The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-11-24

/ 1t, and 1t must have been on the Sd or 4th of
May. Here is the lady's name and address,
air - and he handed me q slip of paper on
which was written Mrs. French, Redcourt,
Kilcarran," It was In Kilcarran or the
neishborhood that, according to Beruini'.
OWE statement, he had spent the day Of the
robbery.
Thanking and dismissing the lad, re-
| turned to the drawing-room with my prize.
The next step was to communicate with
Mrs. FTench. Kilcarran was fully fifteen
miles from Carrigaryan, and the trial was to
begin the following morning.
Hand me over that railway guide, Dick"
| said Alice's husband. 1T thought so-no
train before ten. There's nothing for it but
for me to drive to Kilcarran the first thing in
| the nornins-the mare can easily do It In
tive hours-snd IL 1 find that any one there
can give evidence worth having, I'll bring
them back with me. and have them in court
before the case for the defense opens"
The trial began next morning, proceeding
at an unusually rapid rate. It seemed to me
that the learned counsel for the prosecution
had never before put forth bis wisdom and
legal knowledge in 30 condensed form The
cross-examination OF the witnesses was OF
course in my hands, and 1 did my best to
make It ss tedious as possible, totally failing.
however, In my attempts 90 confuse them or
cause them to contradict themselves. Nv
only hope lay now in the unknown witness,
and Of him there were no tidings. The case
for the prosecution closed and the court ad-
jOurned for lunch; / was standing 10 the
bar-room, thinking over my speech for the
defenss. and mentally re-arrauging my sen
tences after the manner Of the most prosy
member Of the circuit, when q note was
banded to me "AIl rieht-the witness Is IN
the sheriff's room"
Going into the sherifY's roon I found nv
cousin accompanied by a strange lady and
gentleman.
This is the prisoners counsel" said the
former. as I entered. "AIlow me to intro
duce Mr.. Lestrsnge-Hiss Darcy, Mr..
French" turned to the lady as her name
was pronounced, and. am afraid, forgot to
bow, in my surprise and delight at recogniz-
ing In the tall, fair hatred girl before me my
dream OF the last six months my unknown
love. another glimpse of whom had been my
chief desire ever since 1 lost sight OF her as
she stood on the platform OF the little road
side station where she had alighted.
"It was Miss Darcy who old that sketch" !"
said my cousin, land she remembers all
about It,"
yes" said the girl, "the sketch was ia
ken at KilcarrAn on the 10th OF May. l re-
member all the circumstances perfectly, and
should have no difieulty In identifying the
original"
Having by few hurried questions con-
vinced myself of the value of Miss Darcy's
testimony, took her and her brother in-lsw.
placing them where they had full view Of
the prisoner. Miss Darcy looked attentlvely
at the latter for . minute and then said. de-
| cidedly:
Yes, that is the man"
1 opened the case for the defense in as
few words as possible, and then called up
nay witness-WinIfred Darcy. She gave her
evidence very well, in grave, concise Ian
RuaRe, without irrelevsnce or eircumIocu-
tion. She stated that she lived 1T Redcourt
/ with her sister, Mrs. French, and that on the
10th Of Nav she and her cousin had spent
! the greater part sf the day sketchinG by the
riverside at Kilcsrran. At about O'Clock
| q gust OF wind had carried her hat into the
stream, whence 1t was recovered by the
| prisoner, who happened to pass by ct the
moment Interested by something in his
| appearance, they tried TO enter into eonver-
! sation with him but without much success,
bis English being very imperfect. They,
however, managed to make him understand
that they wished to employ him As q model,
| and he sat to them patiently for more than
an hour. at the end Of which time be went
away with many expressions Of gratitude
for the money they gave him. Miss Darcy
would have been certain as to the date, even
II 1t had NOS been afixed to the drawing
| (Which was produced in court), as her cou-
sin had arrived at Kilearran on she eth Of
May, and left on the 11th.
| Cross-examination failed to cast any doubt
! on the accuracy OF Miss Darey's evidence,
| while her yeracity was OF course above sus-
| picion.
| The jury professed themselves satisfied
| with the evidence, and. declining to hear
eounsei for the defense, returned q verdict
of Mot Guilty" The prisoner was seized
| upon by some of his compatriots, who were
! serving on the mixed jury, and carried of in
triumph, somewhat dazed by the change in
his prospects.
Some months afterward, q man, dying
| from the effects Of hurt received in a drum
ken brawl, acknowledged himself guilty Of
the crime of which Berninni had been ac-
cused. He also was an Italian, and bore
surhcient resemblance 20 his eountrymAn In
height and complexion to account in some
degree for the mistake Of the witnesses.
As for me, 1 date the Beginning OF both
ny professional success and of my life's
happiness from the day of Bernini's trial.