, 1862-10-09
The Hidden Crime.


the sky; the face Of Nature was decked in sum
mer loveliness; no portent had presaged this ter
rible calamity. Yet Q storm seemed to havI
swept over the scene, leaving silence and desOla
ton in its track. There were no busy groupi
of workmer in the fields or workshops, and thl
faces Of women and Of children that looked forth
from the Vine-shaded windows Of farm-hUuses
and Of cottages that stood in their gardens alon(
the village street, were white with terror.
Around the great white house upon the bill
the mansion built by the once proud owner o.
ell the adjacent tract and since occupied BY long
line Of descendants, swarmed q black, shifting
crowd-all the men and well grown boys Of the
village and country round.
Some fearful attraction had drawn them thither
There were some faces among them pale with
dread as those that looked forth from the cottage
windows-faces that showed q sick horror preying
at the heart that beatdbeneath the strong breasts
OF those coarse, rude men. And in the agitated
import that told, as well as the looks and glances
Of the awe.struck crowd, Of some terrible event,
as rare and mysterious as fearful.
Within the house were gathered other groups
Of men, with expectancy upon their stern faces.
In one corner sat the coroner Of the county and
his Jury and in another, stark and still, in Q
dark pool Of bis own blood, lay the body Of him
who, only the night before, had been the master
Of the mansion.
He was bachelor. living there alone with his
servants, who al slept in apartments remote from
his own. He had retired to his chamber at bis
usual hour the evening previous. In the morn.
ing, when the man.seTvant went to spread the
table in the library, which was Judge Fletchers
usual breakfast room as well, he found bis master
lying there dead
That the old man was dead, an could see.
That the life had been let out through two deep
wounds In the side, that one hand bad been
nearly severed from the arm, in . probable at
tempt at defence, was just as apparent But
who had done the deed, or for what motive, SEEM
cd for a long time fruitless inquiries.
None Of the treasures Of plate or jewels, Of
which there were great store in the old house,
had been removed. No trace Of the exit or en-
trance Of the assassin could be found, until late
in the day, when prying lad discovered in the
rich garden mould At the end Of the veTandah,
which ran beneath the library windows, . foot
print small, well-shapen and well-dehned, evi-
IDENTIFY that Of a man Of slight proportions
Through the long French windows Of this room,
then, the mnrdorer mn.a havs made his entrance
aud exit q,
There was no verdict on that day. The next
morning the inquest was recommended. On
this occasion the nearest relatives Of the de-
ceased were present-twO young men, his ne
phews, and cousins TO each other. Two young
men so dissimilar in aspect, in manners, and ap-
pearance, scarcely ever belonged to the same
family stock, and had the same name.
Arnold Fletcher was tall, though slight and
with . marvellous dark beauty Of countenance.
lie was clad in garments somewhat coarse and
rude; for notwithstanding his descent from this
old, and proud, and rich family, be was poor
He had never been faVOrite Of his rich uncle,
though be had many traits Of the family about
him. OF these. the most noticeable In person
were the small, well shaped feet and hands which
distinguished the race
Claudius Fletcher, on the other hand, bad no
pretensions to beauty beyond those Of frank,
ruddy face, beaming with cheerful good-natuFe,
a well.tormed person, and the family hands and
feet Of shapely mould. He had been his dead
uncle's favoriie and this had been sometimes
shown in q marked manner, though Judge
Fletcher had always distributed bis gifts alike,
with infexible justice, to the two orphan sons Of
his deed brothers.
The demeanor Of the two young men on this
occasion was quite different Arnold Fletcher
was loud In lamentations; tears rolled down his
swaFthy cheeks; and with clenched hand, and
upliited sace, he vowed vengeance on the cow
ardly assassin Of his good uncle There was
something 10 his manner which gave the idea Of
strong love for bis uncle, great grief at bis loss
and determination 70 discover and bring TO JUS
tice the murderer
Claudius Fletcher, on the contrary, kneh 81.
lently by the side Of the body, and kissed the
cold hand which had 50 oflen grasped bis low
ingly. No tears bedewed the cheek whose Tud-
diness had given way to almost mortal palloF.
Not speaking 10 any one, save 10 inquire if any
traces had yet been discovered Of the perpetra-
tors Of this deed, he went and seated himself in
q lonely corner Of the room, and there remained
with bis face buried in his clasped hands.
The day wore on. The little testimony had
all been taken; the servants carefully examined !;
the statements 81 physicians recorded and the
coroner was about 10 address the jury, when an
excited group Of men burst into the room. The
foremost held in his hand blood-stAined clasp
knife, which he had Just discovered hidden beneath
the shrubs which grew in distant corner Of the
garden. Near the spot were other distinct foot.
prints, corresponding exactly with those found at
the end Of the vefandah. The Investigation was
resumed. The knife was found to be the property
Of CIaudius Fletcher. Indeed, Il bore, plainly
engraved upon the silver plate that oFuamented
lis side, bis name.
At once suspicion. the angry suspicion Of the
crowd, fastened upon him. He acknowledged
the knife to be bis, and asserted that on the day
before the murder he had, when on visit to his
uncle. lent Il to him, and the deceased had pro-
baby unintentionally retained It. He had lefl
home that night on . visit Of business for bis
uncle in neighboriug city, going in the coach At
midnight, spending one day in the city, and re
turning on the following night, All this was cor.
robofated by the testimony Of others; but stu
there remained 70 be accounted for the time pre-
viouS to his leaving home on his midnight jour.
ney. His widowed mother and sister were com.
PEELED to acknowledge that his bed had not been
occupied that night, aud fheV were not aware at
what time he. len Tie house. He had retired to
his room early, with the avowed intention Of
despiHg for, an hour or two; and they, having
gone 70 rest as usual, did not hear him 60 out
Only himself and Arnold bad On interest In