Evening star., 1926-04-04
II y

! Of the audience We're on their feet. As
dog trial the affair was over.
WHAT did you mean. sir, by tellin@
me you locked Old Duke in the library
when you went to bed?" roared the
Major at his son.
II did" replied Rene "Only I didn't
go to bed when you thought ] dit,
sir"
The Major paused helplessly. Ther
/ his eye caught sight OF the Bullocks.
You miserable scoundrel.' he
stammered. IF / ever get"
Judge Peyton banged with his gavel
Order in court" he shouted. II"
seated everybody Mr. Townsend,
/ have you any more questions
What was the matter 10 which
/ you referred as having happened ear
| ier in the afternoon inquired the
| old lawyer with a suppressed chuckle
| ''Mr. Rene d'Auriac had knocked
| the younger Mr.. Bullock into the
water hazard" answered Miss Peytou
| Bravo" CALCULATED the Major. In
/ spite Of himself, although his world
seemed upside down at the moment.
| Judge Peyton looked bewilderedly
! from Rene to Helen. and then TO the
| Major. Inside his alpaca jacket his
| heart was humping in a most dis
| concerning way. Indeed there was a
moisture-perspirat or something
i'm his eyes that blurred his vision So
that he could hardly see at all. Also
there was an unwonted impediment
/ in his pharynX. But he cleared his
/ throat with Il brave show of authority.
| and, looking SteThly at where the
Major ought to he. he said huskily:
THE fact that this witness is my
daughter renders II improper that |
should take the case from the jury
on the strength Of her testimony.
| However. if they believe it, the de
| fendant must he acquitted l shall
leave the case to them. but-unless
| they wish TO do so-they need not
| leave their seats
The foreman looked around the box
for any dissenting eye.
| I'VE find the defendant not guilt~a
he announced. And on behalf of
fellow jurors and of the citizens
| Valley Fair. ] am bold to state that
| | hope the lady said Yes"
For answer. Rene stepped forward
| and took Helens hand in one Of hts,
while with the other he patted the
head OF Old Duke. now once more
free and independent dog. There was
d burst of applause'in the court.
The Major had begun TO act very
queerly. In spite of the intense heat
he appeared suddenly TO have taken
a cold, for he blew his nose loudly
as he stepped toward the bench in
front of the jury-boX.
Gentlemen" he began, in his Gus
tomary stilted tones. Il feel that my
remarks this morning rejecting upon
the-er-the integrity of the bench
were entirely unjustified. Judge Pey-
ton. ! desire to apologize to you, sir.
most humbly. sir. not only for my
animadversions upon you here today
but, sir. for whatever | may have said
regarding you in the past. L regret.
sir-deeply regret His goatee
quivered and he bit his lip.
On the bench Judge Peyton was
| struggling manfully to twist his face
into a smile. Leaning forward, he
stretched out both his hands to his
old friend.
Louis" he choked.
The Major dashed the back of ms
hand across his eyes.
| "Ranny" he answered. What a
pair of old fools we've been all these
years"
Just then Old Duke. whom some
one had unloosed, as ii desiring to
share in the general rejoicing. jumped
up between the two old men and laid
his nozzle on the Majors shoulder.
1T was all my fault. Louis" pro
tested the Judge. II shouldn't have
been so sensitive"
mo. Ranny. il was mine insisted
Maj. d'Auriac.
(Copyright. 1926.l