The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-12-05
CHAPTER xV-Continued

she iuhShcu III the HtlSHDOfnOOd or the
Jail, and went back to II Immediately
Always she saw her husband twice a
day, and was back In Port Washing
ton In time TO read the paper to the
old captain before dinner.
Mary Cutter, the DOCTORS lovely
daughter-in-aw, had taken IT upon
herself to befriend Ellen. and during
these terrible days she had never
failed her. And when the trial began
she was always at Ellens side. George
called at the Main street house on the
first morning. and Mary met them at
the courthouse.
Ellen had never been In a court
room before, but she said to herself
That's the jury-box-thats the wit
ness stand even with her first quick
glance.
George came in. talking in an under
tone with his associate. He nodded
reassuringly TO Ellen. When he went
away again, and disappeared through
one of the doors behind the Judges
bench, she saw Ryan come in.
He had the air of a man who had
breakfasted well, and who was full of
confidence. Ellen felt wave of sheer
hate shake her How free he was !:
how comfortably ready for the days
work And Gibbs--Gibbs would come
in between two guards
'"This is merely the paneIing of the
jury" George had told them: at may
take several days. It's a long, stupid
business"
With a great stirring and murmur-
Ing in the room, Gibbs came in, with
court officer. He was pale, but seemed
neither self-conscious nor nervous, as
he came quickly to his seat at the end
of one of the tables. Then he saw
Ellen, who was only ten feet away.
and who sent him a brave smile.
Ellens heart was torn within her.
Gibbs. with that little new droop to
his broad shoulders. a spectacle for
this staring roomfull
Everybody rose, and she rose. too,
dizzily. The clock was on the stroke
of ten, and his honor came promptly
and quietly through a door at the
back, to his large chair. A clerk
leaned over him to murmur some mes
sage: he nodded quickly; the clerk
went out. The case of the State
versus Thomas Gibbs Josselyn was
called.
For days the paneling of the jury
dragged on, and the long hours in the
courtroom were wearisome and I'M
evanff1,l Than rrddo,f,, +bo~o ,x-oe =
full jury, and the trial began. Ellen
was dazed by the preliminaries. and
the cross-questioning seemed to her
irrelevant. George would
ask an apparently unimportant ques-
ton. and nodding, sit down. The dis
trict attorney would jump up with an
other, leading nowhere, as far as Ellen
could see. Between George and Ryan
there was a running fire of hot words
Ellen was amazed TO see them speak
civilly to each other the moment
court adjourned. At luncheon she
would eagerly question George as to |
the significance of this point or that
The trial lasted for only day less
than three weeks. Ellen had moved |
her place to Gibbs side. and although |
hey rarely spoke, she knew he was as
much comforted as she was by this
For two days, cruel and exhausting
lays, she was on the stand. Mary |
Cutter and George Lathrop were
amazed at the courage and strength
The found for the ordeal. She had
Promised them she would not break
Town. but she did for a moment. when
rommy's name was mentioned. And
perhaps that moment. when the sensi-
i've mouth quivered. and the blue
yes brimmed with tears. was as favor
bile to Gibbs cause as any logic or
ny eloquence could have been.
For II slowly became evident that
10 e1oquence and no logic could avail
q defense of a man, young and rich
nd handsome, who had turned from
his devoted little wife TO another
roman. who had quarreled with the
enerous father who was that other
husband. who had threatened
nd brooded over the quarrel.
Day after day the net frightened
bout him. Ellen. listening and
'atching, sometimes felt as If she
ere in an oppressive dream. Oh, it
ould not be Gibbs who was trapped ]
ere; II could not be Tommy's father
no was the chief figure In one Of the
,nsa tional murder trials of the day {
On the afternoon before the final $
when all the testimony {
as in. and II remained only for the |
counsel and the district at !
'rney to present to the jury their YER I
ons Of the case, Ellen was spending !
! hour with Gibbs. His months of
,nfinemert and mental distress had {
fected his constitution. and poor I
,petite and wakefu nights had add
to the misery of his situation. Il
ST Jump from one extreme 10 the Il
her. Elem he told her. Some
mes think they'll bring in verdict q
guilty-plain and fiat. And then s
metimes, / let myself think that all /
is has impressed them more favor
ly than Nwe--than we fear. you a
low, and that I'll walk out OF the c.