Part 39 (2/2)
The two women who had testified against Mildred were permitted to depart. Then, as if dismissing the case from his mind, he proceeded to dispose of the other prisoners.
Belle joined her sister, and greeted her with great effusiveness, looking ready to champion her against the world; but they at last quieted her, and waited with trembling impatience and wonder for the outcome of Roger's mission.
The girl who had been led to wrong Mildred so greatly returned to the shop that morning with many misgivings, which were much increased when she learned what had occurred. She also felt that her accomplice had dealt treacherously in allowing such serious proceedings against Mildred, for he had promised that she should be merely taxed with theft and warned to seek employment elsewhere. ”If he deceives in one respect he will in another, and I'm not safe from arrest either,”
she said to herself, and she made so many blunders in her guilty preoccupation that she excited the surprise of her companions. As she was waiting on a customer she heard a voice remark, ”That's the girl,” and looking up she grew faint and white as she saw, standing before her, a policeman, who served his subpoena at once, saying, ”You must go with me immediately.”
Frightened and irresolute, she stammered that she knew nothing about the affair.
”Well, then, you must come and tell his Honor so.”
”Must I go?” she appealed to one of the firm, who happened to be near.
”Certainly,” he replied, examining the subpoena; ”go and tell all you know, or if you don't know anything, say so.”
”I don't see why I should be dragged into the case--” she began brazenly.
”There's the reason,” said the officer impatiently; ”that subpoena has the power of bringing any man or woman in the city.”
Seeing that resistance was useless, she sullenly accompanied them to a street-car, and was soon in readiness to be called upon for her testimony. The judge having disposed of the case then on trial, Mildred was again summoned to the bar, and the unwilling witness was sent for. She only had time to cast a reproachful glance at the man who, she feared, had betrayed her, and who tried, by his manner, to caution her, when the judge demanded her attention, he having in the meantime noted the fellow's effort.
”Stand there,” he said, placing her so that her back was toward the man who sought to signal silence. ”Officer, swear her. Now,”
he resumed severely, ”any deviation from the truth, and the whole truth, will be perjury, which, you know, is a State-prison offence.
I can a.s.sure you most honestly that it will be better for you, in all respects, to hide nothing, for you will soon discover that I know something about this affair.”
After the preliminary questions, which were asked with impressive solemnity, he demanded, ”Did you not leave the shop on Tuesday evening, and pa.s.s up the Avenue to----Street?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Did you not look back twice, to see if you were followed?”
”I may have looked back.”
”You don't deny it, then?”
”No, sir.”
”Did not Mr. Bissel, the floor-walker, join you in----Street, before you had gone very far?”
”Ye--yes, sir,” with a start.
”Did he not say something that agitated you very much?”
”He may have frightened me,” she faltered.
”Yes, he probably did; but why? Did you not make a strong gesture of protest against what he said?”
”Yes, sir,” with a troubled stare at the judge.
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