listened for a
few moments and replied that I didn't think it was anything. But he
got up and took his pistol from under the pillow and went into the
vault-room. A moment later I was convinced that I heard something, and
I got up, and just as I got near the door the light blazed up and at
the same moment there was a loud report as of a pistol; and then I saw
my husband fall--saw Mr. Brooks wheel about and run out of the room.
This is all I remember until I found myself lying on the bed, unable
to move or speak."

Brooks set up a plea for mercy, and his lawyers were strong in the
urging of it, but when the judge delivered his charge it was clear
that the plea was not entertained by the court. The jury retired, and
now the courtroom was thronged. To idle men there is a fascination in
the expected verdict, even though it may not admit of the quality of
speculation. The jurymen could not be out long--their duty was well
defined; but an hour passed, and the crowd began gradually to melt
away. Two hours--and word came that the jury could not agree. It was
now dark, and the court was adjourned to meet in evening session. But
midnight struck, and still there was no verdict. What could be the
cause of this indecision? It was a mystery outside, but within the
room it was plain. One man had hung the jury. In his community he was
so well known as a sectarian that he was called a hypocrite. He was
not thought to be strong except in the grasp he held upon bigotry, but
he succeeded in either convincing or browbeating eleven men into an
agreement not to hang Brooks, but to send him to the penitentiary for
life; and this verdict was rendered when the court reassembled at
morning.

Witherspoon was sitting in his office at the Colossus when Henry
entered. Papers were piled upon the merchant's desk, but he regarded
them not. A boy stood near as if waiting for orders, but Witherspoon
took no heed of him. He sat in a reverie, and as Henry entered he
started as if rudely aroused from sleep.

"Have you heard the verdict?" Henry asked.

"By telephone," Witherspoon answered. "Sit down."

"No, I must get over to the office. What do you think of the verdict?"

"If the law's satisfied I am," Witherspoon answered. "But you wanted
him hanged, didn't you?" he added.

"No, but I wanted him punished. The truth is, I hated the fellow
almost from the first."

Witherspoon turned to the boy and asked: "What do you want? Oh, did I
ring for you? W