The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-11-20

1
ble-bushes he had seen the eyes of foumart or
polecat glance out upon him. and in low voice
directing the attention of a comrade 10 the spot,
| they both imagined they could detect the figure
of a man crouching among the trailing bushes.
Whispering their suspicion to Mr.. Craigie, he Or
dered the whole party to join quietly in a search,
and follow him and the minister to the Nut-hoe.
Thither, then, the magistrate, attended only by
MIR. Comyn, preceded; and who, think ye, found
they therco
young man, handsome and well dressed in
the undsguised apparel ola gentleman, stood
there, evidently unconscious of the advancing
twain. lie held stout, c!ub-like stick in his
hand, which he was examining intently-forit was
covered with blood, new dried, and amidst which
stuck clots of hair AS the gentlemen came sud
denly upon him he started, and dropped the stick;
whilst Mr.. Comyn, startingsat him in wonder
for, as we have said, all disguise had been dis
curdcd--exclaimcd:
John Percival is this you''
A question which the young man could have
answered in the affirmative with strict veracty
but for the assertion from the magistrate which
followed it up.
| 'And you, sir, are the murderer of Mr., Bruce ;
'Good God! what do you mean: cried the ter
rifed youth.
THAT stick, which you have just dropped, is
covered with blood, said Mr.. Crage; "a foul
murder has been committed, and we find you with
|
very spot where there is ground to believe the
act was perpctrated.'
| A fearful pang shot throu RI Percivul's frame
but conclous innocence made it brief, and with a
calmness of demeanor which guilt never could
have assumed, and gravely smiling, he turned to
his uncle, saying:
you cannot believe that am guil.v?'
| 'No, no, John! answered the individual appeal
ed to. Sod forbid that | should Judge you
wrongly, but
'But, interrupted the magistrate, mot only does
1t appear that yeu have slain a man, but that,
des!rous Of fixing your guilt upon another, you
have written letter. falsely accusing an limo
cent person of that crime.
Letter: repeated Pert oval. sSir, | do not
even know what you mean.
MIR. Comyn,' asked the magistrate, sthis young
man-the nephew ofmy lancnted friend, your
late wite-paid court, as understand, to your
daughter, and was by h, r rejected.
by me, sir-by me, Mr.. Crare, answered
the clergyman; 'the lasse never rejected him,
but did
'And the murdered man. slowly pronounced
the magistrate, 'was the betrothed husband Of
Miss Comyn.'
Percival started violently, uttcrng an ciacula
ton of horror and wonder, for at last he saw the
differences which Mr.. Craigie seemed willing to
draw from circumstances that certainly looked
suspicious.
'As God is my Judge, that is the truth, repli-
ed the minister, 'and had forgotten all about it.
Oh! John Pcrcval, as you the nephew of my
beloved Mary, answer me with truth, and say that
you are innocent of this henous deed'
4 am indeed in nocent, my dear uncle, said
the young man; nor did know until this mo-
ment who the unfortunate man was, Of whose
untirncly death am accused
'Herc he is gentlemen; we've got him safe
and sound cried several voices; and dragging
wild and haggard faced man, the fishers and
officials of justice approached the trio who stood
by the Nut-tree hole.
'The Lord be our guide exclaimed Mr.
Comyn, 'it is really David Balm and as the
Wretched sexton struggled to free himself from
the arms that pinioncd him, the minister, prompt
ed by sudden impulse, advancing toward him,
and looking steadily IN his face, sad
David Ban look not to deny your crime, but
confess it, and implorc your makers pardon,
even at this the eleventh hour. In my Bible,
this morning, found paper written by the
spirit of him you murdered here last nj ght and
charging you with the commission Of the deed.
At these strange words, which in modern
times might have Produced nlirtl, the guilty
creature losing all self possession, uttcrcda loud
cry, and pointing to the bloody cudgcl which
still lay at the magistrate s feet, exclaimed
Il did it with that! did it with that and fell
back in fit.
1t would be easy to lcnchcn out our histor
rette into one Of crcumstant:al evidence, trial,
condemnation, and ultimate discovery; but we
have preferred telling it as it really happened.
On the person Of David Balm were tounda pocll
ct book and purse, recognized as the property of
the late Mr.. Bruce, and containing bank notes
and bills to considerable amount; the sight Of
which, in the possession ofhs lodgcr, had evok-
ed the cupi1ity vi the hcllman. He made
full confession, and in due time suffered the pen
atty due to his offence. Meanwhile the minis
ter, in the thankfulncss Of his soul to find his
nephew guIltless, embraced him t2ndcrly, and
freely permitted that courtshp to proceed be-
tween his daughter and him, which he had be-
fore SO strenuously opposed
One circumstance still remained mystery,
undeveloped to all save Barbara Pecival, and
the worthy mag istrate-by whose advice indeed,
1t was concealed from the minister, who, to his
dying day, confidently believed that the paper
he had found in his Bible, had been placed there
by supernatural interpostion. But the hand Of
the dead had nothing to do with it, as we mean
to explain.
On the evening of the murder, Barbara Co.
myn sailed forth to meet her cousin leaving Mr..
Bruce and her father discussing punch and po-
ems. She was later than usual, and she sped
along, she became aware Of the approach from
Aberdeen of an individual, whom she could not
AVOID meeting If she proceeded direct to the
tryst. She therefore stole into different track,
thinking to make a circuit which would occupy
the time the stranger nil hit take in passing the
copseof haze!s; but unfortunately, for fortunately
was it:) she met poor woman, the wife of
nclghborlng peasant who was on her way to the
manse, to implore some black currant jelly for a
child suffering from throat. The call Of
distress was never disregarded by Barbara, and
she flew back to the marse, procured the Jelly,
and giving it to the woman, fastened amidst
falling rain to the trysting- place. AS she was
about to round the point which hid the Nut-hole
from view, she heard the sound Of struggling
feet and wrestling arms; and, regardless Of dan
ger to herself in her fears for Pcrcival, she
forced her way through some bushes, and beheld
two men, in no friendly embrace, staggering on
the very verge Of the pool. Before she could
look again the had fallen on the earth and
the other will: desperate blow of his stick on
the head of the PROSTATE man, uttered an oath
in voice whose peculiar tones were we'll known
to Barbara, and in the winking of an eye showed
the wounded man over the bank into the Nut
! tree hole
Her blood curdlng with horror, Barbara found
| M OF tn rcf;r h,,te J,o