Year: 1878




York Mercury.l


CHAPTER 1.


In house that dotted slope 10
the beautiful Valley of San Joa-
quin, pale-faced woman knelt and
moaned in prayer. There were no
tears in her eyes but, strained to
the vacancy of the sky, they ex-
pressed that anguish-that intense
supplication - which nature does
not alleviate with tears.


From the feYerish lips issued one
incessant wall of prayer, 80, God,
save himl My God, preserve himp'
And the writhing body and be-
seeching eyes told of the intense
agony in which the heart strug-
gled.


Fifteen miles away, in the town
of Stockton, the husband of this
woman was being tried for his life
on the charge of murder. Her
mind was busy with the distant
scene. She had been persuaded to
stay away from the courtroom and
the excitement and morbid curios-
ity she would suffer there, on the
faithful promise Of one Of the sher-
in'S deputies, John Maitland, Ia
bring her news each day of the
progress of the trial and announce
its conclusion within the shortest
possible time.


The night before the day she had
wrestled SO terriblyin prayer, he had
ridden from the town to inform
her that the evidence was all in
and that in the morning the case
would probably be given to the jury
He had spoken to reassure her
Her husband was manful and in
good hopes, and had sent her some
cheerful words about riding back tC
his home in the morning a free
man.


The question of the guilt or limo
cence of Harry Jordan had hung in
the balance for tive days. He was
accused Of the murder of noto
rious French gambler at o monte
table. Some angry conversation
had ensued between them concern
ing a disputed bet, when the
Frenchman had beckoned Jordan
to corner Of the saloon, as if t
explain to him and avoid annoyance
to the players. In this changed
| position the back of Jordan Wal
turned to the crowd, as he con-
fronted the Frenchman; and it wa,
supposed the difficulty was being
settled, as the tone of their conver,
sation was lowered, when suddenly
the observers were Mortified by the
quick glittering sweep of a bowie.
knife in Jordan's hand, a squirt o
hot blood in the air, and the gam
bier fell, cleft through the skull anc
brain, dead, perhaps before he
touched the floor.


There was no attempt at escape
on the part Of the apparent mur-
derer. TO the crowd who sur.
rounded him he exclaimed in an
excited manner: 81 have saved
him saved him from killing me =
and when some one lifted the dead
body--fallen on its face and seeth-
ing with gore-'twas observed that
in the right hand of the gambler
was grasped a derringer pistol at
full cock. The explanation of Jor-
dan was that when the gambler had
withdrawn him from the crowd he
appeared to speak in a quiet, paoi-
| flying way, getting so close as al
most to take him by the lapel OF
the coat, when the former happen
ed to discover that during this ap-
parent friendly conversation the
gambler had stealthily drawn from
his pocket small derringer, al
most concealed in his hand, and
was slowly and steadily edging il
up to his (Jordan'S) breast. De
teoting the movement and instant,
ly conceiving its design, Jordan
disclosed that he had suddenly
drawn an open knife which he car.
ried in his bosom, and with quick,
desperate force had sent its edge
into the brain of the would-be
assassin.


The deceased was one of the
worst of his class and profession
i But it was at time when all the
} gamblers Of California made com
: mon cause against society, and ex,
acted fearful reprisals where any
{ one of them had been made to suf
: fer even in the cause of public
r justice. On Jordan's trial it haC
been noticed what members of thil
! fraternity had attended in the court
( room but they were quiet, well
!. behaved, Well-dressed--a curiou