The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-11-01

her again. The horrible sight / have
had is fully sufficient, and l have seen
enough of death not to be curious in
such matters"
"No doubt of it ! Murder and robbery
are your trade"
The old uncle of the murdered girl
stepped to the side Of the justice, and
they had short whispered conversation
but evidently an important one. The
purport Of it was soon made known.
Alfred Martin" continued the officer
of the law, as you choose to call your
self, though no one here is fool enough
to believe that to be your correct name,
you deny all participation in the foul
deed that has been done?"
"I do"
"And you are willing to prove it by
any means within your power?"
am"
"OHicors, guard him safely, and re-
move him to the next room. We will
soon see his guilt clearly proved"
Without the most remote idea Of what
was going to take place, the prisoner per-
mitted himself to be led into another
apartment and saw to his surprise and
horror, the corpse of the girl stretched
out upon the table, still as bloody and
ghastly as when he first discovered her in
the gloomy ravine. 1t was sight that
would at any time have caused him to
shudder; now it almost unnamed him
for an instant, especially as the dress had
been cut away so as to expose wound
in the fair white flesh. His natural
emotion was at once taken as evidence Of
guilt, and he heard whispered comments
to that effect The " 1 told you so !" of
the man who had before volunteered his
testimony, particularly attracted his at
tenton and, from that instant, he watch
ed him as closely as possible without
being detected, and summoning his cour-
age, he turned to the pompous justice,
and demanded what was intended by such
unusual proceeding.
1t is the death test % was the solemn
response.
q You will have to explain more fully ;
I do not understand"
awe believe that the corpse Of mur-
dered person has power to distinguish be-
tween the innocent and guilty. Place
one hand upon that wound, raise the 9th
er to Heaven, and assert your innocence
if you dare II you are indeed without
guilt, all will be we'll. IF not the blood
will flow again"
Another time, Martin would have
laughed outright at the stupid supersti-
tion of which he now remembered to have
read Yet, there was something solemn
in thus calling upon the dead to give evil
dence for or against the living, and he
would willingly have been spared the Or
deal, for the most simple accident might
cause drop or two of blood to e2ude
from the unclosed lips of the wound,
and then his fate would be sealed in
deed.
"If guiltless, why do you shrink %
asked the man of the law. =" 1t is only
the murderer that need fear"
He could hesitate no longer without
convicting himself in their eyes: and,
stepping to the side of the corpse, he laid
his right hand upon the wound, and call
ed God to witness his entire innocence.
Then he stepped back so that all could
see that no blood had followed.
"God has attested your guiltlessness,"
said the uncle of the poor girl. But,
see, the blood is beginning to flow, and
the guilty man must be near Let each
in turn do as this stranger has done"
In the opening of the wound and the
oozing of blood, Martin saw far other
things than did the afflicted old man but
he wisely held his peace, and managed
to place his back against the door so that
no one could go out, and watched each
as they went through the death test But
there were no more crimson drops bub-
bling forth as a sign of guilt and, as the
justice declared that all had gone through
the ordeal, sigh of intense relief burst
from many lips.
"Not ALL" replied Martin. "There
is one yet remaining" pointing to the
one who had made himself so oficious.
"That man has kept in the background"
"John Kirkpatrick, is this true 2"
tg No. - 10 n l;a ~ xuoo fha oucwar