Litchfield enquirer., 1872-11-07

| her cousin, MT. Jenkins, London bank CT, who had just been admitted by the servant, was waiting for her. 3, ssAhr'
 You know Mir. Jenkins?'' ssYes." sa#
 'tA charming man. He had got into the habit of going twice a week to visit his elderly relative. He used to read to her, generally retiring about ten o'clock, and driving back to London in his carriage"
 'SThat day?"
 'sThat day the witnesses saw him get into his carriage at his usual hour-about quarter past ten" ''And the crime was committed"-- Doubtless about eleven" s.. 'aThe murderer obtained admission?"- By the door simply. This is what must have happened: The woman, Rob- erts, generally closed the doors only when she was just about going to bed. The murderer, finding the road free, mounted without obstacle to the bedroom. At the noise of his steps, the servant opened the door and went out to meet him. After a struggle of few moments she succumbed. The old lady, alarmed, got up in her turn and tried to defend herself. A stab with a knife stretched her at the foot of the table, where you yourself found the body. Then the murderer seized some securities, little gold, some jewels, and took to flight. 1 'tWho was that man?" l 'sA ticket-of-leave man."
 s'He confessed?'' 1 "Of course he denied everything"
 He was, however, condemned?'
 'sAnd justly, be sure" | seNhok 1o1noofc wopo foT1nA ct him?"
 l sProofs?" said the official, smiling. 'Iisten: Ten witnesses declared that they had seen that man in the neighborhood of the house on the 2d of July. The one saw him, about half past eleven, crouched down under the garden wall, examining something in his hand. He was counting gold" r....
 ''It was seen?'
 ''Oh, certainly. He was arrested two days afterwards, and his clothes were found spotted with blood.
 '"That was serious"
 's'In his possession was found some gold and two securities, on one of which was l 8 memorandum in Miss GibsOn's hand- writing."
 ''How did he account for his presence at Hampstead?"
 ''Here is his statement
 "When questioned by the Inspector, he did not deny that he had been seen by several witnesses near the house of Miss Gibson.
 Question. were you doing there?"
 Ansacer.-'I was going to sleep in the shrnhbery."
 Question.-What did you do on the day of the 2d July?"
 Answer was prowling about. I had no work. " | Question had something to eat, however. How, and where?"
 AnsWer.-'1 stole goose, and in kill ing it stained my cloths"
 Question. -''The medical men say that the stains were of human blood"
 Ansa0er. Possibly. cut my finger, and it bled freely" Question. -"Where did you get the money and securities found upon you when you were taken into custody?" 1 AnssCer.-"I found them about twenty rods from Miss Gibson's house. under a stone, in a tuft of trees in which I had crouched down" tissue of falsehoods?"
 ''Are you conyinced?" said my interlo- cutor, smiling.
 "What! You know?"-
 'I know nothing, my dear doctor, ab- solutely nothing, except that you are a very good fellow, and that shall always be glad to be of service to you, if can. Y"
 His words tantamOunt to a dismissal, so thanked him and left.
 What was the result of it all? Unless a | had 1nck hfc ha xsn16 r., that evidence. In vain I called to my mlnd the state of the room, the position of the victims could not detect q shade of error.
 The statement of the accused appeared to be far from conclusive in his favor.
 Decidedly I was mistaken. I hastened to Mrs. Bernard to avow myself baffied, even as she had requested. 1 "Go and dine with Mir. Jenkins, and make yourself agreeable to him as well as to Clara; they are good sort of people. She called me back and embraced me.
 ''Let us have no more of this folly, Charles" she said.
 An hour afterwards was at table sitting at the right of Mrs. Jenkins and paying every attention to Clara.
 The guests were numerous and the con- versation gay, thanks to the infectious laugh of the host. And yet I was still thinking of the head of Bacchus.
 We retired to the drawing room; groups were formed; the general conversation got broken up.
 "Ah! here you are, you greedy doctor, , said one of my friends, placing his hands on my shoulders.
 ''Why greedy?' said I, smiling.
 "You make so many people jealous" " he replied. =.
 ''Really!' ...
 ''Miss Jenkins is charming"
 ''You know 1t, eh?''
 ''Of course! It is not wonder for any one." .. .....
 ''Then I accept your congratulations. y
 ''Very sincere, assure you. You en- ter an honorable family" ......:
 ''Mr. Jenkins"-
 ''Is man whose probity is beyond sus- picion. He is, besides, very clever in his business He came safe and sound out of the crisis to which any other man would have succumbed."
 "A crisis?"
 ''Yes, financial one.
 .'When?"
 'Oh, two years ago, at least He emerged from it very honorably, thanks to his ability. Chance, it is true, served him somewhat
 .'Chanee?'
 ''Yes; it was only short time before, about a month think-I don't remember exactly-that the tragic death of Miss Gibson took place"
 Mir. Jenkins approached at this mo- ment with hand stretched out, and again saw the head of Bacchus flaming before my eyes. In spite of ones reason and all that had learned at Scotland Yard-not- withstanding, too, the observations of Mrs. Bernard that constant remem- brance, that persistence of the effect pro- duced upon me by hallucination, was equivalent to ceritude.
 Was I in the full enjoyment of my senses? passed the rest of that evening prey to painful nervous excitement, which, in spite of all my efforts, I could not altogether conceal.
 When I returned home applied my