Counsel for the Defense
by Leroy Scott (1875–1929)
- Free to read
- 6 hours to read
- 27 chapters
- Reading level: 6th grade
"Counsel for the Defense" by Leroy Scott is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story is set in the fictional town of Westville and revolves around Dr. David West, who finds himself embroiled in a scandal when he is accused of accepting a bribe in relation to the town's new water-works project. His daughter, Katherine, a young woman recently returned home, takes it upon herself to defend her father against these charges, facing societal pressures and challenges along the way. At the start of the novel, readers are introduced to the character of Arnold Bruce, the editor of the local newspaper, the "Express", who is preparing for a celebration of Westville’s new municipal project. The atmosphere is one of excitement and community pride, but this is soon overshadowed by the shocking news of Dr. West's arrest for the alleged bribery. Katherine arrives home to learn of her father's predicament, which takes her by surprise and sets her on a determined path to prove his innocence. Her journey as a fledgling lawyer unfolds amidst skepticism from the townsfolk, the complexities of the legal system, and her interactions with significant figures, including the disapproving Bruce. The opening chapters set the stage for a gripping courtroom drama, framed by themes of loyalty, integrity, and the fight against injustice.
- Love stories
- Indiana
- Political corruption
- Women · Social and moral questions
- Women lawyers
Read the opening
Chapter I
WESTVILLE PREPARES TO CELEBRATE
The room was thick with dust and draped with ancient cobwebs. In one corner dismally reposed a literary junk heap—old magazines, broken-backed works of reference, novels once unanimously read but now unanimously forgotten. The desk was a helter-skelter of papers. One of the two chairs had its burst cane seat mended by an atlas of the world; and wherever any of the floor peered dimly through the general debris it showed a complexion of dark and ineradicable greasiness. Altogether, it was a room hopelessly unfit for human habitation; which is perhaps but an indirect manner of stating that it was the office of the editor of a successful newspaper.
Before a typewriter at a small table sat a bare-armed, solitary man. He was twenty-eight or thirty, abundantly endowed with bone and muscle, and with a face——But not to soil this early page with abusive terms, it will be sufficient to remark that whatever the Divine Sculptor had carved his countenance to portray, plainly there had been no thought of re-beautifying the earth with an Apollo. He was constructed not for grace, but powerful, tireless action; and there was something absurdly disproportionate between the small machine and the broad and hairy hands which so heavily belaboured its ladylike keys.
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About this edition
This free edition of Counsel for the Defense by Leroy Scott comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #28820, released 2009-05-15. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, Novels, American Literature.
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