Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 6, 1923 — page 137: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

that it wasn’t fact. ing which had settled. aver her spirit. Ao sense of something dire impending filled her thoughts when she entered the ceurt room, _and she wondered how Stephen had fared on his mission. Could Uncle Matt have heard from him yet? ZS _ _As on the previous day her eyes swept ‘the ‘Spectators in a Quick, comprehensive — glance, slowing softly as they noted Mrs. ies s faithful presence. “Fhen they fell upon Dicky Tewson sitting alone and a - little frown gathered between her eyes. Did ihe mean to attend the trial to its end, hop- ing to see her convicted? Hew much deep- er his vindictive resentment ai her dismissal must have gone than she imagined? _ Her-attorneys bowed gravely as she seat- ed herself and turned slightly te Rowe. ‘““Stephen—” Her lips barely moved. _ Matthew Rewe shock bis head in silence, Ss in a few moments he was om his feet, addressing the jury in his tum. He desired first ef all te congratulate his learned friend the district attorney on the : ‘remarkable case he had made out on the ~_-previous day, the only trouble with it being The gentlemen of the — jury had been requested to he “ fair-mind- ed” in their jt mt of the late Niles Hamersley, as though a doubt existed that they would be fair-minded in whatever judgment they might be called upon. te make, but he, Matthew Rowe, questioned the “ fair-mindedness ” ef the implication that any secret existed in the past of the late husband of his client merely because -he had not been a resident ef New York prior to twe years ago. The bereaved young widow seated hefore - them in a grief too deep fer tears had de- voted her life te charity and geod works ‘since the death of her father, she had had no worldly experience, and when she fell in love for the first time she loved deeply _and truly, with utter faith and trust. It was her consolation now that that trust had ~ not been misplaced, that that faith had been justified! She had sent her husband from _ her at the very deers of the church to suc- _ Cor bis dying friend, and on his retum had : Not the heaow of a ead = rested = _ teen them, as would be proved te the satis- ‘PUST TO DUST. faction of the gentlemen of the jury, until they had found that old revolver in the-at- tic with which the late Mr. Hamersley was — amusing himself when the floor suddenly _ gave way, precipitating him to his death. — Claudia listened to the benign, fatherly tones as Unele Matt went en to describe in detail the tragedy as she had herself been called upon to tell it se many times, but — = her thoughts were far away. "Thue was passing; why had ne werd come from Stephen? Surely something must have gone The wind was howling outside wron at the court room windows and the sky was ss = heavily overcast, but still there was no rain, and a grim, portentous waiting had seemed — te settle down breading over the face of the — = = universe. _ But Uncle Matt had reached his perora- = tion. tlemen of the jury!” voice was in telling contrast to the thunder- ous tones of his opponent on the previous day. ‘‘ She is utterly alone, the man to = tse. at ie young ‘girl before: you, gen- — His gentle, pitymg — whom but a few shert hours: before she — = had given the sole right to protect her has been taken from her by the most cruel of chances, snatched from before her very eyes im a moment of joyous happiness by an accident at once simple to ——— and. iS fearful to contemplate! ta be the cold-bleoded, ioe é deress our learned friend would oe you “a = : believe? “She asks neither ucuky nor pity; her sorrow is too profound fer human con-— solation. She asks only that she be judged by the true facts in this case as they shall : be set before you, not suppositions as. fal- lacious as they are fanciful. Counsel for see the defense will effer you evidei 3 theories, and will ask that you set this young girl free or send her to join her hus- band, according to your decision.” __ A gasp ran through the court room at this bold streke, and as Matthew Rowe seated himself a murmur of something very like ~ applause rose and swelled until checked by the sharp rap of the gavel. Claudia looked — = = at him with all her heart in her eyes and smiled waveringly in wordless gratitude, ——— the district —— was on: his com