The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-23

The man made no reply, but pointed TO
dark stains-stains OF blood-scattered over
the room, solne--oh, horror lon my own
bed clothes.
AS We, any sense OF my own peril had not
dawned on mo. The inu-keeper's next
words brought IL home TO mo.
:" am afraid, sir, You must remain here
Till tho constable arrives. This Is n very
ugly piece Of business. you SEQ, and shall
be held responsible IL ! let you go"
In short, was TO consider myself pris-
oner OH the suspicion of murder; permission
was even refused to my leaving the room.
The door was locked, and was left alone to
contemplate the terrible evidences of the
violent deed which were scattered around
me.
In duo time the village constable arrived,
and after basty glance at the stains ON the
floor aud the bed-cloihes began to question
me after the manner of his kind. How could
account for the stains Ii the murder had
been committed by some one else, why had ]
not assisted the unfortunate victim Final
ly, had not letter make clean breast Of
it, and tell him what had done with the
bodyl
l answered sharply, denying all knowl-
edge Of the deed, and requesting him TO lose
no time In fruitless inquiry, but to set out at
once on search for the body.
Finding that nothing in the way of self
committal could he extracted from me, the
constable conveyed me to the village lock up,
where was confined for some hours. Weary
hours The more thought over the mys-
terious event of the previous night the more
hopeless did my prospect of escape appear.
IL had actually committed the murder the
evidence could not be more conclusive. But
ri, In IN N It'll I.l ILL
perhaps he managed to escape with his life,
and II so his evidence would clear me. The
hope was scarcely formed before IL was
dashed 10 the ground. The constable en-
tered the cell to inform me that the bedy had
been found in disused clubhouse attached
to the " Travellers Rest"
"Found him with his throat cut" was
the officers laconic statement.
l need say nothing of the inquest, the
magisterial examination, or the trial itself.
Nothing was brought ont further than what
have related.
4
The man of law laid down his psn and
looked at me thoughtfully.
"This is substantially the same story as
that handed to me when received instruc-
tons to defend"
"There can be but little difference. |
spoke the truth then as have spoken II to.
day."
He sighed-a rare thing for lawyer.
" The business looks no better now than Il
did at the trial. Are you sure you have told
me everythingf"
81 did not see the man murdered-can
you expect Inc to describe the features of the
murderer 2"
For moment a ray of hope illuminei the
face of my friend.
"You saw the face of the stranger when
he entered the room that night %
I" Not his face; IL was too dark
"Then his back Did you notice any
peculiarityf What was his height, for in.
stance i''
" can scarcely say but think he had
q club foot"
Then did you see the body found In the
out house 2"
emo, did not.'
"There is enough in this to secure a re.
spite, so that We may have an opportunity
of exhuming the body. Don't he sanguine
however. There is little likelihood that .
mistake was made in Identifying the body
the landlord had no object to secure 4,
swearing falsely, and It is hardly probabl.
he made mistake. l will see You AGAR
after have communicated with the Home
Office"
Before again saw the lawyer the land
lord of the Travellers Rest" paid ma
visit, by special permission of the au-
thorities. looked upon his intrusion as an
insult. and resented 1t accordingly.
You don't like TO see Newell, that's
nat'ral," the man began. al shouldn't
like to see tho man as swore my life away
mysalf."
lint l,ar d,
have none too many hours left me that can
Afford to waste even one moment. Say what
you have to say and begone."
".That's as may be. Some folks are no
half so near dying as they think them
Selves"
You are witness against me-"
Like enough, sir; but witnesses some
times make Mistakes"
looked at him.
You made mistake, then 2"
Certainly, sir. That man was never
murdered"
But you found his body2"
Excuse me, sir, but that's where the
mistake came in. We didn't find his body
1t was somebody else's."
You swore to it,"
$50 did; but swore wrongly. The
body We found was that of poor half-witted
lad who had got hisself in love with my
daughter, Susie. Cause she wouldn't have
nothing to do with he, he cuts his throat,
like the poor little fool he was. But, sir,
with all his faults he didn't have club.
foot.''
Hereupon figure which had hitherto re.
NAMED in the background grasped my pas.
sive hand.
Don't you recognize mef''
admitted that did not.
He pointed TO his foot. twas club shaped.
i" II is not long story" he went on. "
am occasionally subject to copious bleeding
at the nose. On that night had renewal
of the attack. TRIED to stop IL by the usual
methods. None were of any avail. The
blood continued TO dow, and at last |
thought would ask you to go down stairs
and get some spirits from the landlord, for
was on the point of fainting. When saw
you were sleeping SO soundly thought it
would bs an unkind thing TO awake you to
assist an unknown stranger. This accounts
for the stains on your bed Clothes"
And You went ont into the stormi"
"The storm had abated somewhat, and
the bespattering of the rain did mo more
good than harm. In half an hours time
was myself again. Why didn't return to
the innf had paid my score in advance,
had nothing left there, and, being some
miles, thought ! might as well get on with
my journey. The fainting Selling had worn
of, and as the dawn showed promise of q
bright day I concluded to 60 ON with my
journey"
"And you never saw the newspaper re
ports of the trial"
"Never. ! have for many years made II
a point" said the club footed mau, " not ia
read police or criminal repOrts I have