The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-12-20

the sleep-walker, thrust his haad and drew
out--what? A pair of massive silver can
dlesticks and bit of white muslin The
latter he clapped suddenly upon his peruke
and Rhoda saw that it was woman'f
nightcap, lace.trimmei, but with strange
dark spots upon it. In went his hand
again. and this time Rhoda heard the cink
of coin, and gold piece dropped out and
rolled across the bare floor.
81 must have money" muttered the SOM
nambulist. solve it to me, Martha Grant,
or will kill you, though You were ten
times over the sister of my mother Give
it to me, old miser-am not your lawful
heir 2"
At these strange, sinister words Rhoda
uttered an involuntary cry. Coral Sutton
awoke an looked around the loft lie saw
the frightened girl standing at the foot Of
the bed watching him, and his gray, Ca
caverous face became as the face of de-
mon. He dropped the candles.icks and
the blood-stained nightcap. With scream
of terror Rhoda ran to the door, but be-
fore she could roach it he had her by the
throat.
Youi-did they put you in this place ? I"
he said, hoarsely. "Then, by Heaven, you
shall never leave it alive, and will swear
that you got those things from your grand
father and was trying to hide them here !"
She struggled desperately for her life.
His cruel fingers were round her white
neck, pressing out her breath, strangIing
her; but at the same instant the door with
the woodea latch few back and Judge Lam
dreth followed by the landlord, burst into
the loft.
.'Saye mel" gasped Rhoda.
The Judge tore Sutton from her and
hurled him to the floor.
''What he cried, in wrath and horror,
ibid you come here to murder this girl?
Then he bent suddenly and snatched
something from the floor.
.'Great God!" he exclaimed, staggering
back step, s'here is Martha Grants night
cap and the candlesticks, marked with her
name, that were taken from her bedcham-
Der on the night of her murder. Landlord,
how came these things in your house?"
81 know no more than the dead, sir, an
swered the aghast landlord. s.Ihe night
the old woman was killed on Charlestown
Neck Mr.. Sutton rode up to the Betsy Ba-
ker about midnight and asked for room.
There was none empty but this loft. so
here he was put for want of better accom-
modations, and that's all I can tell about
the matter"
sAnswer for yourself, Sutton" cried the
Judge, sternly, but Sutton groyeled on the
floor and made no reply.
sLook in the hole in the beam" said
Rhoda. ''It was this man, and not my
grandfather, who killed Martha Grant.
With his own lips I heard him confess it,
as he walked here in his sleep tonight.
Oh, sir | /" throwing herself at Judge Lam
dreth's feet, and claspIng him about the
knees, "save my grandfather before it is too
late"
In great agitation he lifted her up.
ssMy child, rest assured that justice shall
be done" he said.
And then they went to the hollow beam
and drew out canvass bag crowded with
gold and silver pieces, shirt front and
some fine cambria rufies, torn and spotted
like the nighteap.
'Sutton," said Judge Landreth, con the
night of your aunt's murder you left her
house at eight o'clock, and its doors were
bolted after you. How, then, did you gain
entrance to her chamber ?"
'sBy the window" replied Sutton, s'after
everybody was asleep. l needed money
I had to get it in some way. Put out these
people, Landreth, and will confess every
thing"
There was no hanging at Lechmere's
Point on the morrow, for Judge Landreth
stood at the door of the Governors man
sion, on Beacon Hill, before dawn was gray
in the sky, with news that Joshua Slade
was an innocent man, and that the real
murderer of Martha Grant had been found
in the person of her nephew, Coral Sutton
Rhoda Wyman went with the Judge to
Boston Jail to see her grandfather released,
and clasped the old man whom she had
saved in her brave young arms, and wept
upon his breast for very JOY.
"My child" the Judge said to her, 81
could not sleep Christmas night because of
your lovely, sorrowful face. Never had /
felt so disturbed and miserable. was
walking my chamber, yaiDly asking myself
bow could help Joshua Slade, for your
sweet sake, when l heard your cry In the
loft. God be thanked that was fortunate
enough to reach you before Sutton could
do you harm !"
He was called stern Judge in his day,
but he had susceptible heart, and Rhoda's
beauty and heroism had moved 1t deeply.
Though he was many years her senior, he
married Joshua SHADES granddaughter just
six months after that terrible Christmas
night, educated her himself for her new
and high position, and remained to his
dying day, it is said, her tender and devoted
lover, -FFqnk Leslis's 0hristalas Number