The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-08-25
) esrssl q ~ c a Taf e liz.
: = NUMBER 81 =: =.
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MS S40eS were Hrm1y planted "a tA@f6pAs
the deep indentatiocis unmistakable; it
loeAs @ s1 70 me as 4 " there was sdriees driees Httle
resiska at 1easfS .sssi.ssg .s..ss 'ss ssti
: sBss sasre is q no signsf any other
fs' ao. Perhaps hasa she a.zailans staod xl on
this rpcks here. By-the.by,s the; moss
seemsstn Be sliQhfly abraided.yn = isa SIS 4
3 S,sEsd0nt see it "a rather think the
assaifaht wore Shoes that !M0iald,' not
make Eink1entationi; aawoman'sI shoe, in
lk =; S.s ssss.S -. 6 sls- 3
4 fsBut what IS this r cried M. Nor
tlaant .He stopped as he spoke, and
picked up, about two yards from where
the body hado lain, curiously- shaped
button, with q small fragment Of green
cloth attached to it The button lay
just at the edge Of the thicket, concealed
by the oyerhanging laurels. - Here is
something. that may give a clue. It
looks as if the button had been torn off
in struggle" n si55
- ,Pshaw - said the district attorney.
ga mere coincidence. The button has
been there for years, probably. DOM t
you see it is quite unlike any you ever
saw before ?" as ( ssG aaa
1. t.Nevertheless. note down where we
found it" .s7'l's 5S
The place next visited was the house
of the murdered man. The corpse was
lying on the bed, but with the clothes
still on, awaiting the Coroner's Jury. A
constable kept watch to prevent any in
reference until the inquest should have
met. He was as garrulous IS Doeberry
himself z f.iia & " assss ;-ssiei'
I'll take my dayy,' that viii, /, he
said, !" that gals sweetheart put her up
10 it, The thing stands to natrr'. But
shey do say she has temper Of her
in" he added, lifting the sheet.a os,sges I
laAs single blow seems to have been
sufficient" remarked the District eAttor-
|" It was much stronger one, in my
opinion, said Mr.. Mordaunt after 3
pause, ethan q girls hand could have
deat, Ha he added after Z pause,
H what does this mean ?"'ss sssssfs .ssl Ia.
"a 's What ?" asked Mr. Gresham, while
the. constable, having replaced the sheet,
walked to window. seos' 5s hasseos' /
4 q s1,Don't you see? The blow was
lefthanded one. Now, Miss Stray, as I
happen to know, is not left handed. ."
"a This really does look like something,
at last, said the other, rejecting.
For even he could see that the cut,
instead of going from right to left, which
would have been the case if the blow had
been dealt in the usual way, went from
left to right, as if left-handed person
had struck it. arr easst eag9
But Mr.. Gresham's incredulity re
turned after moment. sssrs.ss Cd 1
u.Tn ia l., -<,> L
(" III is not impossible for right-handed
person to have struck such a blow
once in a score of times it might
can't explain away the danger that
damning fact remains" g. esI7
It will all explain itself in good
time, answered Mr. Mordaunt. f"
had faith from the first in the girls in
luocence. Now I am sure of it. AT
present lam going back to the Locks,
where everybody about here is known.
Lam looking, you see, for left-handed
man, who had some interest in this
/ murder. - 40 aelH a-3 asal y zs.5-s "a
q Mr.. Gresham shrugged his shoulders.
but quietly followed his friend.
The inn at the Locks was crowded
Everybody from circuit of twenty
1 miles around, had been attracted thither
by the report of the tragedy. The
real criminal, Mr.. Mordaunt argued,
twill most probably be there; for he
| viii be anxious to hear the Coroner &
verdict; I wonder if his manner will
betray him to me" -
g But amid all the throng he saw no one
who showed the least sign of guilt. The
beer-mugs circulated freely, and the
room was filled with tobacco smoke. A
/ dozen voices at once discussed whether
| the lover had been an accessory, for the
| opinion was universal that the daughter
was guilty. No, not quite universal, for
one man, hill farmer from the forest,
ventnred to dissent
Ilss"For where is the money ?" he said.
ll'sI paid him 1856 the evening before
some money I had borrowed from him
last year. He was I saw, afraid to keep
| it in the house over night; he feared
| robbers he told me he would take it to
| the bank the first thing the next morn.
| ing. Now there is no money found on
him."
"The- girl robbed him after killing
him." said a harsh voice, in answer.
"No doubt of it."
Mr.. Mordaunt looked around quickly.
The man spoke in German, with a Bava-
rian accent. As If to emphasize his
words he plunged his beer mug down on
the table with vigor that made the
pipes living there rattle. More than this,
| the button which Mordaunt had found
was the button belonging to the uniform
of the railway employees Of Bavaria, as
he happened to know. @
= Mr.. Mordaunt turned to his next
neighbor. :
SWho is that fellow9" he asked.
"WeH, I hardly know. A newcomer
here; just from Germany; lives off in
the forest by himself. They say he'f
been making up to the servant girl al
old Stray's, however she's believed tc
have saved money. She has probably
told him that her mistress robbed the old
man he seems. so positive about it."
But this solution was far from being
that Of Mr.. Mordaunt On the contrary
he attributed the accusation of the mar
to a desire to screen himself. As if by {
flash, the whole tragedy from this mo
ment became clear. ~
Mr.. Mordaunt rose, and leaving the
room, sought the District Attorney
ssI want two search warrants" he
said. "One for the trunks Of the serv
ant girl at Stray's, and another for TIL
house or cabin of Bavarian, living,
am told at the three mile crossroads in
the forest. Three or four officers, also,
as we may have to make arrests.
"This is rather unusual, as you viii
know, but we'n stretch a point to please
YOU, !" said Mr.. Gresham. "I'm afrait
| your zeal, for once, however, has outrur
vour Judgment. 5aif4 s.