National Republican., 1885-12-19
ga DEED WITHOUT A NAME.

"Thou art the man ~ the speaker said, as
he placed his hand on the accused's shoul-
der.
The person spoken to started, flushed,
paled. and stared with look OF amazemont
that deepened into an expression of fixed
horror.
The speaker was a man Of about 25 years
Of age, Of medium height, slender, and ele
CANT form, fair complexion, yellow hair
and mustache, and blue eyes.
His name was William Hanson. lie was
a gentleman OF fortune and OF "elegant
leisure "taking his ease at his inn, (which
in this instance was q well-known southern
summer resort.
The one whom he addressed was a youth
scarcely 81 years Of age, Of middle height
and well proportioned frame, but very thin,
even to emaciation. His features were
handsome, picturesque, and striking. He
wore q suit OF rusty black cloth, well
brushed, and scrupulously clean and neat.
He was q student at southern university
and-now In bis vacation time, being
poor--he was clerk at the Crest House at
the Isle Of Storms, of the coast OF Mary
land.
The memorable interview we have re-
ferred to took place In the Office OF the
hotel, in the 'still, small" hours between
midnight and dawn.
The two men were alone in the apart
ment.
Young IIarcourt would have been abed
and asleep, but that something emanating
from his aspect like mist, overshadowing
his presence like cloud, "murdcred Sleep"
and so he sat In the Office trying to drown
memory in absorbing work on his account
books,
William Hanson might have been in his
room and In dreams but that great desire
kept him up, a great hope sent him TO seek
this private interview with the clerk OF the
Crest House.
And so, when the house was supposed to
DO buried In sleep, he stole to the office and
startled the solitary worker with the words
quoted.
The clerk kept his dark, troubled eyes
flSed upon the face OF the speaker, with
stare Of stupefied horror that soon grew
into glare Of terror and despair.
"Yts, 1repeat, Harcourt. Thou art the
man! ~ reiterated the accuser, letting
his hand fall with some force on the shoulder
Of the accused.
The youth shrank under the touch as his
breath came and went in deep inspirations,
his flexible nostrils expanded and con.
tacted, and his sensitive lips quivered
under his dark mustache. But his great,
gloomy eyes never moved from their fixed
glare, nor ulu MS cneecKs cnanpe from nelr
ashen, deathlike pallor.
Snow, them Why don't you speak?
What have you to sayp" demanded Hanson,
the accuser, fixing his light blue eyes sig
niflcantly on the blanched face Of his com
panion.
"I-do Northumberland faltered the
frightened clerk.
"Oh, yes, you do ! see that you under
stand perfectly that / am talking about the
al In n
deed done in No. 25, at 2 o'clock last
Thursday" said Hanson, pointing his
words with penetrating look, under which
| Harcourt shrank into himself.
at wns''-- began the wretched youth,
impulsively, and then, suddenly conscious
that he had half betrayed himself,
he stopped short, threw his hands to his
able to bear the incisive gaze of his ac-
cuser.
"It was'-well, whatY What were you
about to say that II was" demanded Han
| son.
There was no reply, only the stricken
youth seemed 10 collapse, to shrink more
| and more into himself.
L "'It was'- What was IL, now Can't
| you tell meN'
| Still there came no answer from the
wretched young man.
"NoY You cant tell me? Then will tell
you, William IIarcourt! 1T w0s'-a MUIR
der" whispered Hanson In the ear OF the
other.
"No! no. moi As the Lord hears me, It
was not.n burst in passionate denial from
| the lips OF the youth, who never moved
from the shrunken posture, or uncovered
his hidden eyes.
at was n midnight murdern, emphati-
cally repeated Hanson.
The young man shuddered us he broke
forth in sort Of half suppressed fierceness
Of denial.
at was not! Heaven truly knows that It
was not! 1t was an accident"'
ut was an assassination" sternly asserted
the accuser, gazing on the accused, who sat
cold, stony, frozen, only repeating, with
desperate effort:
Gas live and breathe, 1t was an accident
"A pure and perfect accident
"Itwas amidnight assassination, and you
William Harcourt, the midnight assassinp'
repeated the accuser, with determined per
sistence.
A groan Of irreprcssible agony burst from
the bosom Of the despalring youth. His
form shook as with an ague.
"May the Lord strike me dead this instant
II / am murderer ~ he groaned, wringinG
his hands.
"You know the law would hold you as
one, and punish you as one" coldly con
tined Hanson.
SIT was entirely accidental" moanet
Harcourt.
Accidental ~ sneered the accuser
"Well, IL was accidental that / became
hidden witness to that crime"
"YoU % exclaimed Harcourt, droppinl
his hands from before his eyes and staring
at the speaker.
eyes, |, |, William Hanson, saw all tha
happened In room No. 25, on last Thursda.
niJht betWpen g and 3 o'clock
The wretched clerk sat with his heat
bowed upon his bosom, his arms fallen eacl
side of his chair, and his body sunk back Il
the collapse Of final despair.
"Shall / tell you how became an eye-wit
r ness OF your crlmeW
Harcourt moaned, but failed to speak.
r 81 will tell you that you may know for
, certainty have the power of life and deaf
} over you," continued the accuser, watching
! | the accused to mark the effect of his words
, | He saw abject misery and despair; nothin
r more or less. He continued.
81 occupy, as you know, room No. 23
I | which is next to the corner room, Nc
25. These rooms look out upon the sout
I balcony. / am rather restless sleeper
I easily disturbed by light and sound, an
5 needing darkness and silence to insure rt
0 pose. That Thursday night, after the car
Y playing, i went to my room at about
I | o'clock The house was very quiet, bl
r there was full moon, and too much ligt
came into my room. must give you thes
: details so that you may understand tn
| accident by which l became the unsee
: and unsuspected witness of crime"
The speaker paused and looked kcenly {
his wretched companion, but saw no chang
in the utter despair Of his attitude and o.
!. preston.
"After preparing for bed," continue
r Hanson, 'as II was so much too light Il
me, closed my window shutters and DIRE
down my shade, and made 1t nearly total