The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-05-16

Lear the decision which might condemn
the heiress of one of their proude.t fam
lies to dark. dreary. lifelong ,mpris-
onment. perhaps tn death. Few dared
10 hope that her innocence would Be
proved. for circumstsntial evidence Of
the strongest character pointed 10 Lucy
Berkeley as guilty Of killing ber ILL -fsted
companion.
Oae alone stool by her. aud from tie
frs: testified lis belief 10 her innocence.
/. MAS the lover whom she believed
false and faithless. Great was her
Joy In her trouble, TO hear from Leonard
The. he n"ve- loved anyone but her.
and that bis attentions to Clara arose
from the fact that he discovered that
be and abe we're long separated cousins.
and joint heirs to q large property, of
which they had been deprived by
fraud. His long conversations with
her we're on this subject. and he
thought it safest to keep their discovery
a secret until they could both proceed
against their uncle who had been rob-
biug them with some chance of sue
cess.
Bnt neither the wealth nor influence
Lucy's friends brought to bear in her
favor could turn public sentiment in her
favor. Her Jealousy of Clara had been
known. She had used harsh and angry
words to the young girl, and these had
been overheard. She was the only
person who could have any interest in
Clarn's death and a dagger belonging
to her had been the instrument OF the
crime. Then no ono could tell where
Miss Berkley had spent the previous
night. She had not taken her usual
place in the household, and she had net
been on her bed that night, as it was
proved TO have been untouched in the
morning.
Strangely enough. too, the idiot had
disappeared. and not the smallest clue
to bis whereabouts could be obtained. &,
Leonard Darce searched up and down
the country for him, because he con-
ceived the strange theory that i. WAS
this deformed. unhappy being who was
the real criminal. He had pn, for ward
his theory. but few even listened ps
tieut!y to II. by the majority it was
looked upon as frivolous nonsense; aud
'na:y thought Mss Berkley had put
the lad out of the way to create suspicion
regarding him.
Just before the the case was submit.
ted to the jury. however. and while
everything pointed to the guilt of the
prisoner ut the bar, Leensrd Darce'a
appearance at the door of the court
house, dragging after him tho idiot.
created thrill among the eager spec.
tators. A buzz Of excitement agitated
every one, including the venerable
Judge and members of the jury.
The dwarf looked around him half.
frightened yet defiant. When his eye
rested on the dark-robed figure of his
mistress m the dock, he uttered . low
whine Of delight ; and dragging him.
self FROM tho grasp of his csptor. he
darted towards Miss Berkeley and
cfouchei at her feet.
IL killed herl killed her." the idiot
said. Il killed her with your dagger.
She was bad. l did not wish to see
you cry"
Great was the astonishment of the
bystanders, aud tremendous the furore
by this unexpected confession.
The judge then extracted from the
dwarf. IN broken sentences and discon-
nected fragments. the story Of the deed.
All showed him TO he guilty of the
crime. and that his motive. was devotion
to his mistress
Miss Berkley was at oucs released;
but she yyas salfon, aeon afteywoyds IN
society. A "still. small voice" within
her told her that her un warranted and
unreasonable jealousy had led to tho
disaster. Her life was therefore life
long at Of repentance; and for miles
around her mansion the poor. the rad,
and the suffering always found In her
q generous and princcly benefactress.
The idiot was kept in restraint for .
while, and then sent abroad.