The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-11
CHAPTER ".

your Maker!"
CHAPTER ".
o Heaven! II is mysterious IL is awful to con.
slider, that we not only carry each q future
ghost within him, but are in very deed, ghosts!
Darkness had crept over the court be-
fore Mr.. Valentine had ceased to speak,
the scarlet canopy above the Judges
head had turned black, and even the
ladies' bonnets were swallowed up in
the gloom. The officials had neglected
to bring lights, and it was impossible
to perceive what effect this speech, that
traversed all rules Of legal etiquette,
had produced on prisoner, Judge, and
jury
Suddenly, almost in the moment of
his voice ceasing, and before even a
hum of exclamation could arise from
tho body of the court, hubbub with
out. spoke of some new excitement in
connection with the trial;and a moment
later, preceded by an usher who bore
lights, a man-ragged, unshorn, and
SS-lOoking-entered the court.
He did not wait to be addressed, but
boldly said that he had come to give
important evidence about the murder,
and the sooner he was sworn the bet
ter.
His appearance was the finishing
stroke to the days surprises, and even
the Judge, who had been in a state of
moral shock ever since. Mr.. Eyre's self
announcement, leaned forward to look
earnestly at the man.
Duly sworn, he gave his evidence as
follows:
He was tramp, and could neither
read or write. Did not often trouble
himself about others folks business,
though often enough they troubled
themselves about his. On the whole,
he thought he would rather be III Jail
than out Of it-leastways in winter
time, when there were no fresh buds
and things to smell at, and make man
forget his stomach.
He had been on the tramp now for
three weeks, but two days ago, when at
forty miles distance from Lovel, he had
heard some gypsies talking about q
murder that had been committed at
that place on certain night, and how
woman had been arrested on sus-
picion of it. That made him think of
something he had seen on passing
through the village that very night.
and it went agaist his conscience to let
a woman be hanged for what she hadn't
done-tramps have got cOnsciences
sometimes-there was no tax yet on
that commodity, or may be he couldn't
afford the luxury. Well, he had tramp
ed all the way back, and hoped he'd
come in time. 1t seemed a largish sort
of company to be got together to try
and hang one woman.
Brought sharply back to the evidence
he had volunteered, he deposed to the
following:
Late in the afternoon preceding the
murder. he had passed through the viii
lage of Lovel, and between five and six.
having begged unsuccessfully at half
dozen doors, he struck out across Synge
Lane, for house he knew Of, where
the servants would give him a crust Of
bread and drink of beer.
But bright light shining from
cottage attracted his attention, and he
drew near the window, meaning to look
in, when it gave him turn to see close
beside him q man who held a pistol
pointed at something, or somebody in
side the room. He got behind him and
looked in. A woman, a real beauty-was
sitting just inside, and seemed to have
dropped asleep in her chair; she had on
something loose and white, and looked
as happy as a newborn babe.
He was just lifting his hand to knock
the pistol from the mans hand, when
the latter dropped it by his side, and
without looking round, or perceiving
him, moved away.
He didn't follow-where was the
good? Thought it was bit of jealousy
belize, and it's i'll work meddling be-
tween man and his woman.
Thought no more of it till the gypsies
said "a woman had been murdered that
night at Lowell, and blamed himself for
not having run after the man who had
been practicing-like, as it seemed, when
witness saw him, but later on had come
back, and actually killed her.
The tramp's face was study Of
amaZement and disbelief when he was
told that no murder was committed in
Synge Lane that night, and that the
woman he had seen threatened, stood
in the dock before him on the charge of
having murdered the mistress of the
Red Hall, over mile distant.
The tramp stared stupidity, then ex-
claimed that it was mortal queer"
For his own part he shouldn't wonder
IL the man he'd seen practicing at MUIR
der hadn't gone up to the Hall, and
done 1t in sober earnest-one woman
being very like another, and having
once got his hand in, perhaps he wasn't
particular as to his game, so long as he
brought down something.
Asked if he thought he could recog-
nize the man again, and requested to
glance round the court in search of him
flor by now it was fairly lit), the tramp's
gaze wandered vaguely over the sea Of
faces, and he shook his head. He was
sorry he had come back, he said-he
had done no good-and in future he
would let his conscience slide, for IL
brought him more plague than profit.
At the conclusion of his evidence, the
court adjourned until the following
day at ten o'clock, and rapidly emptied,
the prevailing impression Of astonish-
ment being too keen to permit of more
than mere broken ordinations. Not