The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-26

| very DIOOu-
siIs he dead yetP" we heard Mrs
Maiden ask her husband, with low,
musical laugh that seemed to us like the
mirth of fiend.
Thoroughly" responded he, in q
deep voice, which betrayed no sign Of
remorse or agitation; "your hint that
should dispose of him in his sleep, like
Hanlet's uncle did his troublesome
brother, was capital"
There was silence for several min
utes. Then we heard Mrs. Maiden ask,
gravely, "What shall you do with the
bodyP'
sob, that is just the difficulty. AS the
neighbors must not have their suspicious
reused, it must be buried at night and a
report put about that the silly old man
has gone into the country"
i sob, dear! there is the property to
dispose of, is there not?"
"Uncut diamonds tell no tale," said
this sallow neighbor of mine, IN his deep
voice, laughing loudly. " Nothing could
have been luckier than my witnessing
that little scene between my uncle and
our fat neighbor over the garden-wall. "
In an ordinary moment should have
felt keenly the insult conveyed in his re-
mark, but my feelings were too highly
wrought for it to touch me then.
But Polly pressed my hand and muir
INJURED, "The horrid villaini'
We listened painfully for several min
utes more. We heard Malden's wife
heave deep sigh. She was human,
then. 1 had scarcely thought it.
" can't bear to think-it is too dread
full" she said. her voice trembling for
the first time during the fearful CONVEX
sation.
Again her husband laughed loudly,
and said, in theatrical tone, "What,
my Lady Macbeth trembling! Come,
We'll to sleep. We are yet but young
in deed" Ht
In moment more we heard the door
of the apartment closed. We three sat
and looked at each other-blanched and
speeches. with horror.
Ann was the first to recover her pres
ence of mind. "Shall l 90 an fetch
the perlease, STRIP she said, in a sub
dued voice.
"Oh, don't leave me, Ami" sobbed
my poor wife, yielding to her pent-up
emotions and clasping our servant round
the waist. This was the first time in her
life that she had been so undignified
You 60, Joram, she confined. Then
sudden fear seized her. "But we
shall both be murdered while you are
gone" The poor soul wrung her hands
and began to laugh Historically.
l felt that everything depended upon
my controlling my nervous system. Polly
was beginning to get silly, and Ann
might at any moment break down, too.
| took out my pipe, and slowly filled and
Lit it, in order both to steady myself and
to impress these women with my self
command. uf .t.. .r
"I'll telegraph to Chittick-that will
be BEST" said, after pacing the room
once or twice.
"You can't telegraph tonight, sir;
the orfce will be Shut" said the practi-
cal Ann.
Mr.. Chittick was an inspector in the
detective force at Scotland Yards. After
some internal debating decided that it
would be better to wait till the morning
and then telegraph than to go off to the
police station that night. have often
since wondered at my courage and calm
ness. The wife and servant seemed to
catch something of my spirit. We were
unanimous that to 90 to bed was impos-
sible, so Mrs. Frogg lay on the sofa, Ann
in a sofa chair which we wheeled out of
the next room, and l sat up in my good
armchair, prepared to watch the night
through. 1~-. 1912
Happily nothing transpired during
fn to
alarm. In the morning when the post
man called l got him to take tele-
graphic message, which simply urged
my friend the inspector to come as early
in the day as he possibly could, as 1
wanted to see him on business of very
pressing and extraordinary character.
About noon he came. Not soul had
stirred from the neighboring house, and
1 had therefore the satisfaction of feeling
that the delay would not Illustrate the
ends of justice.
When we were alone, told the story
of Mr.. LEAFS eccentric conduct; his
disappearance after his nephew had
seen him showing me the diamonds in
the garden; and finally the strange
conversation we had overheard the
night before. At first my friend was
merely politely attentive; but as went
on he took out his note book and care
fully wrote down the words we had
overheard. He asked for particulars,
too, of the appearance of Maiden and
his wife, and of the murdered man.
"Do you know anything of the bust
ness or profession of Maldenp" he then
asked. 4a
could only admit that on this point
was entirely in the dark.
"But has not your maid learned
anything on this subject from your
neighbours servantp" he INQUIRED:
servants are always gossiping, you
know eu 40 -.
"The woman next DOORS foreigner
"a German-I Think
Inspector Chittick pursed up his
mouth and tapped his notebook with
his pencil. 3t3 ~
"That looks like plan," he re-
marked, after q moments meditation.
"That fact is the strongest point in the
case. 1t seems as though it were
designed that nothing should transpire
through the chatter of servants.'
"Yet surely the real point is the con-
fession of murder which we overheardp"
l urged deferentially.
"That has to be proved" he replied.
''ln the meanwhile, must compliment