Part 30 (1/2)

But when he reached the gloohborhood in which his childhood had been spent it was to learn that his mother was dead and that another fae that had been his home

If Billy Byrne felt any sorrow because of his mother's death he did not reveal it outwardly He owed her nothing but for kicks and cuffs received, and for the surroundings and influences that had started hie when rammar school

Really the man was relieved that he had not had to see her, and it ith a lighter step that he turned back to retrace his way along Grand Avenue No one of the few he had hted at his return The whole affair had been soo at once to the Lake Street Station and learn the status of the Schneider murder case Possibly they had discovered the real murderer, and if that was the case Billy would be perive hiht be exonerated

As he neared Wood Street twohis approach stepped into the doorway of a saloon, and as he passed they stepped out again behind him One upon either side they seized him

Billy turned to remonstrate

”Come easy now, Byrne,” admonished one of the men, ”an' don't make no fuss”

”Oh,” said Billy, ”it's you, is it? Well, I was just goin' over to the station to give hed, skeptically ”We'll just save you the trouble,” said one of theht lose your way if you tried to go alone”

Billy went along in silence the rest of the way to where the patrol waited at another corner He saw there was nothing to be gained by talking to these detectives; but he found the lieutenant equally inclined to doubt his intentions He, too, only laughed when Billy assured him that he was on his way to the station at the very instant of arrest

As the weeks dragged along, and Billy Byrne found no friendly interest in himself or his desire to live on the square, and no belief in his protestations that he had had naught to do with the killing of Schneider he began to have his doubts as to the wisdom of his act

He also commenced to entertain some of his former opinions of the police, and of the lahich they are supposed to be the guardians A cell-mate told him that the papers had scored the department heavily for their failure to apprehend the murderer of the inoffensive old Schneider, and that public opinion had been so aroused that a general police shakeup had followed

The result was that the police were keen to fasten the guilt upon so as it was someone as in their custody

”You may not o' done it,” ventured the cell- you They're goin' to try to get the death sentence They hain't got no love for you, Byrne You caused 'eot it I'd hate to be in your boots”

Billy Byrne shrugged Where were his dreams of justice? They seemed to have faded back into the old distrust and hatred He shook hiirl who had believed in him and trusted him--who had inculcated within him a love for all that was finest and best in true s that he had most hated all the years of his life before she had come into his existence to alter it and hiain--believe that in the end justice would triuht, just the way he had pictured it

With the co of the last day of the trial Billy found it ard for law, order, and justice The prosecution had shown conclusively that Billy was a hard custoht witnesses who did not hesitate to perjure themselves in their testimony--testimony which it seemed to Billy the densest of jurymen could plainly see had been framed up and learned by rote until it was letter-perfect

These witnesses could recall with startling accuracy every detail that had occurred between seventeen ht and twenty-one ht of September 23 over a year before; but where they had been and what they had done ten minutes earlier or ten minutes later, or where they were at nine o'clock in the evening last Friday they couldn't for the lives of them remember

And Billy was practically without witnesses

The result was a foregone conclusion Even Billy had to ad attorney demanded the death penalty the prisoner had an uncanny sensation as of the tightening of a hempen rope about his neck

As he waited for the jury to return its verdict Billy sat in his cell trying to read a newspaper which a kindly guard had given hih the white paper and the black type to scenes that were not in any paper He saw a turbulent river tue world, and in the swirl of the water lay a little island And he saw athe e of the cultured, and to view life as people of refine her class, and that it was better to lose any other possession rather than lose honor Billy realized that it had been these lessons that had spurred him on to the mad scheme that was to end noith the verdict of ”Guilty”--he had wished to vindicate his honor A hard laugh broke from his lips; but instantly he sobered and his face softened

It had been for her sake after all, and what allows? He had not sacrificed his honor--he had done his best to assert it He was innocent They could kill hiuilty A thousand juries pronouncing him so could not make it true that he had killed Schneider

But it would be hard, after all his hopes, after all the plans he hadthrough the paper suddenly found the in the text before the