Evening star., 1938-10-09

I'll convict you myself"
II haven't got the heart to go
through the lying, the alibying |
don't care, Max
you've got to, Simon. III give
you the heart, and your poor mother
and your kids will, too. No jury will
convict you"
The jury that wouldn't convict"
Simon Steinmetz was judging him
now, and Lucy Lane was one of them.
1t was up to her to determine the
quality of the testimony and the wit
nesses, up to her to select the few
relevant from the thousands Of irrele-
want words that were being packed
into the courtroom, and it was up to
her - if she was not satisfied with the
examination of the witnesses to
question them herself
Lucy had watched Steinmetz sitting
DULY through nine days of the trial.
He looked, to her, a little dazed. like a
great ocean liner helpless and still in a
fog. Max Waxton was pleading for
him. The plea was mot guilty." and
after nine days of insinuating half
testimony, it seemed to Lucy that
they were no nearer the truth than
they we're before the trial started If
anything, the truth" was even more
obscure
Waxton had put on a parade of
prominent character witnesses that
was a walking who's Who" Prac-
tically every substantial public figure.
except the Governor himself - and
he would gladly have added his laurel
to Steinmetz's head if it weren't for
the Office he held - had taken the
stand. and had sworn that Simon
Steinmetz was good man, a lover of
humanity and an ideal husband, and
that to even suspect such a man of
such crime was sacrilegious.
The jury was impressed. The eleven
middle-aged men seemed delighted to
have this testimony to support the
verdict which they were making up
their minds to render. Lucy Lane,
however, still looked young and
sphinxish.
The District Attorney was prac-
tically working for Steinmetz too.
As matter of fact, he had at one
time, and now his examination of the
witnesses was nothing less than polite.
When he did object to a line of ques-
tioning he did so because he couldn't
help it. and because he knew that the
Judge - who owed his appointment
to the secret support of Simon STEM
metz was umpring the game with
his money on the visiting team.
At four o'clock in the afternoon of
the ninth day. Waxton called the de-
fendant to the stand. Steinmetz took
his oath, recited his name. his address,
his occupation, and seated himself.
Then Waxton began to present a pic
ture - through the defendants lips -
Of the great Stelnmetz, the good Stein
metz. who had served justice for two
decades. who had supported count
less charities, who had loved his wife
ind lis children. The District Attor-
ney was equally considerate. and his
affection and respect for the defendant
- coupled with his fear of being
scratched by the barbed Steinmetz
tongue - made his questions so in
direct and involved that it was i'm
possible for Steinmetz to lie or tell
the truth.
At the close of the cross examlna-
ton, Steinmetz rose from the witness
chair under the smile of the Judge,
but Lucy Lane rose too. "Your
Honor" she said, Il have the privi-
lege of asking the defendant ques-
ton, have l not?"
The courtroom grew still, and
Lucy's voice sounded like the wall of
baby in the catacombs. Waxton
twitched uncomfortably. The District
Attorney looked scared. The Judges
smile turned watery. but he said,