it is let loose upon us; we are the people, we must endure it.
Look at me!"--agin she pinted that bony forefinger at herself--"I had
a husband I loved as well as the gracious lady in the White House
loves her husband. He wuz a good man. He thought he owed a duty to his
country. He went to fight her battles at her call. He might have
escaped Spanish bullets, but not this foe this Christian govermunt set
aginst him. In a low Canteen, a vile drinking den, rented by you for
the overthrow of men's souls and bodies, in a drunken brawl a bullet
aimed by a crazed brain for another poor ruined boy reached my
husband's faithful heart, faithful to the country that slew him, not
for patriotism or honor, but for a few pennies of money--not even the
thirty pieces of silver Judas earnt for betraying his Lord. This
bullet wuz sent from the hand of a young man, a college graduate, one
of the noblest, brightest and best of men until this foe our govermunt
set for him vanquished him. He got into a quarrel with another drunken
youth, another victim of the Canteen, and meant to shoot him, but the
unsteady hand sent it into the heart of my husband, who went into that
vile place thinkin' he could appease the quarrel. This young man was
shot for _your_ crime and here is his widow," and turning to
Waitstill, she said, "Lift up your vail; let them look upon us, the
people."

The young girl drew back her vail and a face of almost perfect beauty
wuz disclosed, but white as death. The big dark eyes wuz full of
sorrow and despair, sadder than tears. She simply said:

"I loved him--he was murdered--I have come to denounce his murderers."

Her voice wuz low, but the words fell like drops of blood, so vivid,
so full were they of the soul of her being.

"Yes," sez Arvilly, "and you are his murderer. Not the Spaniards, not
the foe of this govermunt that the poor young fellow tried with a
boy's warm-hearted patriotism to save. You murdered him." She turned
to let her companion speak agin, but the power to speak had gone from
her; her slender figure swayed and Arvilly caught her in her strong
arms. She had fainted almost away; she could say no more. But what
more could she say to this govermunt.

"He was murdered--I loved him--I have come to denounce his murderers."

Arvilly helped Waitstill down on a bench where she leaned back still
and white most as if she wuz dead. But before Arvilly went out with
Waitstill leanin' on her arm, she turned and face