The Long Lane's Turning

wayfarers. The city was far behind now-only the clear, well-nigh deserted road, winding like a tremulous magenta ribbon through

the other had said, and without the word from the moveless figure on the rear seat, he would obey till the engine stopped or his hand went numb on the wheel. Hamlets flashed by-huddles of flaring street-lights-then shadow and blankness again. Now and then a hollow rumbling

is chauffeur's. He was sharply conscious of all about him, every sense recording its message unerringly. He felt the wind-flung dust, heard the chatter of the exhaust, grasped acutely at each detail of sight and sound in the reeling panorama through which they passed with such arrow-like

come sudden composure-a strange, appalling peace, in which was no appreciation of place or time or fact, but yet a curious

matter?" he muttered. "He sure never did want to go hell-bent-for-election like this before.

ossing. He threw himself forward on the gear and with a grinding roar the brakes took hold. Plu

ad lifted as it had come. He did not wake fully at once, for the breaking of the spell left him in a strange confusion through which he saw but dimly the outlines of the real present. He found himself sitting dazed and sh

tanding impotent before the bar, saw the despairing face of the man beside him, the puzzled countenances about him, the dim lamps. He heard verdict and sentence. He

of good repute, of disdain for the intemperate, of brilliant accomplishment and regular habit, was gazing with horrified eyes at the Harry Sevier he had unwittingly b

"Bob, wher

g, sir," he said. "There's the Black Maria." He pointed to one side, where the gloomy vehic

shuddering to a stop right athwart the road. A train-man with a lantern jumped down, followed by a couple of passengers. Harry opened the d

blew aside, the lights of the motor glinted from a nickel star-the badge of a deputy-sheriff. They had passed him, and

ive me a lig

took a silver match-

flaring up, for an instant showed the two faces, the sheriff's grim and tenacious, and the

s soul. There before him stood his client of that day's trial, on the last lap of his dismal journey, the man whom he, Harry Sevier, had sent ther

l. "Well, good night to yo

Harry. "Can a pr

reckon money talks as loud in a

rom his pocket and now he held them out-to

irl of his unfettered hand dashed them on the ground. "Keep your money!" he

n it well, but this is an ugly one. Lord love you, they'll soon take that out of him over there! Come along, you," he

e flung words his judicial mind recognised the indictment. From the little wall-cabinet in his inner-office had crept a thing of shame and humiliation to himself. He saw this now suddenly swell and grow

leather cushions

Bob," he sa