The Other Side of the Door

huddled flanks and shoulders and tossing heads of the youngsters crowding together in the middle of the inclosure, quivering with apprehension of the man approaching

s reminded me constantly of that strange person; and not only the colts, but some times it was some drifting shadow of cloud, some color or some sound, that inexplicably brought him up to mind; and I would plague myself with wondering what was going on in the city, and what was to become of him. But as the days passed and no newspapers came from the city-at least I sa

nd me but dark trunks, crooked elbows of boughs and sweeping leaves, was my delight. I loved to crown myself with their white beards of moss, and fancy I was walking through a cathedral aisle, a princess going to be married. But, whereas I had never needed to imagine a

oad Embarcadero Road to the little wharf on the bay. It was charming enough there when all was idle, with white adobe huts, and dark faces sleeping in the sun, and the lap of the tide on the breakwater. But when a ship was coming in, or was loading to get out, the Embarcadero filled t

al and far distant. Two weeks of such dreamy living drifted the city, and the violent things that had been done there, so far b

o start to-morrow morning," he wrote. "I shall expect you at the house at six-thirty to-morrow night without fail." This letter threw me into a flutter of excitement. I was accustomed to short-notice orders

in excell

rt notice I was luckily too busy to have time to worry about it; coming up through the valley Perez let me drive a good deal, and the horses were so spirited I needed all my wits to keep them from running away. But when we began

e. I fairly flew up the steps. "What is the

am." But as I passed him, I heard him saying to Perez, "Before you put up the horses I w

nly seemed to make my thoughts spin faster, wondering what could be going on since by father's manner, and the message he had given Perez I felt sure it

I have had to send for you, Ellie," he said, "

ickly, and in spite of

it begin?

swered, "but there has been no

s. "I suppose you know," he went on, "that, in trials there is usually plenty of cir

eling of suspense

at opinion. But a new development has suddenly arisen, and now I am afraid

her's face, wrinkled with anxiety, was watching me. "

"And will I have to tell them w

o! You will have to tell them only exactly what yo

e weight of the trial seemed on my shoulders, anything was a reli

you the one person in this city best

I had known in a blind sort of way what I had seen, and, also, that no one else had seen it; but I had not realized the terrible isolation, t

in that cause. You know it will not be easy, it will be made as difficult as possible for you to answer straightly." He had hold of both my hands now, was looking ha

y, in quite a steady

don't fret about it. To bed, to bed, to bed! We shall have to

uspected he was only putting it on to cheer me, as I now unde

isitors so late. I tossed and tossed. I kept trying to picture the court room. I saw it as a vast place, with a cold chilly light, like the hall of the prison, filled with a surging mob of people; serried rows of lawyers all in white wig

eath my room, must be open. The sound of those voices worried me; Mr. Dingley's was louder than common, and there were times when both seemed to speak at once. I got up softly and going to my window very noiselessly closed it. Then, so that I should not be quite stifled

need of bringing the child up to town. There's enough circumst

t one-that is I did last week. But this new development,

hty upset over Rood's death! All she says is t

, and Lord knows what wires pulled, to get him off. Man, you can't believe it! Don't you know she's going to fight us every inch of the way? You'll

longer, then the front door shut with a deep sound, and the

enough the only feeling that came was one of fear, as if, instead of saving, she had been dragging him into worse danger. I lay, staring now at the ceiling, now at the window, where, toward dawn, a paling light began to shine. I no longer felt the nervous anxieties that had kept me awake through the earlier part of the night. I

good breakfast. After that he had me go over the story of what I had seen on the morning I had been coming home with my basket of mushrooms. When that was done, "Now remember," he said, "all you will have to do will be to tell that same story, and to ans

to make a passage through. But our carriage drove, as Mr. Dingley's had done before, around the building and through the little alley to the back entrance. Even here some people were gathered

, and up the stairs. Following them, we were upon the first balcony and in front of the door which was kept a-swing by the people going in. Father stopped

all box of a place, hardly large enough to hold the six chairs that furnished it, and with only one other

ith a greater interest, now that I knew that he must be a witness. He was a dark, slick, Mexican-looking man, who dangled his hat nervously from his fingers, and kept glancing at the door. Presently it opened, a policema

rd the click of the door, and a waft of perfume touched the stale air, and made

From sheer fright I kept looking at her-I couldn't help it-until I felt father's hand touch mine. That seemed to break the spell. I looked down at the carpet again and felt the color rushing to my face. I heard the rustle of her dress, a soft, silky, indefinite sound. She had com

ow and speaking close to me, "Mr. Dingley said you were to be called aft

m. I followed him down the hall, not daring to turn my head, though I thought I heard the door open again after we had closed it, and

within a high-lifted resonant voice that I thought I recognized as Mr. Dingley's speaking with pa

in black gowns, indeed at first sight my confused eyes saw nothing but the crowd. And such a well-dressed, holiday-looking gathering! I saw girls whom I knew, their gowns making bright spots of color among the men's dark coats. It looked more like an afternoon concert than a trial. Every place seemed to be tak

dersized man sat, leaning his head on a beautiful white plump hand, and looking up at the ceiling as if he were thinking.

nd, who tries the ca

r of men were sitting. Nearest us Mr. Dingley sat with another gentleman, small, slim and very calm looking. They had their heads together, evidently talking; and next to them was a young man who seemed to be making jottings in a note-book. Beyond him I could ma

been a prisoner's dock, a small railed inclosure on the right hand of the judge's desk, was empty. But presently there was a shift in the restless gathering, some people, who had been standing up, sat down; and I saw a little more of the long table, first a space, where no one was s

ce and anger were gone. His black hair was brushed down, smooth and burnished as a crow's breast. The stock and the great black satin b

o push back his hair, and I saw that his hands were free. I felt a sense of unspeakable relief, as if he had already been acquitted. The only thing that seemed to set him apart from others was that expre

into the little railed inclosure. The gentleman who was sitting with Mr. Dingley got up and began asking questions in a weary monotonous voice, to which the Mexican replied that his name was Manuel Gora,

over the court room, and m

ake off his apathy and grew very, emphatic, "Now, Mr

e that all that night he had b

t you remember of the occurrences of that night and o

ry word distinct. He had gone on duty at six-thirty o'clock, he said; the hall had closed at eleven, it being Sunday night, and at th

Do I understand you that Mr. R

e was not yet asleep when he heard the bell at the side door ring. "And then," the Mexican said, "I went to Mr. Rood's door and asked if I should go down-stairs. Mr. Rood said, 'No,' and

t down and let in

ed his hand. "Was there anything in Mr. Rood's manner which

feet. "Object, your Honor, to the form of the question, as

was calling out to him; then said in a conversational voice: "Objection su

st now objected, isn't he Mr. Jackson?

ers in the city; but he is def

n again, "show surprise when you told

man hesitated.

er for the defense; then he again turned to the witn

e came a great

point h

owd. "He is sitting the thir

e of Johnny Montgomery's face, but too many people were standing up, and moving chairs,

wide-awake I heard a pistol shot. I ran down the stairs and out into the back of the house, as I do when there is trouble, and wait until I think it is over. Then, after listening a while, everything perfectly quiet, I go out

Montgomery. Then, without seeming to have made any point at all, Mr. Jackson sat down; the Mexican came down from the witness-stand, the judge left his place and went out through a door at the back, and a man who had been hovering on the outskirts of the lawyers' table, hurried to Mr. Dingley, and whisper

ply with a sort of shake that tossed the long locks out of his eyes, and faced around in his chair and saw me. He didn't seem surprised at finding me there. I couldn't be sure that he had not known just where I was all the while; but thou

gh the room, but above it I heard tw

e game? Is she a stricken

otta herself is nearing the age when a woman begins to yearn for beauty and youth. There's one thing I will say for her, though, she seems, t

is!" I heard the first speaker br

think it's pretty decent of her, and

d at the familiar way they spoke of the Spanish Woman, in spite of all her dignity, and commanding beauty; but to hear them speaking of Johnny Montgomery as if he belong

otice father's reappearance until

ave felt me trembling and supposed it to be nervousness. "Re

all coming back to their places; and then Mr. Ding

ed father by the arm until they stood a little farther off from me, where th

ce in court," he said as he came back to his chair.

s would turn up. Then, as the judge was coming into the room, he hastened back

he matter?

hes. After insisting on your presence thi

the same quiet gaze he had given me before. It must have been only my fancy that saw something wistful in it; but I hated to go. I felt as if I