Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

272 She gave her answers in a manner which made a consecutive narrative out of the articulated replies, that seemed to ignore the interruptions of the questions which brought it forth. It was a narrative filled with an interest that gripped the mind and - heart. It was as though she told some old, absorbing story of intrigue and elemental passion, of bitter hates and grasping avarice. And while she told her story she gave great expression to it with her wide brown eyes, with the passing frowns and smiles of her finely marked brows, with the haunt- ing curl of her lips or the sudden droop of them. ‘The emotions of her story passed across her face in moving pageantry. Bright resolution was there—anger, sorrow, then sparkling humor, or acid satire. She in turn whipped her persecutors with fine scorn, or lashed them with a laughing mockery. . Unconsciously all the court room was on edge, straining to catch each word from her lips, totally won by the magnetism of her passionate crusade. And Farley saw the terrific damage which she did his cause. He writhed with des- peration as he literally felt, with the sting of a lash, the points she made against him. He heard her accuse him, and make good her accusation, of fraud and conspiracy. He flamed up at that, but even in his desperation he perceived that his outburst did his cause more harm than good. So he subsided into a-sullen resolve to hold his protests for the inevitable moment when her narrative would bring this testimony to the moment of Klien’s death. It was then that he must fight, and fight with the knowledge that she knew nothing she could prove. He would hold his fire until that moment came. Cosgrove built up to it carefully. He knew that he must leave no loophole which would permit Creevy to attack her testi- mony. To protect her from cross-examina- tion he must cover every point which led up to that fatal moment. And he did. He halted her narrative again and again. He questioned and cross-questioned her. He even picked her up on one or two small points, causing her to correct herself, and then nailed down that correction so that ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, there- could be no doubt. And she opened her eyes at that;wondering at the sharpness with which he fired his questions as he drew her painfully through the morning of the gun play with Lederer, through the will reading itself, through a detailed descrip- tion of how and where all present sat, and what they said. ‘Yes, yes, I know that we had words!” he cried. ‘‘ But what did we say? You say that Klien was insulting, but how insult- ing? You say I answered him, but how?” ‘“T can’t tell you,” she replied, bewil- dered by the acid of his tone. “ How can I tell you what you said?” “ Why not?” ‘““ Because I did not hear!” Cosgrove looked at her in blank amaze- ment. The court room fell into a sudden hush. Judge Fairlove stared at the girl, bewildered. * You—did—not—hear?” he grunted. Farley saw suddenly a gleam of hope. This fitted into the accusation that Cos- grove and Klien had quarreled over her good name. “Didn't hear!” he. barked. “ Huh! Why not? Was you struck deaf?” “No!” she cried. “I didn’t hear, be- cause I was looking at Klien’s gun.” “ Klien’s gun!” It was a man’s voice hoarsely shouting in surprise; it was the voice of Slade, on his feet and leaning over the jury rail in his amazement. And the cry went around the court room: * Klien’s gun!” “ That’s a damned lie!” bellowed Far- ley. “Where did you see Klien’s gun?” de- manded Cosgrove. “‘ He had it in his hand, hidden behind a cushion on the window seat. I saw it there, and knew he had you covered. How could I hear what you said? How could I hear anything else save the sound of that gun, as I saw it explode, in my fancy? Oh, my darling, I was afraid then! I was afraid! Afraid!” She had lost all consciousness of the crowd which hedged them about. She had forgotten that she bore witness before the court. Living again that terrible moment when. she had seen that dear life threat- TA 2 en —— << a OD 9 Cen oe eS i al se OF Sel np NE Ne aE le Se NS Ee se ag ~ ee ee ee ie