The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-06-23

awakened IN the Dystanders q strong
suspicion Of his guilt. No definite an.
swer was made to this question until
he was closeted with the lawyer whom
he Immediately retained in his defence.
II should like to get at the whole Of
your case, Mr.. Foster" said the legal
gentleman, "Imust beg you, for your
own sake, to be entirely frank with me-"
~ assure you that ! know nothing
about the murder" was the firm reply.
81 don't so much az understand why l
should be suspected Of the horrible bus
iness."
The lawyer, Mr.. Adams Patterson,
after studying Foster in furtive way,
as if doubtful whether there had been
perfect honesty in his assertion Of innO-
cence, went on to state what he sup
posed to be the case of the prosecution.
"The evidence against you," he said,
$50 far at least as | can now discover,
will all be circumstantial. They will
endeavor to prove your presence at the
scene of the tragedy by your tracks.
Footmarks, said to correspond to yours,
were found passing the door Of the ar
Dor, returning to it and going away
from it."
"Ah!" exclaimed Foster. II re-
membsr,-I did pass there. / will tell
you how. 1t was in the afternoon. !
was in the house during q thunder
storm which happened that day, and
left it shortly after the shower ended.
l went out through the garden because
that was the nearest way to the rivulet
at the bottom of the hill, and l wished
to make some examinations into the
structure of the water-bed. A part OF
the garden walk is gravelled, and on
that suppose my tracks did not show.
But near the arbor the gravel ceases,
and there / member stepping into the
damp mould. l did pass the arbor,
and / did return to it. / returned TO
it because it had been a heavenly place
to me. 1t was there that ! proposed
TO Miss Barron, and that she accepted
me. The moment that had passed it
l reprOached myself for doing co.
went back, looked at the little spot fol
a moment, and left a kiss on the table
1t was on that table that her hand bad
rested when first dared to take it in
mine"
His voice broke for an instant with
an emotion which every one who hat
ever loved can at least partially under
stand.
"Good Heavens! to think that suCl
an impulse should entangle me in sucl
q Charge!" he added, when he cOult
speak again.
"WeIl, !" he resumed, after long sigh
Il left the arbor,-my heart as innocen
and happy as any heart in the world
| climbed over the fence and went dow
the hill. That is the last time that
was in those grounds that day. Tha
is the whole truth, so help me God"
The lawyer seemed touched. EveI
then, however, he was saying to him
self, ''They always keep back some
thing, if not everything" After medi
tating for few seconds, he resumes
his interrOgatory.
''Did any one see youi did Mis-
Barron see you, IS you passed thrOug
the gardeni"
II think not. Some one called he
Just as | left her, and she went, l be
lieve, up stairs"
"Did you see the person who called
Did you see any one 7"
"No one. But the voice was a VIC
mans voice. ! took it to be that OF
servant"
Mr. Patterson fell into thoughtfI
silence, his arms resting on the elbow
of his chair, and his anxious eyes wal
dering over the floor
But what motiveF" broke out FOI
ter, addressing the lawyer as If ne wei
an accuser and al enemy,-"what su
ficient motive had for such hideoI
crime T.
"Ah! that is just it. The motive
= They will make great deal OF tha
Why, you must be able to guess VIII
is alleged. Miss LausOn had made
will in her niece's favor, but had threa
ened to disinherit her if she marie
you. This fact,--as has been mat
/ known by an ipcautious admission
Miss Bessie Barron,-this fact yOu we
r aware Of. The death came just in tin
. to,preysnt cha. GO in the will. Dor
r YOU see the obvious inference OF u
: prosecution"
''GoOd Heavens!" exclaimed FOste
springing up and pacing his CELL
. murder a woman, murder my Wit
s aunt, for mOney,-for twenty thou
/, and dollars! Am l held so low
b that Why, it is a sum that any Gle
e er man can earn in this country in
b few years. We could have done vii
t out it. would not have asked for
+. much less murdered for it. Tell n
o Mr.. Patterson, do you suppose me
pable of such degrading as we'll IS su
i horrible guilt"
, "Mr. Foster" replied the lawy
r with impressive deliberatiOn, II sh
n 90 into this case with q confidence Il
= YOU are absolutely innocent.
: "Thank you," murmured the you
If man, grasping PattersOn's hand vicleI
Is ". and then turning away to wipe
n tear, which had been too auiCk for hi
d Excuse my weakness" ne ga
10 presently. "But l don't believe q
worthy man is strong enough to b
IN the insult that the world has put VI