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 CHAPTER VII.

A Human Sacrifice on the Altar of Love.

EVELYN NESBIT THAW BEGINS STORY OF TRAGIC FATE AT HANDS OF STANFORD WHITE—TELLS OF SHOOTING—"I WILL BE BRAVE," HER WORDS TO HUSBAND—COLLAPSES ON STAND—RELATES HOW HER BETRAYAL DELAYED HER MARRIAGE—THAW'S GREAT LOVE REVEALED—"I HAVE PROBABLY SAVED YOUR LIFE"—WEPT WHEN SHE DISCLOSED TO HARRY THE VILLAINY OF WHITE—BLUSHES CRIMSON ON THE STAND—ALMOST FAINTS WHEN ORDERED TO TELL OF HER DOWNFALL.

"I will be brave—I will be very brave, and I know that when I am done, you will go free. It will be hard, but I must tell all. Good-bye, Harry, my love, my own, my sweetheart, husband—"

These were Evelyn Nesbit Thaw's words before going on the stand.

Crime, horrible, fiendish, revolting, startling in its details, and consummated with all the clever brutality that a brilliant mind could encompass—was laid up against the blighted name of Stanford White by Evelyn Nesbit on the witness stand February 8, 1907.

Beauty in distress—beauty that made a powerful impression on judge, jury and spectators, intensified a hundredfold the dramatic climax of the trial.