Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-15
CHAPTER XVII.


Somebody's ShOe-Lining.
The coroner was lawyer, q friend of
Frank Foljambe's, who was there in his
clients interest, and third legal gentle
man watched the case for Prince Sastri.
Besides the witnesses, there were pres
ent several of the murdered mans CO.
diplomatists, together with Cecil Chester
ton and the elder Mr.. Foljambe.
The first witness called was the valet,
| who gave detailed account Of his sxpe-
| rience on the night of the murder, togeth-
er with the circumstances attending his
discovery of the body, which he stated to
be still bleeding slightly when he uncov-
cred it.
| The doctor was called-the same doctor
| who had been fetched for the Countess,
and who had examined the corpse the
previous evening.
He stated in ettenso what he had al
ready told Frank Foliambe, repeating his
conviction that the wound could not have
| been self-inhicted, and his opinion that it
| had required considerable strength and
resolution to drive n dagger right through
| the victims heart with one hand, whilst a
| pillow was held over his face with the
other, which had clearly been the course
adopted.
| A Juror here interposed to ask if the
Countess Silvestrelli was physically capa-
BILE of this dual feat, to which the doctor
replied that, under normal circumstances,
she was not, but there had been symp-
toms of mania about her, and the murder
might have been committed with the fac
titious strength of frenzy.
| The white-headed gentleman was then
retiring, when Frank Foljambe stopped
him with another question.
He wanted to know how long fit OF
this sort would last, and whether the sub
iect of it would have enough bodily and
mental vigor left to effect successful es-
cape and take long night-walk.
prove that she did take long night
walk ~ interjected Juror whose mind
was made up.
''All in good time, sir" was the cour-
toous response.
And then the Juror listened for the doc
tors answer, which wss that "such fits
were usually followed by extreme bodily
rrostration, but that they might last for
couple of hours"
."I,ong enough for her to get clean off ~
commented the juror.
The next witness was Rosette, whose
-COlcltu tttNOuUb VI lIt
between her master and mistress seemed
to astOnish every one except Sastri, who
was observing her with great attention,
and who was called on to corroborate her
description of the scene in the bedroom
when the Countess called her husband a
murderer
She finally related how, on going to
dress her mistress at the same time Jose
attended the Count, she found the room
empty, signs of disorder about it, as if
some one had dressed there in haste, and
a pillow missing from the bed, which she
. subsequently identified on the bed of the
murdered man.
/, II should like to ask this witness few
questions said Frank Foliambe, adj
dressing the coroner.
, Permission being accorded, he said,
) "What has become of the letter which
. your mistress left on her dressing table,
addressed to her husband 2"
81 saw no letter." answered Rosette,
: staring at him in Open-eyed wonder.
a Did you see a ball-programme pencil
: with n silver cord and tassel q
! "Not on the table," replied the maid.
at was on the floor beside"
Beside what o. repeated the lawyer,
seeing she hesitated.
Nothing of any consequence, Sir.
That is not for You to decide. An
t swer the question p was the sharp re.
, tort.
> "Well, it was a piece of red silk shoe.
, lining said Rosette, reluctantly and
, Cecil who was looking at Sastri, saw O
sort of spasrn contract his features for an
instant.
. The young lawyer saw it too though he
, did not appear to see. and the sight made
: him very persistent about having the
: piece of red silk produced, though seve.
t raj jurors thought it waste of time, and
t Sastri said, with sheer, that the anna
BILE lawyer wanted it for keepsake of the
Countess to give to his dear friend, heI
I sweetheart.
But the coroner pronounced such re-
. marks unseemly and despatched Rosette
4 for the silk and also selection Of shoes.
= Sastri would have slipped ont after her
had not Chssterton barred his way with {
look that made the Indian quail but be
fore word could be said, the Maharsjal
9 of Jedhpore was called to give his evi
a dence.
The jury saw he looked nervous anC
Il tdgetv, but that might be attributable t.
r. the novelty of his position ; for lie CAV
=. his evilence--which was chiefly cUrrobor