The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-05-25


hope he wasn't and l hope Paul Piera
was cut into as many bits as there are links
in your story |"
"Go on, Daniel, go on" said the others,
"and if he interrupts you again, we'll hang
him."
80, do. Well-Foxpaw waited three
days, patiently, for the next link, and then
the brig came to port, and Murdman came
to the tavern, and the landlord introduced
him to Foxpaw, over glass, and they sat
down to talk. Sol was usually a cool fell
low, but, as he afterward said he had his
scruples about sitting down and talking with
a murderer, and he felt very pale and ner.
vous considering the critical business he
was on. Sol eyed him carefully all over,
and he seemed to look homelier and hom-
lier the more he examined him. He
thought Of poor Paul Piera, and felt asham-
ed of himself because he had been drinking
in friendly manner with this monster, who
for three years has escaped being hung, and
who no doubt imagined he should escape
forever.
"'I have drunk with him. thinks SOL
but it was means to an end and as that
end is ropes end, shouldn't feel ashamed
but I must begin to gather up more links,
however, feel And pretty soon he had
a good opening
ado you chew p says Mike Murdman.
81 do,' says Sol holding out plug "and
if you don't like to bite it off here's knife
to cut it." And he pulled out the rusty
jackknife he had found in the woods.
"What's this" says Mike, staring at the
knife, just as Sol expecting he would.
"Only knife l found,' says Sol. "Per-
haps you've lost one. Does it belong to
you ?"
"ro me" said Mike, looking at it with a
shudder ard coloring up. Il guess not.
Take it back. Horrible | don't cut tobaa
co with such knife as that"
"You needn't be afraid. 1t is rusty
but you don't think there's blood on it, do
you?"
Blood" says Mike with another shud-
der.
eyes, blood ~ repeats Sol, severely. As
| told you, found that knife and who
knows but there's blood, and human blood
on it, which makes it so rusty? The MUIR
derer might have thrown it away after he
had done the deed, mightn't he, and thought
nobody could find it?'
"How should know"
at is an old knife" continues Sol "but
| oil lar I Not, :
oldest heads are liable to get out of their
latitude and longitude. Now, you are a
seafaring man, and have you ever been to
Mosscreek ?"
"Mosscreek Well, l may. say / have
once"
and more too"
"No. Only once"
"Only once. And what did you go there
for?"
81 didn't go there for!' says Mike, with
a kind of sneer; as if he was mad to be sc
questioned; and Sol said he looked confused
81 didn't go there for anything. got drunk
stepped aboard the vessel by accident"
"By accident? A stranger there? Ther
you don't remember a young clerk Pau
Piera?"
"No."
"Nor the woods-nor the cave"
"No."
81 thought not. Short memory, sup
pose"
'You ask great many questions" nov
says Mike. "Are you crazy ? You are yer!
| pale"
''It is you are pale" says Sol "and
want you to answer me some more ques
tions."
"Not another word, till you take NOR
brandy" says Mike. "You need it,"
"One word for me and two for himself,
though Sol. "His guilt made him faint
and he wants glass to stiffen him up. Pn
willing. More drink will make him les
cautious"
$50 he agreed, and they drank two o
three times more. He seemed to gulp
down like fish," Sol said, "and | though
| should soon get him drunk. But instea
of that got Hoored myself | lost all con
sciousness, and was put to bed, and mex
day l was unable to find him anywhere
Suspecting that he had got the start of me
and had fled out of my reach for the present
! now thought" says Sol, "that the bes
thing could do was to go back to Moss
creek for a day, and have talk with Paul
old employer and the town authorities.
so Solomon Foxpaw did 60 back and tol
| oil H. l,1 ~ ,,l
/, and what do you think? They actual
laughed in his face, and said that all thes
links which he had taken so much pains
get together, amounted to nothing
, "That was all they knew" exclaime
!, Daniel Wonders indignant hearers, "Br
how did Solomon Foxpaw get hold OF tn
slippery murderer at last ?'
, "He didn't get hold of him, said Dani
Wonder
"No?"
"No What the authorities said discou
aged him, and he then resolved that |
would not pursue the search any further"
"But who did get the murderer"
Nobody"
"Then, who found the body of PA
Piera ?"
, Everybody. For on the very day wht
FOXpaw gave up the search Paul Piera can
back to Mosscreek, safe and sound"
''What Then ne wasn't murdered at all
"Why, no! told you in the first pla
that it was report. But it seems he hi
got letter in the city, calling him in hu
; ry, as his mother was dying, long way q
He went home and she died, and he inhel
ted rich property, and not caring fig
the people in Mosscreek, !he never wrote
r them"
e "Not murdered after all |" cried the di
! appointed hearers. "Where was the sing
larity you spoke about, then?'
: "ln the perseverance, of Solomon Fo
paw"
/ n 4 4