The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-12-22

WIN - commonplace ItIndIk
every cold this evening sir"
The stranger made no reply, but con.
tinutd TO stare at Inc as before. After
a moment of hesitation | made another
attempt.
"The snow is likely TO block up the
roads before morning"
Instead of answering in the spirit of
my remark, the stranger, in a hollow,
faroH sounding voice, abruptly said (.
"The murderer of James Platt has
not yet expiated his crime7"
"No,' | replied, she has not yet been
discovered"
80, blind aud deluded humanity" !" he
cried with a sudden vehemence. "He
walks among you daily, respected for
his false virtues, laughing in his heart
at your weakness,
What, / exclaimed, suddenly for
getting my nervousness in professional
excitement "Can you give me n clew
| am the detective sent here to work up
the case"
81 know you WE'LL" he interrupted.
81 have been with you daily witnessing
your labors and your disappointment.
Why have you given over 80 soon /?
Does not the blood of the murdered
man still cry out for vengeance?
81 have done all that ingenuity could
suggest or patience accomplish" an
swered, in secret awe ''If you can,
give me hint rs to the murderer
"Only to-day you clasped his blood
stained hand in friendly farewell" re-
turned the stranger.
Can you mean? Is it-?"
"I Ies," interrupted the strs niger, inter
preting my thoughts, sit is Thomas
Judson, remorseless, soulless villain
that he is T.
Il have suspected as much myself,
answered, "but there is no proof p"
Eyes" he replied. with startling en-
ergy, ''prooI that Will condemn him.'
"What isit p asked in suppressed
voice. "W ho can give it me p
81, answered he, quickly. "Why else
am | here? Listen, and lose not word,
for time is short. From his earliest
youth Thomas Judson has been a vii
lain, secret, selfish and dangerous
hiding his wicked deeds under mask
OF assumed virtue, and defying the law
with pharisaical compliance with its
precepts. No man was ever kinder to
the son he loved than was James Platt
to this man. He, too, was deceived by
his plausible ways, and never until the
bitter days Of his life, did the unfor
tunate man suspect his evil nephew.
Judson was secretly a specuator in
unlawful schemes, and IN one of them
was stripped of nearly all his property.
Ruin and exposure stared him in the
face. In this dilemma, instead of tax
ing an honorable course, he forged
check upon wealthy business house
and drew the money, The forgery was
discovered by his uncle, who obtained
possession of the check and informed
Judscn of his discovery
Prom that moment, finding that he
could not obtain possession OF the
check, the evidence of his crime, from
his uncle, Judson determined upon get.
ting rid of him. On the night of the
murder Judson met his victim in the
village street and made final demand
upon him for the cheek, which he sup
posed his uncle carried about him. The
demand was refused, and James Platt's
fate was sealed. They separated, the
uncle to return to his home, and Judson
to attend a church festival. But before
appearing in the house of God he had
a plan worthy Of the devil to execute.
"lle followed cautiously in the foot
steps of his victim, meditating the
safest means of destroying him. just as
the two entered the loneliest part of
the road, chance helped him to the ac-
compIishment OF hls design. a passing
wood sled had lost part OF its load A
large, heavy stick of timber lay in the
road-a weapon at once deadly. silent
and safe, If it were found, it would
merely offer good presumptive evidence
that some travelling vagabond had done
the deed.
"lle seized the club, and stealing be-
hind his uncle, crushed his head with
one blow. He fell forward on his face
without a groan,'
The stranger paused moment. as if
overcome with his recital, and sat fac
ing me in silence. /, too, was speech
less with wonder, excitement, and
knew not what sensation of horror was
stilling my pulses.
The murderer then made hasty
search of his victim continued the
stranger. "The check was not upon
hun. There was no time to waste. He
well knew that some one might pass at
any moment, and detection under such
meant sure conviction |
lie lifted the body and flung it into
pit beside the road and hurried on.
Gas he passed out of the shadow of
the trees into the moonlight, he was
startled to discover that the cuff on his
right hand was spattered with blood. !
There was no time to wash out the
terrible evidence He dared not return
home for fresh pair, nor in his guilty
terror did he dare secrete it about him.
"At that moment sleighing party
came along the adjoining cross road.
and in his alarm the murderer tore off
the cuff and flung it over the fence be
side the road.
"lt was not until he had reached the
church that Judson remembered that
the button in the cuff was engraved
with his initials, and could be identified
by score of persons as his property.
He waited in anguish of fear until
after the body had been found and the
neighborhood was clear; then he spent
hours in search Of the lost cuff. But
he never found it. The wind had
blown it away and it remained hidden
until the vengeance of God should pro-
duce it to his ruin"
"lhat cuff must be found" / cried
eagerly.
"A hundred yards below the scene of
the murder" said the stranger solemn
ly, stands a withcred pine, a little off
the road, Entangled in the roots lies
the cuff, with the blood stain upon it
and the button still fast to it"
81 will find il tomorrow. | eiacu.