The Washington times., 1930-09-25
CHAPTER 46

the courtroom. She hadn't seen
her for years. Elsie's eyes stared
through her, hard, triumphant.
Elsie had married when she
was 16. It was the talk Of Clara
Street. She used to come home
to visit her mother sometimes,
pushing the baby buggy. The
baby was never very clean or
very happy. It's sodden gar
ments stuck to it forlornly,
there was always q grease spot
or two on the blue satin cover
let Elsie kept on the buggy,
and the baby chewed on its
gray bonnet string incessantly.
Elsie had known hard times.
Her husband couldn't get work.
ne got into trouble in his Job
some said he had been
In iaiI They whispered
about it on the street. Poor
MRS. Parnell," Ma had said
sa and now Elsie Parnel
was sitting in court, and Mas
girl was being tried for murder
-" for numbering her hus-
band
,Cathie's eyes filled with tears.
Her eyes sought her mothers
Ma sat staring straight ahead
Of her, soft brown eyes fixed
on space.
mystery Man" Again
A hideous period Of nausea
came over Cathie. She hung on
to her chair, and hoped she
wouldn't be sick.
Someone was handing her a
bottle of smelling salts. Thank
YOU" she murmured. When it
was evident that she was not
going to faint people turned
their eyes away from her, back
to the witness again. The trial
/, went on.
The nan with the walrus
whiskers who said he saw
CatElie at the front window
was on the stand. His name
was Alfred Sells. Queer that
his name should be Alfred
-. like Mr.. Farnsworti1.
Mr.. Allan was cross-question.
ing him. tearing his testimony
all to pieces.
How could he be sure that
the woman he saw in the win.
dow was Catherine FarnSworth? {?
Well, he wasn't sure. Could it
have been another woman?
Well, yes. maybe. Could 1T
have been a man? Well, it
might have -. leaStwayS If
the man wore nightshirt it
might have been man
THAT will be ALL" said Mr..
Allan pleasantly. He sat down.
Mr.. Macmillan glowered.
Alone With Thoughts
Now, if they'd let me talk,
Cathie thought, I could explain
that it couldn't have been me,
because I was sitting at the
dressing table in my room
when I heard the shot, so If he
saw anybody in the window of
Mr.. Farnsworth's room it was
someone else. But she wasn't
allowed to say anything. She
had to sit and listen to what
people thought they knew, and
If it was right she couldn't say
anything, and if it was wrong
she couldn't say anything
either -.
More witnesses. More argu-
ments between the attorneys
Mr.. Allan shouting Objected
to upon the ground it is not
the best evidence irrelevant,
incompetent immaterial. I"
Mr.. Macmillan saying sly, 81
object to Mr.. Allan criticising
the witness, even If he doesn't
like his answer"
Proceed! Proceed!" Poor
Judge East listening YEARLY
having to settle it all. Where
was it going? Where was it
leading? How could all these
people help the jury to know
the truth? Why wouldn't they
let her just tell it, and wait,
till they found out who really
committed the murder before
they had the trial?
NeighbOr Called
They called Mrs. Hennessey
old Mrs. Hennessey IRON,
!. next door.
How long had she known
Cathie?
Since she was born, and a
fine, husky child she was, Mrs.
Hennessey said, in spite of her
being a bottle baby.
The courtroom1tittered. Ma
flushed angrily.
Did she know anything about
the marriage?
Did she? Mrs. Hehnessey
licked her lips, rubbed her long.
grayish nose. I'm not sur
prised at. the turn things took. !"
she said with satisfaction, "I
always said it was going against
nature. I said so right from
the first!"
Object on the ground that
objection sustained. Just
what you know, madam, not
what you thought"
Mrs. HenneSsy gazed dole.
fully at the judge. IF you
think I'm trying to say the
poor girl done it you antici-
pate me and you're wrong.
HI..n rat n.aA "a An. =