Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-11-24

ana no Q6Ce, ana ~ udu pood oiopPou -"
to the outer box of the Clarkville office
1 went down to the spot indicated, and
there found the pooket-book, with the
money and the papers all safe. There
| was trihe over three thousand dollars
Of course proposed to set machinery
at work at once for the discovery of the
writer of that letter. called to see An.
derson. and found him very feeble; but
yentured to tell him of the recovery OF
the pocket-book and of the money. His
face lighted up on the instant, and ne
grasped me by the hand.
"Your work is done, Latham" he cried
"You need seek no further"
I told him / hoped to find the writer Of
that letter.
"No, no." he urged. "Let the matter
drop. Be sure the man who wrote that
letter knows nothing Of the murder
Latham, you will never find any more. Ii
you would be happy, leave the matter
where it is. Let God deal with the guilty
man.
He sank back exhausted, and 1 left
him, fally persuaded that his mind was
wandering.
On the afternoon of that same day
sat in my Office, when a stranger entered.
He was middle-aged man, and intro.
duced himself as Daniel Gooding, OF
Woodville. He had been out west,
and had Just returned; and had called
upon me to gain some information con-
corning the steps necessary to be taken
to eject recusant tenant. While we
were conversing his eye CHANGED to rest
upon the leaden egg which lay on my
desk. He picked it up, and remarked
that he believed that he had seen it be-
fore. For the moment was outwardly
eager but when remembered that the
man had just returned from a distant
part of the country, and that he had not
probably heard of the particulars con.
corning the murder of the collector,
composed myself, and approached the
subject cautiously.
"Where did you get it 2" he asked me-
after he had examined it.
told him l picked it up by the road
side. And then / asked him if he was
sure be had ever seen it before.
eyes" said he, with smile, 81 made
it. made it, and used it for a plummet
several years. Afterward I bought 6
spirit-level and plumb combined, and
| threw the old thing aside. One time my
wife's brother, who was an old whaleman
visited me, and happening to come across
the leaden egg he proposed to fix it into
the head of a cane. l had an old laccs
stick, with the ivory head broken off, and
upuu THIS my brother-in-law Melted
the plummet. You have probably
seen the same kind of work. H
set the small end of the egg down
into a hollow in the top of the stick
and then covered it with a close, strong
netting of fish line, weaving it down wei
on to the stick, and finishing the whole
with grand flourish of sailor knots. /
made very handy walking-stick, beside
being a pretty savage weapon of defence
Mercy could have killed an OK with
it,"
asked him if he was sure this was The
self-same piece of lead.
He said he knew it very well. H,
knew it not only from the wire eye, bu
from the winding groove which bis broth
er-iu-law had cut to hold his work NOR,
completely.
asked him how he disposed of hi
cane.
"Why," seid he, 'just before went GU
West / gave it to Bennett Anderson II,
had been appointed High Sheriff, and
told him he might fnd use for such
stick.-And, by the way,-tbey tell nj
Anderson is sick. Can 1 see him ?"
l don't know what answer I made him
was faint, and my brain reeled.
simply got rid of him as soon as could
and then sat down to think.
remembered that Anderson had car
ried just suck cane-a lacea stick, will
loaded head and remembered tina
it was that same cane that be had thrown
upon his wagon seat on that evening of thu
concert at Burton. Had he met Barrow
that night upon the road Had b,
stricken that fatal blow? Had his can,
been broken in the fray. and leaden ege
lost out from it's netting / remembered
how strangely he talked about the
matter-how be had been only anxious
about the money, and how he had prayed
me to let the matter drop, when he knew
that the money had been found.
That evening called upon our Sheriff
and sent the nurse away that might SEE
him alone. He was very low-very low
indeed, but his mind was clear, and fell
it my duty to get at the truth if [ could.
Latham" he said, "you've got some
something on your mind"
knew that as he then was, the fewesi
words possible would be best.
YES told him. II have at length 6
clew to the owner of that leaden egg"
He started. and reached out and tool
my hand. His face and temples were
hot with fever fire, but his hand was
cold. He looked at me, but did not
speak.
asked where was bis lacca cane with
the loaded head.
A stifed cry escaped him, and bis eye,
were for brief space closed. By and by
he reached out his other hand, and rested
| them both upon mine. And then hi
asked me if 1 knew.
1 told him frankly, that l had traced
the leaden egg to himself.
Who else knows of it ?" he eagerly in
quired.
told him, not living human soul
And then l told him, of Mr.. Gooding'
visit TO our Office.
and by he looked up, and with his tive
hands still resting upon mine he confessed
to me that he done the deed.
"You know" said he, ''that Barrow
had been my enemy ever since I pre-
vented his turning the Widow Mowbray
and her children out of doors for non
payment of rent. He had literally hatet
me. On that dreadful night allowed my
horse to go down to the edge of the pond
to drink, and as my head was aching fear
fully got out to battle it. was feeling
weak and shaky, and took my cane t.
help me. had laved my brow, and hac
started to lead my horse up to the leve
road way, when Mr.. Barrows came along
on foot, going toward home. I asked hia
if he would ride with me. He replied
that when he wanted to ride with f
double-dyed and perjured villain he would
let me know. l asked him if he applied
these words to me. He said. yes; anG
added that if he had whip with him, he
would give me a good thrashing. 1 wa,
feverish-my blood was hot-and I was
L TT