Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

PICTURES AND TH2 PICTUREGOER HDIXG Howell seemed pale.bul raised noobjecHontohis going to the Mud y. Almost at once he heard a cry,and on hastening into lh" room found poor old Amos standing alj >ve the dead body of hismaster,a knife the n .ip u with which the foul deed h i I been committed in his hand, The police were immediately sent for, and Amos, who seemed dazed, was arrested Ee paused and wiped his brow*. "And p" Agnes scarcely dared breathe as her lips framed the word. "Confound it. T can't understand what mad fit could have com > over the poor old chap. He refused tosay anything, refused even to give any account ofhimsef, and still refuses. Ofcour e he's innocent. and the police are making an infernal mess of thing's; but if ever a ra n was doim> his best lo put a halter round his neck, that man is my life-long friend." For a moment he was silent, then Made for the door; but as he opened it Agnes called him hack. the Btorj of her great I her intended sin. Without concea anything, Bhe narrated the incidents her life from the mom it whe i Ingram .Mile first threw his wdes around her to the moment when, flying from the |, ,.,.(. ing body of her would -b? seducer, she encountered Amos Howell. uOh,dont yon seer'' she Bobbed. "Amos found the body thought that [ bad committed the deed, and decided to remain silent, to tike the blame, the punishment for our sake."' "God! you, Agnes, you! Had out together drifted so far apart that you thought of this? And the woman, his victim, who was she ? " liIdo not know I could not see her face 1 did not know her voice. Oh, tell me. husband, what are we to dor ': Graham Howard turned his pallid face to hers. " Do." he muttered hoarsely, "you must keep silent for the good of your name the name he risks all to save, but " ,! The dead max ruined me. and I murdered him. "Graham, where are you going? " " Going ! " he echoed in surprise, '" why lo see him. of course; to tell him that "Why. what in heaven's name is the matter with you. girl? " Listen to me. Graham. You must uol go until you have heard me Not until 1 have heard you.'' ho cried. "" Has the world gone mad? What can you possibly have to say that has am bearing on the matter? " • I can explain " -he faltered. Explain what ? " That he sacrificed himself on the II' of friendship that that he kept silence to save my good name!" then dly. incoherently, at times, she ired into her husband's amazed ears "If he is condemned," she breathed. If all else fails, if we cannot prow his innocence and find the guilty then, but only then, you must speak. Afterwards." his arms closed round her in the old caressing way she had thought never to feel again. " we will go away we three and face a new life together.' As the hour of Amos Howell's trial approached, it seemed indeed that the words he had spoken to Agnes on the fatal night were coming true; for. brought together, linked closely, \>\ their common sorrow and the drea 1 secret in their hearts, much of the old misunderstanding was wiped awa\ : and but for the thought of the man who ate his heart out behind his prison-bars, they ^ 1 DICK WH1TT1NGTON * DiDNOTKNowTHtCONriUTfRS sen happiei than they had been for years. "Ob, Graham!" she would cry, clinging to him, "why cannot 1 speak now? Let me, dear!'' "\"1" he would answer; but th< ; liyht in his eyes _ to tb stern harshness of his vpic N If the' worst • yon must yourself, but there i still h The' day of the trial broke drearily. • but the great crowd that thronged the .! t. making holidiQr of a (•■ creatine's martyrdom, had eyes on!; the min iu the dock the man who answered, " Not guilty!" without I tat ion. but who refused, in spite of Judge and eou.isel. to speak one word to make good his plea. " I am innocent," lie said calmly, i i answer to all their questioning; " that is all I can say all I will From the first such a defence was h md at last the Judge summed up " Gentlemen of the jury." he gravely, " you have before yon the facts : of the rase the facts of the prisonci being found by the dead body of the 'murdered man with the weapon of destruction in his hand, and the fact that, although given every opportunity, he refuses to speak in his own defence : refuses even to fight the shadows that are gathering round him relying ■ on his unsupported statement that heis innocent Gentlemen of the jury, this is a land of justice, and it is not for me to bias your decision; you have the facts, the undisputed facts, and on these you must base your verdict ! " Slowly the twelve good men and true filed away, slcwly they returned: and Lgnes Howaid shuddered as -he read her sentence in their grim-set feat'. '•-Guiltyi" A momentary shudder ran tie •' the "crowded court ; then, once more, all eyes,.were -turned to watch theprisonei as he faced the Clerk. "Prisoner, have you anything why sentence of the law should 1 upon you ? " For the first time since his arrest Amos Howell Eimiled "Only this, that I am innocent :. that although mi was in my heart, mine fl i not the hand that sent the dead man bel Judge! " Slowly the Judge assumed the black cap. but before the dread words could leave his lips a womanpiteous Bryraug through the Court, drowned instantlx by a roar of excitement, as anothei woman elbowed her way through the throng. "He U innocent." she dried, '""and 1 can prove it . " " You and who are you. madam ? " " Annette Howell, the prisoner's unworthy sister. Thi' dead man ruined me. and 1 murdered him in a ti: heartbroken rage ! " Swiftly her tale was told, and Amos Howell staggered from the dock: then, as the las. ra>s" Of the af tern -mi crept through the old stained-g windows, bathing the still court in a myriad colours, the woman the | victim caught and held in the sw ; the pitiless vortex heard in her turn the answer of the jury. and. wit h a smile, .1 the grim Judge waiting.