The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-07-15
motive for the crime.

"
TO serve "A bonny good girl so"
''Tbe old blackguardp I continued
"Poor little Alice~
"Wcll, here's some more" said Will
Our visitor looked up with start
"Well, real on, old c1ap," said /.
"Ay, NY; but let's find the place
again. Ali here we be! Latest in.
telligeDce. The police have discovered
clew 10 the whereabouts Of Douglas
Crofts, whom there now seems little
canse 10 doubt is the murderer, and"
Here onr visitor rose suddenly with
an exclamation, took few steps toward
the door, stopped irresoluteIy, and
then, with great drops Of perspiration
rolling down his brow, said TO Will:
"Go on; why keep man in suspenseP
"Wby, mate, said Will, looking at
him in surprise, 81 didn't know as
you'd take such an interest in this
affair. As Coz goan and me, WHY, we
have known the poor girl, child and
maid, and arc keen about IL. Here.
take the paper aud read 1t for yourself,
then"
He snatched il, and with avidity de-
voured the contents. / watched him
IA slow suspicion taking hold Of me.
'FThe police on his tracesl How did
they find out, wonderP said he. half
to himself "yfore than a fortnight
ago. No: don't believe they ever
will"
'tNof And why not" said ].
He looked at me suspiciously, then,
forcing ghastly langh, replied:
"Oh, they never do find out things,
now"
"Huml Well, ] don't know that.
] IrePlied, filing my pipe. Sometimes
very little thing leads TO discovery.
remember, when l was boy, sfel-
low being traced just by his having
limp, and his left boot being made
bit different to his right. In another
case-one rather like this, by the way,
only she was a grown woman and
mother, not girl-sbe clutcbed so
hard at the mnrderer's coat, that wee
bit was left Of the cloth in her grasp.
and that led to the Identification of the
murderer, and
''Stop your memorier," interrupted
ths man, angrily; then. changing his
tone, added, Il remember-0, yes |
remember it alll' and his face resumed
its usual expression Of doll preoccupa-
ton.
gazed al bim in astonishment.
Yes certainly our visitor was a very
queer party. ] didn't half like him
who could he bei I wondered how be
ever came hercl Why had he never
told us anything of his past historyl
! think some such ideas struck Bill.
too, for | saw him looking sternly and
inquiTingly at the scared being before us
We exchanged glancea, but gave no
words to our suspicious.
After pcrnsing the account of poor
Aice's death several times, the man
laid the paper on the table, and sat
staring vacantly at the FIRE, with a
strange quiver in his features. de-
termined not to lose sight of him that
night; he looked 30 wild, so devilisb, |
doubted he might DO either us or him
self mischief
The wind began - rise again; we
seemed likely to have another wild
night; this appeaaed TO decide our guest
who gave up his intention of leaving
us, and settled himself in the chimney
corner, as was his won,, for the even
ing. Will took up the paper, and |
began n write letter, and was soon
absorbed in my occupation, when our
visitor, who had fallen asleep, aroused
US by muttering:
"Alice, Alice! you were false-false
-falsei You must come with me now
with me, / tell you. Abr
And he shuddered.
"Bloodl-bloodl- on her white
bosoml Alice, awake!-ah! the pool
the pooll"
Will and exchanged glances. The
wind sighed mournfully round the
tower, aud the sea-birds fed wailing
10y in Aocks. For the first time it
fully dawned on ns that the wretch we
had rescued from starvation was no
other than Douglas Crofts, who, flying
from the face of Justice, had nearly
met the death he so richly deserved.
In awe-struck silence we listened tn
his vague words. All the details of
his crime passed before him, and were
re-enacted by him IN his dreams. What
a fatel
The storm increased, and the wind
swept in a hurricane over the sand
hills In the far distance our practiced
ears detected the sound of voices.
Who could be coming TO us at such a
timvl Will went to the seaward win
dow, and partly opened it. No, the
voices were not from seaward. The
wind blew off-shole- These were voices
coming TO us from lsndward, across
the sand-hills. We listened.
At length loud knocking was heard
at the door and voices below calling on
us to open. With start and a scream
of terror our wretched guest awoke.
"Only dreamp he muttered.
But the knocking was repeated, and
Will, who had gone down to unbar the
door, opened it to posse of policemen.
who demanded entrance in the Queens
name. Behind them followed old
Jim the lettercarrier Up stairs they
rushed and into the room where we
were sitting.
The inspector, tall, powerful man,
sprang to the window and wrenched ii
open, precipitated himself into the
raging sea below. With dull thud
we heard his body strike on the ledge
of rocks, from which it bounded of
and was swallowed up by the angry
deep. A great awe fell on us, and fol
a moment no one spoke.