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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1936-06-11, Page 2THURSDAY, JUNE 11th, 1936 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE CHAPTER ONE The Judge concluded his charge. The jury stirred, collected itself to leave for its room to consider the verdict. The prisoner obeyed the touch of a deputy on his shoulder and got to his feet. He looked across the .courtroom to the girl who sat at the table assigned to counsel for the defense. He lifted his hand to her in a gesture half appeal, half encouragment, and she stood up to smile an answei* at him. Heads craned, people stared hard, as they had been staring for weeks at lovely young Judith Pennet, who believed in the prisoner, her father’s innocence. A murmur rose in the room. He was guilty. The jury would not be out long. When it re­ turned and pronounced Chester Pen- net guilty of embezzlement of the funds of the bank where he had worked for most of his life, the curly (brown head of this daughter would not lift so proudly, the red mouth would not smile so 'bravely. That’s what one element in the courtroom thought. The murmur shifted. The verdict might be "not guilty.’’ Then Judith’s loyalty would be rewarded. Surely she deserved something, a girl of 20 whose father had been disgraced, whose father had deserted them both to live abroad with a man she could not marry. What was it she had said when reporters asked her about Clio Pen- net’s elopement? ‘I have no mother.’ Bitter words on one so young and slight. And what was it about . . . ah . . . he was going to speak to <her, .Spencer Owen, the youthful as­ sistant prosecutor of the case. The murmur died completely. Here was a new act in the drama. A Silent Rebuff The crowd guessed shrewdly at the effort it. cost him to leave his place and walk to the defense table. His tall, well set up figure with its easy carriage, his eyes and mouth, serious now, his fearless direct glance were all concentrated on the necessity of speaking to Judith. He stopped at .her side. "Judith,’’ he spoke her name too quietly for the crowd to hear. But they could watch, avidly. She did not move. "Judith, please.” Deliberately she looked up at him. Then without a sign, without a flick­ er of the eyelashes or a movement of her -month, she .averted her head, fpicked up a sheet of paper that lay on the table and 'began to read it. There could be no mistake about the meaning of her act. A slow red rose in .Spencer’s face. He did not pretend to speak to her father’s attorney, who was observ­ ing the scene. A small sigh escaped him. The red deepened in his face. He turned and went back to his chair Judith continued to look at the paper. Foolscap, 'containing notes made for defense evidence, she held it in her hand. It was real, smooth, crisp, definite to the touch. But the words she saw were written there from her own mind. /Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty.” they danced crazily up and down and across the (paper, blotting out the fine neat writing of her father’s lawyer. She moved her lips’, "Not guilty . . . please God, not guilty,” and the words were a prayer so intense that a thin, cold sweat broke out in the palms of her nervous hands. How long before she would know? She looked at the clock. The jury had been, out fifteen minutes now. She must look away • from the clock. She must think of something else before she screamed aloud those words she wanted to hear, must hear. Spencer Owen leaned forward to look at her. Anxiety and compassion were in his eyes and, while she held the muscles of her face rigid, she felt an inner softening that sent the tears stinging against her eyelids. Memories The room bludder, .She was releas­ ed from it. She had the sensation of floating back, back, back in time and space to the very beginning of the nightmare in which she lived now. Only it wasn’t a nightmare, that beginning, that soft April night of full moon two months earlier . . She lived it all again. She saw lher face as it had smiled back at from her mirror. A little more lip­ stick? Spencer was coming. Rouge? Not needed. ’Spencer said she had a lovely color of her' own, and she did, that night, that now seemed so long ago. That one curl that would come dowm over her left ear, untidy, but Spencer’ liked it. They were going to it on the side porch that over­ looked the garden where daffodils rioted now, fragrant and fair in the moonlight. They were going to talk. And Spencer was going to say . . . There went the bell. There were the sounds of her mother’s polite, high- pitched tones, her father’s deeper ones. Spencer’s voice asking small talk while he waited for her. She wanted to run down to him. She wanted to stay in hed room. Then she went demurely down the stairs, laid her hand in Spencer’s stayed the necessary moments talk­ ing to Clio and Chester, and then, conscious of Spencer’s quiet strength beside her, was with him in the gar­ den. "See,” she had said, "how lovely the daffodils are? And the tulips are in bud. They’ll be out next week, all glorious.” “I see,” Spencer had replied va­ guely. "I see.” Then she was in his arms, her head .held tight against his shoulder. And presently "Oh,” Judith had said in a small voice. "I . . . didn’t know it was like that.” Spencer laughed, only it was as though he laughed through deep tears, "Neither did I ... it’s bet­ ter even than I’d dreamed,” and he kissed her again to make sure of the truth he spoke. Judith didn’t want to cry. She said: "How many girls have you kissed ” "Thousands. How many men have you kissed?” "None.” "You’re a darling little liar,” said Spencer. "I’ve kissed you myself, and you went around with Pat At­ kins all last summer, and he’s a ter­ rible necker.” “I mean really kissed.” "Ask me again.” Young Love ’ Judith drew back and looked up at him straight and true. "How many girls have you 'really kissed ” "One, and I’m going to kiss her again.” "Why?” They -paused a moment, looking at each other, a little breathless, a little frightened. "I love you, Judith,” said Spencer and waited, his hands on her shoul­ ders. "I love you, Spencer,” said Judith just as clearly. There was a .shabby old swing on the porch. It creaked discreetly when they went to sit in it and made them laugh. “ Are you in love? Since when? Tell me about it,” he had said. "Oh, since a long long time—al­ ways, I believe.” "With whom?” "Name’s Spencer Owen. Do" you know ’him?’ "A little . . . don’t think much of him. He’s in love with a grand girl, Judith Pennet. Do you know her?” “A little. I fear she is far too good for him.” “She is,” said Spencer. "Silly, said Judith, and eliminat­ ed the last fraction of an inch be­ tween them. That had been two months ago. Heir memory uncon­ sciously brought back a further pic­ ture of that night. "Since you’re so well-beheaved,” Spencer observed, "I’ll tell you something.” "I’ll bet I know.” "I’ll bet you don’t.” He drew a long breath. "Today/ he said, im­ pressively, "I got my appointment to an assistant prosecutorship for our town of Bayville, suburb to the mighty city of New York. I don’t think I could have kept from telling you I love you very much longer, Judy. But to have that happen to­ day . . . well, it means we won’t have to wait at all to be married. I have -something real to offer you; not just a struggling private law practice, but a sure, if small, in­ come for us to live on, and the chance to make a reputation, so we won’t have to be so damnably poor right from the start.” "It’s wonderful. Spencer, though I’d not have minded being poor.” "I know you wouldn’t, Judy. But it will be easier this way. I don’t want you to have to live too^ differ­ ently from the way you’ve always lived.” Judith had pressed ihei4 lips tightly together. "I hate the way I live 1 i A Face Covered With Pimples Causes Much Embarrassment There is little doubt felt that impure and impoverished blood is* the soil on which those ted, white, pus filled pimples de­ velop and thrive, and that nothing short of a vigorous, persistent blood purifying treatment will eradicate them from the system. Burdock Blood Bitters banishes bad blood and with the bad blood banished the skin becomes free from pimples. Tty a few bottles and bo convinced. RURDOCK Bitters now,” she- cried. "Always a little beyond -our means. Daddy works like a slave so we can ihave a house that’s too big, entertain more than we can afford, give Mother* more clothes than she needs, send me to private .schools .... all that. I hate it, Spencer. It isn’t honest.” “I didn’t know. I’d never thought I supposed there was some income other than what your father earns in the bank.” "There isn’t. I don’t want to talk about it, but I will say this. If I thought we were going to be like Daddy and Mother are together, I’d nevei* marry you, ever, no matter how much I loved you," "It’s hard, I suppose, to be fair to your parents,” Spencer sug­ gested. "Of course, I don’t know, darling. Mine are dead, and it was old Aunt Mary who brought me up.” High Ideals "I try to be fair, Spencer and I know it’s hard, because Mother is twenty years younger than Daddy. She likes to be gay and go places. He works -so hard; he’s too tired at night. Tie’s never made enough money bo suit her, and yet he wor­ ships her, .Spence. The more she complains the harder he works. Honestly, I think he worships the ground she walks on, and she— she------” "Say it, darling,” Spencer took her hands. "You’H feel better if you say it.” "She despises him,” Judith whis­ pered. "I know she does.” Spencer had ’held her quietly, and then, to soothe her, harked bacK in their conversation. “You said a little while ago that the way you live now isn’t honest, Judy. Well, it hit me hard for you to say that, for it’s the one thing I want more than anything else—to live honest­ ly; not just in .my personal life, ibut in my (ptrofessiional life. It’s hard, Judy,” for there’s the temp­ tation to easy money, to take cases you don’t believe in because they pay well. I haven’t done it so far, but I can see 'how, if we were mar­ ried and had children and needed things, it would be a terrible temp­ tation to compromise, to say: ‘Every one else does it.’ ” “Don’t you ever do that!” Judith had cried, sitting up straight. "But then, you won’t need to now. You’ll just take the cases assigned to you, won’t you?” "Yes, but even then there’s all kinds of politics played in the Pros­ ecutor’s office—crooks that will send favors in the way of Prosecutors who don’t push them too hard— that sort of thing. I’ll tell you what, Judy: I’m going to be honest. I’m- going to fight every single case I get, no matter whose toes are step­ ped on. Crandall—you know he’s the new 'Chief Prosecuting Attor­ ney who .gave me my appointment— went in on a reform ticket and he’s playing on the up and up now. But he’s human. He wants to be re-elected. I happen to know he’s being pushed hard by Gilbert Soun­ ders, our boss out here, to go easy on those 'racketeering -cases, and he may weaken if Saunders holds out big enough favors.” Pledge of Faith Judith had sighed: "Oh Spence, if we can just be honest and love each other! Do you know, if a whole lot of people would do that, why it would make the whole world a dif­ ferent place to live in. Let’s be different, Spencer. Let’s not grow stodgy, old and ordinary.” "We are different,” Spencer had told her. "We love each other. Why, Judy, I don’t have to be in the same place to be with you. I’m- with you, you’re with he, all the time. That’s ho'w it is with me, Judy.” "That’s how it is with us," she amended. “Judy, it’s April now. Couldn-’t we be married early in May?” "I’ll try, .Spencer. Mother will want to have a big wedding, I know. I’ll talk to her. I’d like to keep it quiet, not only because it’s what I’d like best but also because I’d like to save Daddy something if I can. ” "I’ll go to see him tomorrow dar­ ling.” "They’re still up, I may tell them tonight. I can’t keep this much happiness to myself, Spencer.” "Tell every -one,” -Spencer cried. "I’m going to.” "You won’t have to—you look so silly with happiness that you might just as well have my name painted on your forehead.” "The same to you ... I don’t want to go, Judith, but I have to. I have to be at the office at 1 o’clock tomorrow to start packing papers. I want to move over to my new hole in the wall; that’s all an assistant prosecutor draws, you know.” Judith went into the shelter of his arms, felt his 'heart beat hard agains her own, went at last intp the house wrapped in the glory of that farewell embrace. She paused before the hall mirror. Curious, she looked very much the same, -She had patted her hair in -order, composed her face and gone into the living-room of the too-big house Chester Pennet had built for his adored wife, Clio. It was like, thought Judith at the time, going into- a cold and gloomy cavern, to enter into the presence of Chester and Clio when Clio had one' of her moods on, as she obviously had tonight, Judith felt the im­ pulse to let her- news die in her. "She wants -something,” Judith thought, glancing at her mother, "She wants something most awfully THEY JUST SEEM T(/ TASTE BETTER IN EVERYWAY^, r \r V*- ■ flakes jiasssty CORK FLAKES O • OVEN-FRESH • 9 O FlAVOfrPERFEcr 0 | ^5^8 rn F SO MANY women say Kellogg’s have an aj ness they never find in other brands. One reason is that Kellogg’s ar fresh as the, They’re pac logg procesi TITE bag, ii why they re and flavor- Ask yo The only Kellogg in L Sfvays crisp and ay they came from thfjjjffig toasting-ovens. ?d by an exclusive K| in a heat-sealed ’ de the package, ^yat’s grocer fgi ellogg’s. ITs made by ntario. Nothing takes the place of CORN FLAKES bad and isn’t quite sure that Daddy is going to give it to her. Poor Dad- ry, he looks all in.” She went to sit on the arm of her father’s chair, "Nice evening?” he asked, putting down his magazine. "Oih, lovely.” .Some of the joy flowed back and she might have gone on, but Clio spoke, crossly. “Go to bed, Judith. It’s nearly midnight.” "No.” This word from Chester fell into the room with the effect of a bombshell. "I want her to stay here a little while.” Arrested Clio made no reply. The atmos­ phere- of tension thickened in the room until it was almast palpable. Memory vididly left its imprint of the dramatic moment that had fol­ lowed. Judith sat on a footstool near the door, dreamed of Spencer, wondered with a part of her mind why lher father wanted her to remain, glanc­ ed now and then at Clio, who was watching the door. Into this brooding silence the doorbell had clanged harshly. Judith jumped. "I’ll go,” she said and was on her feet before either Chestei’ or Clio could say anything. It must be ■Spencer returning f-or some reason, perhaps to speak to her father to­ night instead of waiting till .morn­ ing. iShe threw the door -open. Two policemen stood there. They took -off their hats to the bewildered Judith. "Is Mt. Chestei’ Pennet at home?” one of them asked. "Y—-yes . . . 'he’s .'here .... I Chester appeared in the doorway of the living room. Clio was behind him. "We have a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Chester Pennet,” said one of the officers, taking out a paper. For a moment no one spoke, then Clio' leaned forward and asked: "Is it for embezzlement, that warrant you hold?” "Yes, ma’am.” "Oh,” Clio let out her breath in a long sigh and Judith looked at her mother. What was it, that strange expression in Clio’s eyes? Not anxietynot shame . . . tri­ umph, that was what it was. Clio was glad, glad Chester, her husband Judith’s father, was to be arrested From this dreadful fact Judith shrank to a consideration of her father-. How strangely serene he was. He said to tike officer: "If you will let me get some things.” "Yes, sir. We got orders to bring you back. Officer Murphy’ll go with you while you get your things.” That made it real, that blue coat­ ed officer going up the stairs after, Chester, watching him wlhile he col­ lected toilet articles, a light coat, a book to read. Judith had followed. Chester took her hand as he went back down the stairs. "Don’t worry, my dear,” he said and kisesd her. Then he seemed to forget her. The night that followed, the days that followed that night were a frenzied nightmare. There were first the voices that roused her a little after* midnight. She knew them, her mother’s and that of 'Clarence 'Ste­ vens, a vice-president, of the bank where Chester worked. Judith felt a warmth in. 'her heart. Clio had sent for help, but after a little there were no more voices, and led by an impulse she never examined, Judith crept into her mother's room and found the note. "I have gone abi*oad with Clar­ ence and will not return.” Just that, mo more, a piece that fitted somewhere into the crazy pat­ tern Judith’s life took on. With morning she tried to act, herself, She saw her father, talked with him through the bars of a cell ■ ir a J ^Before it is too |ate NOW is the timagreb repair your buildings whichjgsnave been un­ avoidably negledBfd during trying dengBasion timejK'Get metal roofing wiw i ts permajKice and low upkeep —Jnd save! — - ojfrs two Rfcfing! JMchhas e; tiding w< ‘ ®plicatic Shrink, ji ®e ft k ___:ern Steel Products gjBat values in Metal SB-Roll and Tite-Lap I Eusive features guaran- Jier-tightness and easy F They do not warp, ack, curl, or bulge. Ask lift E.S.P. Barns... made by most Company-Built Barn :turerin Canada. Sole Canadian manufacturers and disW- butors of Jamesway poultry equipment. EasternProducts Jjrnitedj Guelph Street . Preston, Ont. Factories also at Toronto and Montreal Exeter States-AStaoratt Established 1873 and 1887 at Exeter, Ontario Published every Thursday morning SUBSCRIPTION—?2.0iQ per year In advance RATES—Farm or Real Estate for sale 50c. each insertion for first four insertions. 25c, each subse­ quent insertion. Miscellaneous ar­ ticles. To Rent, Wanted, Lost, or Found 10c, per line of six words. Reading notices 10c. per line. Card of Thanks 50-c. Legal ad­ vertising 12 and 8c. per line. In Memorlam, with -one verse 50c, extra verses 25c. each. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association in the county jail, heard him say, "Yes, Judith, I am innocent,” She believed him then. She would always believe him. Spencer Turns Prosecutor She had gone to Spencer with her belief. "Judith, darling, it’s ter­ rible, I know, I an’t understand it. But $50,000 has been stolen from the bank, and there are memoranda of the dates and amounts in your father’s handwriting. They were among his own papers.” "But, he didn’t do it. I know he didn’t!” "Judith let’s be married now, this very morning. Let me take care of you.” "But I must help father.” "Judith,” Spencer’s voice was very dreadful, "marry me. Look, dar­ ling. I—I—I have to prosecute him but if we’re married, maybe they’ll let me 'off of it.” "Spencer!” "I can’t help it. I have to do it.” "You thing he’s guilty?” "There’s the evidence.” "And you’d work to put my father in jail, Spencer, to send him to the penitentiary when I tell you he’s in­ nocent?” "I—there’s such a thing as duty, Judith.” And more and more until wound­ ed past bearing she went from the office home to place herself firmly in the position, she meant to main­ tain. Chester Pennet was innocent, He had told her so and she believed him. Clio had deserted them both. Spencer, at this first test of the feel­ ing between them, had made himself her enemy. She was alone, com­ pletely, miserably, and alone she had stayed to this very moment when the hands of the Courthouse clock told her tihe jury had been -out for nearly two hours now. Her thoughts came back to the present intense moment. The door of the courtroom opened, The jury filed in, Judith Sank back in her chair., Now , . . flier throat whs -dry , , now , . . her hands shook , . . now, before that clock hand reached the figure six marking the half-ihour . . . she would know . , . could gather up the pieces of her shattered dream , , , but they hud grim faces, those jurymen , , •; Chester came back . , , his eyes (hopeful . , . the Judge entered . » the bailiff called for silence, The foreman of the jury .rose to speak. 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O. or RING 138 USBORNE & HIBBERT MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Head Office, Farquhar, Ont. W. H. COATES President SAMUEL NORTHS Vice-Preqident directors JOHN McGArOH, J. T. A&EISON ANGUS iS®CLAIR, OCKNEY^Jlr AGENTS,* ’ JOHN ESSeMy. CeOalia, Agent- for UsboMe anwBiddulph L. H -Munro, Agent for FulWrt-gSFand Logan THOMAS SCMJ T Cromarty, fdf’Hibbert for ALVIN [N i Agent B. W. F. BEAVERS Secretary-Treasurer □ Exeter, Ontario ’ t GLADMAN & STANBURY 1 Solicitors, Exeter ROBBERS FAIL The armed holdup by two unknown men at the farm of Everett Taylor, near Bly th, failed in its main -object The robbers got only $1.40 and two watches. Fortunately Mr. Taylor, who, had sold his hogs the same after-noon and had the proceeds in his p' was not home at the time of the'^^BBf bery. The holdup men repeated^B^r asked for Mr. Taylor, -stating that he had once done them a mean, trick and they were going to get even. For this reason the police believe the robbery to be a local "job” but no arfests have been made. Stewart Ament, the 15-year-old hired man, who. was alone when the robbers called, bears an excellent reputation. He says the- two men, wearing masks, forced him at the point of guns to take a key, hidden in a handkerchief above the door, open the door and they then ran­ sacked the house. Tlhey took his watch and money. Mr, Taylor’s val­ uable watch and a child’s saving bank. ’Coming away, they forced him to lock the -door and took the key away so .he couldn’t telephone for help. They disappeared Into a bush. The boy was still scared when po­ lice arrived, but told a straight for­ ward story.