The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-08-13
CHAPTER VIII-Continued


one else ever finds out why. To save
her life. she'll never tell even her at
torney more than a part. She shot
him; and the fact speaks for Itself the
fullness of her reason. You were the
first to see her afterward."
yes" said Agnes.
aThen you can best Judge for your.
self-no one, who was not there, can
tell you as well-what you should do.
Agnes arose and dressed long before
breakfast-time, though she knew she
would not be summoned to court today.
Both Mr.. Nordell and Martin O'Mara
had told her that they would move for
the exclusion of witnesses, except when
testifying; and In trial for murder,
the Judge would so order
The morning paper came; and there
again was Agnes Gleneith on the page
beside Myrtle Lorrie and Martin
OMara.
She gazed once more at the placid,
confident countenance OF Charles Lor-
rie, who had cast off the wife who had
married him when they both were
young, and who had borne him his
daughter
Here was that wife-Stella Lorrle-
as now she was; and here was their
daughter Janet She was seventeen,
and she had been graduated from a
high school In Wisconsin last week,
and had accompanied her mother yes
terday to Chicago to be beside her
mother today when Stella, the first
wife, sat at the trial OF Myrtle. the
second wife.
Wifel Did any other word In all the
language describe-or fail to describe
AS many different relations? Both OF
these had been wives. and OF the same
man; and one had borne him a baby,
and the other had killed him.
Here was Bert-Myrtle's Bert. t"Oh,
God, Bert'') What part had he played
In the killing? Some said-and Jeb
was one Of them-that the existence
Of Bert and the insurance on the life
OF Charles Lorrie completely explained
the whole occurrence. Myrtle had shot
her husband to go off with Bertrand
the insurance.
Agnes shut her eyes; and she saw
herself again In that room, and she
knew, as she was returned to the feel
ing Of the moment when Myrtle Lorrie
first chung to her, that she had not
come in upon wife who had just
killed her husband because of another
man, and to collect his insurance.
It was very warm at the jail, and
sultry and sticky. Myrtle perspred
even when she sat still, after she had
dressed for the courtroom.
She wore her platinum wedding ring
and her engagement ring --snpphires
and diamond set In platinum and she
turned them nervously on her damp
finger. She had figured, when she held
up her finger for him to slip them on
1t, that she could get away with mar
riage with him.
Why not? Wasn't marriage just liv-
ing with a man? Wasn't that really
all there was to it?
He'd give her lot Of money-more
than she'd ever seriously dreamed OF
having; and she'd give him loving. But
hers didn't do. -.
They were coming for her to take
her to court-to be tried for the MUIR
der OF Charley. Damn 1t, she never
meant to kill hlm-just to make him
leave her alone, sometimes.
Stella would be In the courtroom;
Stella, whom he'd given the gate, but
who yet had showed up Myrtle as
wife and lover. Well. Stella'd haA an
advantage: she'd loved the fathead );
she'd not had to try to love him, think
ing OF somebody else.
Cant you keep her out?" she had
asked Cathal.
mot Ii she wants TO come"
Stella aln't SO frlghtful for forty.
you going to have the Jury, men?'
"Yes," said Cathal.
"Then the ones | can't get from
Stella, Agnes can. I'll tell you-there's
one type OF man that never liked me !;
that's the type likes Agnes. I'll bet
you. So have Agnes there for me-"
agnes r. Cathal Objected
That's how think Of her, wouldn't
your Say,"-sudden terror took its
turn, Agnes amt going to throw me,
is she7 She amt"
No" said Cathal. But she won't
be there when you first come In"
Myrtle Lorrie would have given much
this morning If she could have counted
on Agnes Glenelth's presence In the
courtroom where she was to be tried
for her life.
She was not In the old Jail, but In
the new one on the west side OF the
city; for, together with all other prls.
oners awaiting trial, she had been
moved into the fine modern structure
OF stone and steel directly In the rear
Of the new. imposing Criminal Courts
building OF Cook county.
Myrtle was now In the courtroom.
Stella was staring at her! And she
was staring at Stella. She couldn',
take her eyes off Stella. And beside
Stella was Charley's kid.
Where WAS somebody for herr Some
hOdy that counted and could IN uood