The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-04-03

man was masked and thoroughly dis
guised. He had stopped the negro when
he would have killed her, and aftera few
minutes consultation had whispered to
him the terms upon which she was al
lowed to escape.
"You did not hear the white mans
voice ~
" Not once"
Bring me the letters you have re-
ceived from him."
She brought two miserably spelled and
written scrawls on soiled bits of paper.
1t was the writing of an educated man,
poorly disguised. He threatened to meet
her speedily, warned her that he had
spies constantly about her.
"That is all the evidence you can give
mep''
"All" She rose to go. L held the
door open for her, when she hesitated
"There was something more-a mere
trifle."
&C Yes. But most likely the very thing
that want"
returned to the spring again and
again for months afterward. People
thought was mad. may have BEEN
but found there one day bit of red
dish glass with curious mark on it"
You have 1t herep''
She brought it to me. 1t was a frag-
ment of engraved sardonyx, apparently
part of seal; the upper part of the
head was cut upon it; the short hairs
curving forward on the low forehead
showed that the head was that of Her
cules.
Some old recollection rose in my brain
beginning, as / may say, to gnaw uncer-
tainly. I went to my room for few
minutes to collect myself, and then
sought Beardsley.
He was pacing up and down the walk
to the stables, agitated as though he had
been the murderer.
"Well, Floyd, well What chance is
there9 What have you discovered ?"
Everything. One moment. 1 have
a question or two to ask you. About ten
years ago you commissioned me to buy
for you in New York seal-an intaglio
of great value-a head of Hercules, as /
remember. What did you do with it ?"
"Gave it to Job Scheffer, Williams s
father. Will has it now, though l think
it is broken.
"Very well. What have DIR. Scheff-
er's habits been lately by the way? Was
he as fond of turning the cards as the
other young fellows?"
oh ,-yes, poor boy There was ru-
NOR some years ago that he was fright
fully involved in Baltimore-that it
would ruin the old man, in fact, to clear
off his debts of honor. But it died out.
L suppose William found some way of
strengthening them out.
Probably. Where is DIR. Scheffer
nowp have message for him."
6" In his room. But this matter of
Louisa Waring-"
" Presently. Have patience"
went up to the young mans room.
After all, the poor wretch was dying and
| to compel him to blast his own honora-
BILE name seemed but brutal cruelty. i
had to remember the poor girls wasted
face and hopeless eyes before could
summon courage to open the door after
had knocked. think he expected me,
and knew all 1 had to say. A man in
health would soon have known that j
was acting on surmise, and defied me to
the proof. Scheffer, fancied, had been
creeping through life for years with
death in two shapes pursuing him, step
| by step. He yielded, cowed submissive
at the first touch, and only pleaded feebly
for mercy.
The negro had been his body servant
knew his desperate straits, and dragged
him into the crime. Then, he had loved
Louisa; he was maddened by her ap-
preaching marriage. The scheme of en-.
suring her silence and driving Merrick
away was the inspiration of moment,
and had succeeded. He only asked fol
mercy. His time was short. He could
not live beyond few weeks. would
not bring him to the gallows.
was merciful, and think was right
to be so. His deposition was taken be
fore his uncle, who was magistrate
and two other men of position anG
weight in the community. 1t was to be
kept secret until after his death, and
then made public. He was removed al
once to his fathers house.
On Colonel Merrick's arrival that eve.
ming, this deposition was formally reaC
u L. L 4 L 1