Year: 1877

The next day the little Sabbath school
of which Squire May had been the orig
inator, and which held its meetings in
the log school house two miles away,
met at his house for celebration. 1t
was a pleasant sight, the children about
table-cloth spread upon the grass on
which the food was laid in picnic FASH
ion. AS soon as the children were help
ed fhe Squire disappeared, and while he
was gone a report of pistol was heard.
He returned in the course of an hour to
say that a swing was ready, and Gus
Antoine remained for some time longer
tossing the little ones into the air.


On his way home, as his foot touched
the little bridge which he had built
across the Wild Cat for the convenience
of the two families ,Gus's eye was caught
by an object in the ravine below. 1t
was his father, lying half in and half
out of the water, with his face covered
with blood. Quick as thought he swung
himself down to his side. There was q
deep, round, terrible hole in his fore
head, from which the blood had flowed
that formed this hideous mask, and he
was quite dead The boy tried to lift
him out of the water, but finding that
impossible, he washed away every trace
of blood from the face-no one else
should see his father look like that--and
then he went on toward home for help.
The Missourians had nearly all gone, but
Big Bill, a cousin of Mrs. Antoine's had
remained after the election, and was just
bidding her good-by, and remained now
to render assistance.


The funeral followed soon after. AS
Squire May was ON his way to attend it
sheriff seized him by the shoulder, and
arrested him for murder. Frightened
Hope ran with the news to her mother,
and even beneath this crushing blow the
heroic woman did not finch. 1t was her
arm that supported the hysterical widow
as they stood togetherat the brink of the
terrible grave, and it was Gus Antoine
who comforted sobbing Hope, saying
that he k,1ew her father had not killed
his, and it would be SO proven.


When Mrs. Antoine heard of it she
was no less positive as to the 'Squire's in
nocence, and her tears fell like rain over
black the bombazine dress, which she
was making over for Hope to wear at
the trial.


How stiflingly hot the courtroom
was, packed to its utmost, with an in
tensely excited audience, and still they
come long after Hope was certain that
there was not room for another one.-
She had never seen 80 many people be-
fore, and looking around upon them
from her seat in the upper part of the
room, saw only sea of heads. She was
conscious of but one individual face, that
of her father, pale, but calm in front of
the swaying mass. By and by the law
yers commenced talking. She felt faint; /;
it all buzzed and hummed through her
head she could not have told word
they were saying. After what seemed
to her long while, the witnesses for the
prosecution were called and Big Bill
took the stand. He related the quarrel
between the Colonel and Squire May at
the polls, enlarging upon it and running
on in way that showed him entirely
too willing witness. Then the widow
Antoine was sworn. She trembled vio-
lently, and nothing could be got from
her except by questions.


"What time was it when your hus-
band left the house,"


"Twelve o'clock" !" came in frighten-
ed gasp from behind the black veil.


"How do you know it was twelve
O'Clock p''


Because dinner had just been placed
upon the table,"


Do you always have dinner at exact
ly noon ?"


''No, but as he left the door heard
the whistle at Gatling's saw MILL"


"Why did he leave the house just as
dinner was ready ?n


:" He was angry because the boys were
not at home, and said he would go down
to the bridge and call them"


"That is sufficient, said the attorney,
next. calling Master Gus Antoine. :"
Gus came forward reluctantly, with an
appealing glance toward Hope,as though
he were asking her forgiveness before
hand for what he was about to say; then
he looked in the same way toward
Squire May, who answered his glance
by an encouraging nod of the head.


Did you attend the picnic at the
house of the prisoner 7"