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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
Before her； stretched upon a table； wasMr。 Feuerstein。 She shrank
back and gazed at him with wide； fascinated eyes。 His face was turned
toward her； his eyes half…open； he seemed to be regarding her with a
glassy； hateful starethe ‘‘curse in a dead man's eye。'' His chin was
fallen back and down； and his lips exposed his teeth in a hideous grin。
And then she saw Sticking upright from his throat was a knife； the
knife from their counter。 It seemed to her to be trembling as if still agitated
from the hand that had fiercely struck out his life。
‘‘My God！'' moaned Hilda； sinking down to the floor and hiding her
face。
As she crouched there； Casey said cheerfully to Captain Hanlon； ‘‘You
see she's guilty all right； Cap'n。''
Hanlon took his cigar from between his teeth and nodded。 At this a
man sitting near him burst out laughing。 Hanlon scowled at him。
The manDoctor Wharton； a deputy coronerlaughed again。 ‘‘I
suppose you think she acts guilty；'' he said to Hanlon。
‘‘Any fool could see that；'' retorted Hanlon。
‘‘Any fool would see it； you'd better say；'' said Doctor Wharton。 ‘‘No
matter how she took it； you fellows would wag your heads and say
‘Guilty。' ''
Hanlon looked uneasily at Hilda； fearing she would draw
encouragement from Wharton's words。 But Hilda was still moaning。
‘‘Lift her up and set her in a chair；'' he said to Casey。
Hilda recovered herself somewhat and sat before the captain； her eyes
down； her fluttering hands loose in her lap。 ‘‘What was the trouble
between you and him？'' Hanlon asked her presently in a not unkindly
tone。
‘‘Must I tell？'' pleaded Hilda； looking piteously at the captain。 ‘‘I
don't know anything about this except that he came into our store and told
me he was going toto''
She looked at Feuerstein's dead face and shivered。 And as she looked；
memories flooded her； drowning resentment and fear。 She rose； went
slowly up to him； she laid her hand softly upon his brow； pushed back his
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
long； yellow hair。 The touch of her fingers seemed to smooth the wild；
horrible look from his features。 As she gazed down at him the tears
welled into her eyes。 ‘‘I won't talk against him；'' she said simply。 ‘‘He's
deadit's all over and past。''
‘‘She ought to go on the stage；'' growled Casey。
But Wharton said in an unsteady voice； ‘‘That's right； Miss。 They
can't force you to talk。 Don't say a word until you get a lawyer。''
Hanlon gave him a furious look。 ‘‘Don't you meddle in this；'' he said
threateningly。
Wharton laughed。 ‘‘The man killed himself；'' he replied。 ‘‘I can tell
by the slant of the wound。 And I don't propose to stand by and see you
giving your third degree to this little girl。''
‘‘We've got the proof； I tell you；'' said Hanlon。 ‘‘We've got a witness
who saw her do itor at least saw her here when she says she wasn't here。''
Wharton shrugged his shoulders。
‘‘Don't say a word；'' he said to Hilda。 ‘‘Get a lawyer。''
‘‘I don't want a lawyer；'' she answered。
‘‘I'm not guilty。 Why should I get a lawyer？''
‘‘Well； at any rate； do all your talking in court。 These fellows will
twist everything you say。''
‘‘Take her to the station house；'' interrupted Hanlon。
‘‘But I'm innocent；'' said Hilda； clasping her hands on her heart and
looking appealingly at the captain。
‘‘Take her along； Casey。''
Casey laid hold of her arm； but she shook him off。 They went
through the sitting…room of the saloon and out at the side door。 When
Hilda saw the great crowd she covered her face with her hands and shrank
back。 ‘‘There she is！ There she is！ They're taking her to the station
house！'' shouted the crowd。
Casey closed the door。 ‘‘We'll have to get the wagon；'' he said。
They sat waiting until the patrol wagon came。 Then Hilda； half…
carried by Casey； crossed the sidewalk through a double line of blue coats
who fought back the frantically curious； pushed on by those behind。 In
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
the wagon she revived and by the time they reached the station house；
seemed calm。 Another great crowd was pressing in； she heard cries of
‘‘There's the girl that killed him！'' She drew herself up haughtily； looked
round with defiance； with indignation。
Her father and Otto rushed forward as soon as she entered the doors。
She broke down again。 ‘‘Take me home！ Take me home！'' she sobbed。
‘‘I've not done anything。'' The men forgot that they had promised each
the other to be calm； and cursed and cried alternately。 The matron came；
spoke to her gently。
‘‘You'll have to go now； child；'' she said。
Hilda kissed her father； then she and Otto clasped each the other
closely。 ‘‘It'll turn out all right； dear；'' he said。 ‘‘We're having a streak
of bad luck。 But our good luck'll be all the better when it comes。''
Strength and hope seemed to pass from him into her。 She walked
away firmly and the last glimpse they had of her sad sweet young face was
a glimpse of a brave little smile trying to break through its gray gloom。
But alone in her cell； seated upon the board that was her bed； her disgrace
and loneliness and danger took possession of her。 She was a child of the
people； brought up to courage and self…reliance。 She could be brave and
calm before false accusers； before staring crowds。 But here； with a dim
gas…jet revealing the horror of grated bars and iron ceiling； walls and floor…
…
She sat there； hour after hour； sleepless； tearless； her brain burning； the
cries of drunken prisoners in adjoining cells sounding in her ears like the
shrieks of the damned。 Seconds seemed moments； moments hours。
‘‘I'm dreaming；'' she said aloud at last。 She started up and hurled herself
against the bars； beating them with her hands。 ‘‘I must wake or I'll die。
Oh； the disgrace！ Oh！ the shame！''
And she flung herself into a corner of the bench； to dread the time
when the darkness and the loneliness would cease to hide her。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
CHAPTER XII
EXIT MR。 FEUERSTEIN
The matron brought her up into the front room of the station house at
eight in the morning。 Casey looked at her haggard face with an
expression of satisfaction。 ‘‘Her nerve's going；'' he said to the sergeant。
‘‘I guess she'll break down and confess to…day。''
They drove her to court in a Black Maria； packed among thieves；
drunkards and disorderly characters。 Upon her right side pressed a slant…
faced youth with a huge nose and wafer…thin； flapping ears； who had
snatched a purse in Houston Street。 On her left； lolling against her； was
an old woman in dirty calico； with a faded black bonnet ludicrously awry
upon scant white haira drunkard released from the Island three days
before and certain to be back there by noon。
‘‘So you killed him；'' the old woman said to her with a leer of
sympathy and admiration。
At this the other prisoners regarded her with curiosity and deference。
Hilda made no answer； seemed not to have heard。 Her eyes were closed
and her face was rigid and gray as stone。
‘‘She needn't be afraid at all；'' declared a young woman in black satin；
addressing the company at large。 ‘‘No jury'd ever convict as good…
looking a girl as her。''