The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-05-13
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
From Frasers Magazine.
SOMETHING ABOUT A MUIR.
DER.
FOUNDED ON ACT.
TCoNCLUDED.l

" HeH Tue aWe-Struck f1enfIttta ceased, Sne
found that Babara had tainted; aud the minis
ter, in whrl of distracting thoughts to which
he was unaccustomed, ascribing his child's
swoon to terror, placed the ominous paper in
| the Bible, and determined to make known the
whoie my sterlous case at once to Mr.. Craige,
the chief magistrate of Aberdeen. Not for a
single instant did Mr.. Comyn suspect hoax.
or imagine the affair to be only the mschiev-
Gus ,.u trick OF some ider. Indeed, such was not
iikeiy; the times were superstitious, nor were
| there any persons connected or at variance
with the family who were liable to be suspec
tea OF having played off such foolish and
~'ckeo jest at the expense Of the minister, even
IL any motive for doing so had existed. The
munster, therefore hastened up stairs to change
ms coat, leaving the Bible containing the docu.
iheho from the dead on the table; while his Sis
Ter, hnding her niece better, left her to see that
hef pfother best hat and gloves wereready.
| we wonder what Barbara is about mean.
| while. '-'~"
Presently Mr.. Comyn returned to the parlor.
and putting the Bible in his pocket flor he
dared not again look at the horrible niece of
wrltIng,l set Off at a quick pace for the town,
Nor, as he hurried on, did he give a passing
glance at the track which diverged from the
highroad toward the Nut-uee-hole. The
magistrate was at home, and great indeed was
his amaZement when he heard the minister a
story; but 10! when Mr.. Comyn, reverentIy
taking the Bible from his pocket, opened it to
show Mr.. Craigie the note, written as he de.
clared in the peculiar handwriting of his
friend, he found nothing where he had deposi
ted it but piece of blank paper, folded up in
the same form, but utterly void. And then in
truth the worthy magistrate waxed somewhat
wroth; at first accusing Mr.. Comyn of being
| credulously duped by some pawkie servant
| who owed him a grudge, and ending by setting
him down as "clean daft, dotted, and dazed by
too mickle study" land in his ire he had very
nearly added, "too much toddy.") But, as in
| no amicable frame of temper the gentlemen
were about to quarrel downright, the magis-
trate asking the minister what proof he could
adduce of MIR. Bruce's not being alive and
merry, seasonable and loud knocking at the
street door interrupted them; and presently a
| servant entered TO announce that drowned
man had been brought to the door,
With shaking limbs the minister followed
| MIR. Craigie down stairs to the lobby, now full
of people. 1t appeared that some men en-
| ployed in the salmon fisheries had within the
last hour, dragged their nets, in which they had
discovered the corpse of a man whOsel skull
had been literally smashed in twain by violent
! blow.
1t was, in fact the body of Mr.. Bruce.
Here, indeed was confirmation strange of the
statement which the mysterious and missing
document had contained; and both Mr. Cragie
and the minister, exchanging looks that ex-
| pressed their mutual dismay, were soreiy per-
| picked in their own minds how to account for
| these singular events. The body was reyerent-
ly laid out in the hall, whilst the magistrate,
summoning some of his officials, and accom-
panied by the clergyman and enc or two of the
fishermen, proceeded to the cottage Of David
Balm.
The bellman was not at home, having gone,
| they said, 'to Mr.. Comyn's, TO inquire about
| his lodger, Mr.. Bruce, who had not come home
| to his bed the night before, as was custOma-
ry."
Strange glances passed between the audit
| ors; buta sign from the mag isirate impose
| silence, and they departed, determining to sur
vey the Nut-hor, near which, in the river, the
| body had been found in the nets, after which
they had no doubt they would find the sexton
at the manse. AS they threaded the thicket o f
| hazel, at soma distance from the pool, one of
| the salmon fishers declared, that from q plot
| of W hite.thorn and brambIe- bushes he had
| seen the ey es of a fOunart or poecat glare out
upon him; and in low voice, directing the
attention of comrade to the spot, they both
| imagined they could detect the figure of
man crouching among the trailing shrubs
Whispering Their suspicion to Mr. Craigie, he
ordered the whole party TO join quietly in u
search, and follow him and the minister to the
| Nut.ho Thlther, then. the magistrate, at
tended only by Mr.. Comyn. proceeded; and
who, think ye, found they there?
| A young man, handsome and well dressed,
| in the undisguised apparel of a gentleman,
stood there, evidently unconscious OF the ad-
/ yancing twain. He held stout, club like
stick in his hand, which he was examining
| inten,ly-forit was covered with blood, now
| dried, and amidst which stuck clots of hair
| As the gentlemen came suddenly upon him
he started, and dropped the stick; whilst Mr..
| Comyn, staring at him in wonder, for, we
| have said, all disguise had been discarded,
| exclaimed
| John Percival is this you?"
| A question which the young man could have
answered in the affirmative with strict Veraciiy,
but for the assertion from the magistrate which
| followed it up.
| "And you, sir, are the murderer of DIR.
| Bruce.''
sGood God, what do you meun?" cried the
| Mortified youth.
"That stick, which you have just dropped,
| is covered with blood" said Dir. Craigie; IA
| foul murder has been committed, and we find
| you with the supposed instrument of that muir
| der, near the very spot where there IS ground
| to believe the act was perpetrated."
A fearful pang shot through Percivafs frame,
but conscious Innocence made II brlef and with
a calmness of temeauor which guilt never
could have assumed, and gravely smiling he
turned to his uncle saying
"You cannot believe that am guiltyi"
"No, no, john" answered the individual ap-
pealed to. ''God forbid that should judge
you wrongfully, but
"But," interrupted the magistrate, 'not only
does it appear that you have slain man, but
that, desirous of fixing your 6 guilt upon another,
you have written letter, falsely accusing an
innocent person OF that crime"
Letter" repeated Percival, "Sir, | do not
even know what you mean."
"Nr. Comyn," asked the magistrate, ''this
young man-the nephew OF my laTnented
| friend, your late wife-paid court, as under
stand, to your daughter, and was by her re-
| iected?"
M"By me, sir-by me, Mr. Craige," answered
| the clergyman; slhe lasse never rejected him,
but Idid."
"And the murdered man" slowly pronounc.
| ed the magistrate, "was the beirothed husband
Of Miss Comyn?"
| Perciyal sta rted violently, ut,ering an ejacu-