The City of Fire - Page 192/221

For the first time since the trial began Mark was sitting up proudly, a

warm look of vivid interest in his face, the cold mask gone. His eyes

dwelt upon Billy with a look almost fatherly, at least brotherly. It

was a startling contrast to what he had been all day. This was a

different man.

Suddenly from the corner of the prosecution the low growl which had

been gradually rising like a young storm, broke, and the prosecuting

attorney arose and lifted his voice above all others: "I protest your Honor, against this witness. He has mentioned no less

than five different lies which he has told, and has narrated a number

of episodes in which he deliberately broke the law. Is it or is it not

a misdemeanor for anyone to meddle with our Highroads in the manner

that has just been described? By his own confession this young man is

disqualified for a witness! By his own confession he is a law breaker

and a liar!"

"Aw Gee!" broke forth Billy furiously, "Didn't I tell ya I come here to

tell the truth n' get it off'n my chest?"

Someone put a strong hand on Billy and silenced him, and some one else

rose to protest against the protestor, and the air grew tense with

excitement once more.

The prosecution declared that Billy was in league with Mark, that

everybody knew he trailed him everywhere, therefore his testimony was

worthless. He was probably bribed; there was nothing, absolutely

nothing in the story the boy had told to prove anything.

Billy was growing whiter and angrier, his eyes flashing, his fists

clenched. His testimony was not going to be accepted after all! It had

been vain to bear the shame himself. Nothing, nothing that he

could do would blot out the trouble because he had unfitted himself to

blot it out. It had to be a witness who told the truth who would be

believed. It had to be one with a good record to take away the shame!

That was something like what Miss Marilyn said in Sunday School once,

that only Jesus Christ could take the place of a sinner and make it

right about our sinning because He had never sinned. It had sounded

like rot when she said it, but he began to understand what she meant

now. Yes, that was it. Only God's Son could do that and he, Billy

Gaston, had tried to do it himself!

The court room seemed to be very dark now. His head was whirling away

and getting beyond his control. When he looked up he seemed to see it

on the other side of the room. He did not recognize the two men in

handcuffs that the Chief was bringing into the room. He did not hear

what the Judge was saying. He had slumped in a little heap on the

witness stand with his eyes closed, and his hands groping together. He

thought that he was praying to God's Son to come and help Mark because

he had failed. He wasn't good enough and he had failed!