White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-10-21

to accompany the others, and the foul
; descended together.
On the bottom Of the cellar lay the ha
of the missing man.
"Hers is clue, at least let us exam.
: inc more closely" said Powell. as ht
: stopped oyerto examine more particular.
J ly, the spot which was partially obscured
by thecdarkness of The cellar. IN,
Good heavens ! here is blood r. ex.
claimed he, as his eyes rested en- q large
dark pool =
"Ay. it is blood p repeated one of the
neighbors.;
''Great God is it possible? are you
sure it is blood, Colonel?' said Mr.. Wal,
deck. in a slightly tremulous tone.
"Blood certainly, sir l have been
long enough a soldier to know blood
when l see it," replied the Colonel. ''But
let us look further"
"Here is knife" said one of the men,
who had been engaged in the search, as
he picked up a long-bladed jackRAle.
"And covered with blood" added Co.
lionel Powell as he took the knife "This
looks like foul play"
at does, indeed p said Mr.. Waldeck,
whose nerves were terribly agitated.
Gay, there has been murder here-foul,
cold blooded murder ~ exclaimed Colo
mel Powell. "But to whom does this
knife belong that may throw some light
on the assassin" and he approached the
little window which shed few faint rays
upon the scene.
"TIere is a name," continued he, as he
discovered a small silver plate on the
handle ''but it is so stained with blood
that cannot read il"
With his handkerchief he rubbed the
blood from the plate, and approached
still nearer the window to read the name.
"My suspicion was not unfounded,"
said Colonel Powell. t'The name is
Robert DeWrie."
My God !' exclaimed Waldeck; ait
cannot be-"
Il fear it is too true; and thu murder
must have been committed in this place.
Now, where is the body? Look around.
gentlemen, look around. and see if there
are any indications of the ground having
been disturbed"
The party all diligently examined the
bottom of the cellar, but the earth ap-
peared not to have been disturbed.
This is singular" said Colonel Pow
ell, every singular. Could the body have
been removed during the night ?"
There is a passage way to the street ;
but it has not been opened, to my knowl-
edge, for years." said Waldeck.
The door way was examined. and there
were evidences that it had been quite re-
Gently opened. A light was procured,
and more particular examination dis
closed several smears Of blood. 1t was
plain that the body had been removed
from the cellar. A further search was
made to discover, if possible, anything
which would throw more light on the foul
assassination, but nothing was found, and
the party returned to the shop.
Enoug had been ascertained to con-
vince all that murder had been perpe-
trated, and there was strong presumptive
evidence to implicate the murderer. The
quarrel and the threat, the knife and the
absence of the nephew, all conspired to
throw the guilt upon him. But even
with this apparently overwhelming testi-
mony. Mr.. Waldeck continued to believe,
or pretended to believe, that Robert Dew
RE could not be The assassin.
The two neighbors, satisfied in their
own minds that the young man had muir
derel his uncle, departed from the shop
to spread the news.
"Mr. Waldeck, l have double reason
for lamenting this unhappy occurrence.
Mr.. Daughters ring, unless he removed
it before his disappearance, was on the fin
ger of the victim, as l have said before-a
ring which no money could replace; for
whose loss nothing could compensate her.
1t was bequeathed to her by dying
mother, under very peculiar circumstan-
ces, and she values it beyond comparison.
know not how l can tell her it is forev-
err lost. These are the particulars con-
nected with it, and they are such as to
cause me much uneasiness."
"But, perhaps, Colonel. the body may
be found, suggested Mr.. Waldeck, look
ing into the face of the other with blank
expression.
at is possible, but not probable. The
villain has probably made his escape, and
it will be long before he will show himself
again-By Heavens I! here he is" said
he, as he saw Robert Dewrie, apparently
ignorant of the painful circumstances
which the last hour had disclosed, enter
the shop. f1-
The young patriot certainly appeared
to be entirely unconcerned and at ease.
Nodding to Colonel Powell, and with
word of salutation to Waldeck, he was
about to pass into the back parlor, when
the officer placed his hand upon his Shout
der, and haughtily babe him stop. Rob-
ert Dewrie turned around, and with q
scowl upon his finely chiselled brow, was
about to hurl his indignation at the Co
lonel,. when the latter addressed him.
s.Robert Dewrie. your crime has found
you out you--' ia e.- .-r.sa
Colonel Powell, am not to be in
Inundated /; you threatened me last night,
but yet You see do not fear you," inter
rupted Robert. I.r, - ss-
Young man., accuse you of great
er crime than treason. You are a muir
derer %
mo, no, Colonel. it cannot be true ;
do not accuse him, interposed Waldeck.
l. Nj