude
He said that he saw the pistol. and
grandpa said, Take it out, Tommy.
It's not loaded"
HE couldn't possibly have loaded 1t,
dear, with dad looking on. And my
father surely wouldn't have had it
loaded-l"
But, Gibbs, Lizzie had loaded it
that morning y
"G-di" Gibbs said again, under his
breath.
And this part. Gibbs is so strange
He fired it twice. your father d.
recting him. He fired first at some
target over the mantel, and then some
where else"
\ Couldn't pull the trigger" Gibbs
said breathlessly.
"Oh, indeed he didi He fred twice,
but you see those chambers were
empty. And, Gibbs, he says that
grandpa said to him, Good old
Tommyl' You remember how he used
to say that? Then they had some
talk about soldiers, and finally your
father was spy-and the amazing
thing u.s. Gibbs, to hear Tommy +ell it
every few minutes he would put in
something that the testimony had de-
veloped, and Lizzie and l would look
at each otherl I couldn't realize it
the Importance of it, but l knew
George was on his way, and that he
would know! Well, and then Tom
got frightened, and he tried to rouse
your father and threw the pistol in
the basket, and ran out and called for
Lizzie. But Lizzie, of course, didn't
hear He wasn't sure whether your
father was fooling or not, but the
noise of the report frightened him.
He was afraid he'd be scolded for get
ting out of bed and going downstairs
so when he found Lizzie was not In
the room, he got into bed and before
she came in, he fell asleep. The next
day, of course, we carefully kept any
of the excitement from him"
"What does George think about
it?"
swell, / don't, know. But he tele-
phoned the district attorney imme-
diately, and Ryan is here now talking
to George, and to Tommy. Oh,
| Gibbs-Gibbs |" she broke off fever
Ishly. "It's made me- / can't tell
you--so nervous IL can't tell you"
81 known he interrupted nervously.
1--WE mustn't allow ourselves to think
about it"
could child Tommy's age testify,
GibbsY"
II don't know, dear"
"And-if they believe this, does II
mean new trial?"
1T might, / don't know"
1--WE can only wait" Ellen tight
ened her fingers on his. and they sat
silent.
A messenger came to the officer at
the cells door who spoke moment
later to Ellen. Would Mrs. Josselyn
step into the warden's Office minute,
to speak to Mr.. Lathrop? Ellen, with
one quick futter of breath, smiled a
| goodby to Gibbs and was gone.
(To BE CONTINUED.)
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~ - nsg