Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

5d0 stained his bronzed cheeks, and his blue eyes were misted over. With a groan he caught her into his arms and found her lips, and they clung together, desperately; for it was, they knew, their last kiss. “Separate them!” Judge Oglethorpe snapped. “I am sick and tired of watch- ing this spooning couple.” Rough hands snatched the lovers apart. Once again-Judge Oglethorpe banged on the bar with the butt of the pistol. “ Court is open!” he barked. ‘‘ The first case on the docket is that of Lawrence Wil- pin versus the People of this fair, beautiful and peace-loving community. And _ the charge against him is: wantonly and pre- meditatedly attacking and robbing upon a public thoroughfare peaceful, helpless, in- nocent and inoffensive citizens of this great republic! The trial of Lawrence Wilpin, >) stage robber, will begin! CHAPTER XXIII. IS JUSTICE BLIND? ILENCE fell in Hell’s Delight—a si- S lence punctuated only by the gurgling and hissing of corncob pipes, the lab- ored breathing of tensely constricted throats and the grumble of the approaching tem- pest. This silence was rudely broken by the angry shout of the accused man. “T object!” shouted Red Wilpin. Judge Oglethorpe leaned outward and glared down at him. ‘On what grounds, may I[ ask?” he in- quired impatiently. “On the grounds, yore honor, that the charge ain’t based on the truth. In the fust place, my holdin’ up of that stage coach wasn’t premeditated.” “Vou are attempting to obstruct the ma- chinery of the law,” his honor stated irri- tably, “‘ by cloaking the issue at stake in a trifling technicality. The objection is over- ruled.”’ ‘All right, jedge, all right, but that ain’t all. Another thing you stated in yore charge as that the pussons I robbed was peaceful, helpless, mnocent and _ inoffen- sive.’’ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Well?” the judge snapped. “YT object, yore honor, to the word ‘ in- offensive’ as applied to this yere white- faced lizard, Julius Yost.” Judge Oglethorpe looked thoughtziul. “That objection is sustained,” he pro- nounced, ‘“ Let it be noted that the charge is amended to read: ‘Peaceful, helpless and innocent citizens of this great republic.’ We will now proceed. Mr. Yampdon, Mr. Yost and Mrs. Yost—will you kindly sit down in those chairs reserved for witnesses? And Marshal Sniffin, I should like to have you serve as bailiff with certain elastic powers. You may delegate or deputize as many heavily-armed men as you may require to guard the accused and the material wit- ness.”’ “TIT object!” Red Wilpin shouted. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake,’ Mrs. Yost wailed, ‘“‘ make that insufferable young ape hold his tongue! This trial is a farce. It’s a senseless waste of time.” Judge Oglethorpe banged on the bar with his pistol butt. ‘** What’s the accused’s objection?” “It ain't fair to call that gal a material witness yet,” Red said angrily. “‘ You ain’t proved it, have you?” “It doesn’t have to be proved!” Mrs. Yost retorted spiritedly. ‘“‘ We know it’s true!”’ ‘“ Another thing I object to,” the prisoner put in vigorously, “is callin’? Yumpa a fair, beautiful and peace-lovin’ community. Say, where do you get that stuff, judge? Just look around the court room here! Did you ever see a bigger collection of white-livered, low-down human polecats in yore life out- side the bars of a penitentiary? Great gosh, judge, this town is noted fer its sin and vice and corruption. Yumpa ain’t nothin’ but a cesspool of inquity.” | A roar from the crowd stopped him. There were cries of “ Hang him!” and “Burn him at the stake!” Judge Ogle- thorpe became red in the face, pounding and pounding on the bar, before order was restored. ‘‘ Before we can proceed with the case of Lawrence Wilpin versus the people,” he stated, “ the point whiGOliit GO@ezaS Ha® raised must be settled ” inn