A Conscientious Juryman home; he was not acquainted with de fendant's wife, and didn't know she
was on earth until a man in shirt sleeves ran out of a house and com menced shooting at him. Then the girlish looking wife, all a-quiver like a bird, took the stand and told of a "great, strange looking man who had pursued me to my very door," and then she rushed in and told her husband of the “villain.” The state's lawyer wanted to know if she was acquainted with the deceased. She said she had heard of him, but had never spoken to him; no, he didn't
speak on the night in question, but he acted like he wanted to; it was after dark and she was afraid something might happen if she did not tell her husband; she was a dutiful wife and kept nothing from him; no, the deceased had not tried to touch her, but no telling
what he would have done if she hadn’t run; no, sir, she had never been inti
409
tacled prosecutor. When she left the stand Beverly's lawyers told her she did finely, and her innocent face glowed with It that ence
pleasure. was about somewhere along here Juryman Crafton began to experi a change of heart. He realized
that there might be two sides to the case, after all. The loyal little wife was too sweet and innocent to try to de ceive him; that man Montgomery was certainly traveling outside of his bounds. This process of reasoning received power ful aid when the big lawyer for the defendant got up and painted pictures about the sanctity of the home and the warrant for the "Unwritten Law." Jury man Crafton came near clapping his hands several times, and was somewhat astonished to find his comrades in the box did not appear to be similarly affected; perhaps they were, but they were diplomatically restraining their im pulses. Before the big attorney was half
mate with men other than her husband! It was an insult to ask such a question. Y-e-s, she had known Tommie High flyer- just slightly, but that was long ago; she didn't see what that had to do with the case. Not a bit of it! Tommie
through Juryman Crafton's head was set; he would turn the defendant loose and make the little girl happy. One
had never been her lover—- that is,
“By your verdict of acquittal, gentle men,” thundered the big attorney, “you serve notice on every seducer in the land that he must except to reap the awful consequences of his unholy passion. I am confident you will release this poor boy, and let him return home tonight with the devoted little woman whose honor he has so manfully protected. I thank you, gentlemen." Juryman Crafton mopped his dewy eyes and bit his lips to restrain his emo tion. As far as he was concerned the
not since she married Ben Beverly. She was positive she had walked cir cumspectly during her married life. She had a vague recollection of being with Jack Rounder one night during the carnival, but that was a time of uncon ventionality and everybody did as the
pleased, and thought nothing of it. Jack may have kissed her on that occa sion, but she was not certain; it was too trifling a matter to remember. At proper intervals the golden-haired witness allowed her blue eyes to become
should do all the good he could; there was sin and suffering enough in this old world, goodness knows!
ing effect, and did much to rebuke the
case was over. His verdict was ready. The prosecutor, cold, impassive, inci sive, reviewed the evidence. He main
cold~blooded impertinence of the spec
tained that it showed clearly the life
suffused with tears, which had a charm