y nature an apostle of sunshine; but when we consider all the facts, I
know you will agree with me that he had upon this occasion good right
to be a little cloudy.

That evening Dic was arrested and held in jail pending Doug Hill's
recovery or death. Should Douglas die, Dic would be held for murder and
would not be entitled to bail. In case of conviction for premeditated
murder, death or imprisonment for life would be his doom. If Doug should
recover, the charge against Dic would be assault and battery, with
intent to commit murder, conviction for which would mean imprisonment
for a term of years. If self-defence could be established--and owing to
the fact that neither Dic nor Rita was to testify, that would be
difficult to accomplish--Dic would go free. These enormous "ifs"
complicated the case, and Dic was detained in jail till Doug's fate
should be known.

THE TRIAL

CHAPTER VII

THE TRIAL

I shall not try to tell you of Rita's suffering. She wept till she could
weep no more, and the nightmare of suspense settled on her heart in the
form of dry-eyed suffering. She could not, even for a moment, free her
mind from the fact that Dic was in jail and that his life was in peril
on account of her act. Billy went every day to encourage her and to keep
her silent by telling her that Dic would be cleared. Mrs. Bays
prohibited her from visiting the jail; but, despite Rita's fear of her
mother, the girl would have gone had not Dic emphatically forbidden.

Doug recovered, and, court being then in session, Dic's trial for
assault and battery, with intent to commit murder, came up at once. I
shall not take you through the tedious details of the trial, but will
hasten over such portions as closely touch the fate of our friends.

Upon the morning of Dic's arraignment he was brought into court and the
jury was empanelled. Rita had begged piteously to go to the trial, but
for many reasons that privilege was denied. The bar was filled with
lawyers, and the courtroom was crowded with spectators. Mr. Switzer
defended Dic, who sat near him on the right hand of the judge, the
State's attorney, with Doug Hill and Patsy Clark, the prosecuting
witnesses, sitting opposite on the judge's left. The jury sat opposite
the judge, and between the State's attorney and Mr. Switzer and the
judge and the jury was an open space fifteen feet square. On a raised
platform in this vacant space was the witness chair, facing the jury.

Doug Hi