The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-02-26
UNDER SUSPICION.
CONCLUDED.

UNDER SUSPICION.
''Mr. Carnan, they may hang me if they
want to, but I am entirely innocent of this
charge, and I am willing to die with these
words on my lips"
The lawyer looked steadily into Jamie's
eyes for moment, and he must have seen
truth written there, for he took his hand,
and said
.Ibeieve you, Riley, and will defend
you. Now tell me where you were last
Sunday night?"
"Well," answered Jamie, 'I spent the
evening at q friends house, in the Northern
part of the village. I returned home be-
tween IL and IL o'clock"
"And passed the Presbyterian Church on
your way?"
II did," replied jamie.
"Did you see any one in that vicinity?"
eyes, sir"
s'Who?"
s'I cannot answer that question. Mr..
Carnan."
Then the lawyer sat and thought for q
little while, and without another word, he
left the cell and went straight to his office;
nor did Jamie see him again until the day
of the trial. But he was not idle in the
meantime, and when I called on him once.
he told me to be of good cheer; that he be-
lieved my son to be innocent, and hoped to
clear him. Maggie Bryan grew paler and
paier day by day, and it was little sleep that
she got at nights. When the thoughtless
villagers talked of Jamie's guilt, her cheeks
turned Sed, and her eyes flashed bright as
the stars in Heaven. The trial came off in
two weeks and long weeks they were to
me; but 1 prayed for strength, and think
the good Lord heard my prayers, and he
gave me power to bear my cross. great
crowd there was in the court room when
the day came, Jamie was led in by the
constable, and took his seat in the prisoners
box as calm and collected as though he had
been sitting by the freside at home. Mr..
Carnan was seated near Jamie. and his face
looked very serious, while he showed by all
his actions that he was deeply interested
in the case. Maggie and I had seat to-
the preparation for the trial We thought
it would occupy the whole day, but it came
to an unexpected termination. Joseph
Milward was the first witness called. He
told the same story thai he had at Jamie's
former examination. I remember the
scene well. The District Attorney had
asked the questions, and, having finished,
he said: "Thet will do. SIR
Mllward was about to leave the witness
stand, when Mr.. Carnan spoke up:
"We will cross examine the witness"
Oh! what q cross examination that was!
And what an excitement there was in court.
The old Judge dropped his spectacles; the
District Attorney looked blank; the jury
scratched their heads, and the vast crowd
kept still as mice, that they might hear
every word. Mr. Carnan had ferreted out
the whole case. and from the mouth of that
same witness he proved that Joseph Mil
ward and his companion were the guilty
parties and that they had been aided by
many OF the wealthy young men of the
village, and, before he had finished, the
May it please the Court, we throw up
the case.'
Then Jamie was discharged forth With,
and the people gathered around to shake
hands with him; but he hastened away
from them, and found Maggie and me, and
together we went to the cottage. I can't
tell you all that followed; but our grateful
hearts joined in Thanksgiving to Heaven
for his deliverance. Jamie could explain
everything now; he had seen Milward and
Butler coming from the vestry of the
church on the night of the fire, and the
smell OF smoke, and their excited manner,
told him plainly what their errand had
been. 1t was this terrible knowledge that
had made him 80 nervous when he returned
home. He doubted whether to divulge the
secret or not. He came to the conclusion,
Monday night, that it was his duty to make
it public; but Miiward and Butler, fearing
this, had anticipated him, and by perjur-
ing themselves, had secured Jamie's arrest
Then the lad saw how useless it would be
to make q charge against his accusers, and
so he resolved to let justice work out her
own victory.
Six months later, Jamie and Maggie were
married, and lawyer Carnan was present at