Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-06-17
The Murdered Cashier.
STRONGEST CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
OF GUILT.
I'm Odd Story of Justice.
A LOVING GIRLS TESTIMONY.
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTER Nv.
IA clergyman to see Miss Maunder?
I will see him first myself" said Miss
Maintree in her stiffest tone. She was the
principal of the Maintree- House Seminary,
the propriety of which was SO rigid that
no letters were permitted to be received by
pupils or governesses, save such as could
be read by that dragon of virtue, the pr1n-
cipal.
| She was absent from the school-room ten
minutes. The girls looked curiously at
Ethel, and the latter wondered who it
could be. She knew of no clergyman like
ly to visit her, and was surprised by the
gracious permission to go to the drawing
room which Miss Maintree presently vouch-
safed her; an indulgence due not so much
to the reverend visitors subtle politeness
as to the fact, casually made known by
him, that he had three daughters of an
age to be at school.
"You wish to see me?" Ethel said, sur
prised at confronting a short, portly cler-
gyman, who was a complete stranger to
! her.
| 81 do. You look like sensible young
lady, and will tell you right out who
am and what I want. Please don't faint
or scream, or all my trouble expended in
making things comfortable for you will be
thrown away. My name is Peters. l am
a detective officer. You know a gentle
man called Crisp-I see you do. Are en-
gagged to marry him? Just SO. Well, he
has been charged--But there, read that,
please, and pray. be as calm as you can.''
And he put into her hands an early Globe,
pointed out the report of the proceedings
at the Mansion House. ''Pray be as calm
as you can."
She went white to the lips as she read,
but save one faint cry when its meaning
broke upon her, gave no sign of the dem
onstrations SO much dreaded by the detec.
tive
"Now, am quite aware, miss, that you
were the lady who was with the accused.
| If you are implicated'-h did not think
after glance at her face that she was
''you had best say nothing. But if the
young man is innocent, you take It very
coolly, missP'
"And why not?" she cried Indignantly.
sFWhy should I be troubled because a false
charge is brought against him? Why
But then her voice broke, and she cried
piteously, ooh, tell me, sir. how can
help him?"
''First, miss, by telling me all you did
Saturday" The girl did so, and he took
note of it. "Quite so," he said, when he
had heard all, ''but may I ask if you met
by appointment"
She colored. 81 had message from
him on the Friday morning"
ssVerbal or written?"
"Neither. I cannot receive letters here,
so when Ernest could take me out on Sat-
urday-his and my half holiday-he would
put an advertisement in Fridays Standard.
hr1t I, Il
fancy to put it in cipher, and I, well, p
with bright blush-s'I liked it because it
took me longer to read the message"
"Just SO! You'll forgive me saying that
now I know you are telling me the truth.
So will you please explain what that ugly
little bit means?" He handed to her the
slip he had shown to Mr.. Parkman, and
pointed out the words: 4 will have rid my
self of our worst enemy
eyes. We had silly quarrel. I told
him-oh, how could I?-that his temper
was his worst enemy and mine. He meant
that as al mean he wished to apologize
and make it up.''
s'One more question, young lady. What
should you say if I told you that Mr.. Crisp
denied on his way to the Mansion House
this morning being the author of that?"
"Say" she cried fercely. 'T should say
believed himl But still it surprises me-
This message begins and ends as his al
ways did. Yet l remember that thought
it odd that he made no reference to this
passage On Saturday. And it was strange
that though he was half an hour after the
appointed time he did not seem aware of it
or say he was sorryo
Peters sat thinking deeply. 'tIt's ci-
pher child could read,'' he murmured to
h 1Cnlf
advertisements could have identified the
Ernest very likely. Is it possible that
some one having learned, no matter how.
his habit OF corresponding with this girl
has done this to divert suspicion from him
self? Unlikely, but still possible. Do you
know, MISS" he continued aloud, .sof any
one being acquainted with these cipher
messages?"
'1t is a mere formality, Crisp" Mr.
Parkman volunteered, speaking for the
first time with earnest kindness. 81 will
attend myself and say how perfectly ridic-
ulous your conduct for years makes this
charge appear"
The color came back to the clerks face.
''Thank you, sir,'' he said.
"Perhaps you will let yourself be search
ed here?" asked the policeman. Crisp
nodded acquiesence, and did not finch
when the operation began. But the first
articles to appear were two keys The
policeman looked carelessly at the first:
but his face lit up wonderfully as he held
up the second.
''This is the missing keyp' he exclaimed,
and a thrill of intelligence seemed to pass
around the room.
''That key" said Crisp, still bewildered
and graphing with the memory of things
which seemed to have happened SO long
ago, ''that is the key of Mr.. Critch-" he
stopped with trembling lips. He had gone
SO far unthinking: and then his position in
all its bearings flashed across his mind.
He remembered all that the presence of
that key upon him, all that the lords he
had uttered, might mean for him. The
room began to go round, visions of Ethel
and Mr.. Critchlow swan before his eyes.
Amid an appalling silence, which had
greeted his words, he fell to the floor in
dead faint.
Five minutes later the room was cleared
of all save it's owner and the short, stout
man. 81 cannot believe it now," Mr..
Parkman was saying, land yet the key
the keyl How can he explain that? How
can he explain that?"
You remember, sir, | told you it was a
pretty clear case," answered the detective
for such he was and a well-known one.
"You did, and I did not believe you,
the merchant answered with groan. He
was greatly distressed, and no wonder.
"Well, sir, Pm inclined to think that
you were right and was wrong" the 9TH
er answered, dryly.
''Eh! Less clear now, inspector? But
the key?'
"It is the key, and another matter or
two that puzzle me-" the man answered
thoughtfully. you've read, dare say,
of murderers doing stupid things, sir?
There was that nurse who strangled her
patient, and then could not refrain from
laying her out? Yes, quite SO. But l
never heard of murderer carrying a
proof against himself in his pocket, and