Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-07-24
CHAPTER Y.
Are you engaged to marry the ac-

CHAPTER v.
"Are you engaged to marry the ac-
cused?"
This was not the first Question pat to
the witness, but it was the first that prom
ised to afford the spectors, who occupied
every inch of the floor in the justice room,
the slightest return for the trouble they
had taken. The city were talking of moth.
ing but the Critchlow tragedy; and even
in Cheapside tho excitement was plainly
visible. 1t was rumored that the
matter was now as clear as the murder
was dtaboltcal, and that the young man
would certainly be committed for trial to.
day. Among the persons pointed ut and
scanned and sketched by the crowd in
that close green-painted court with the
one window and the skylight, was Mr..
Parkman; and close observers noted that
wandering over the court to cast q look Of
anxiety, of expectation, almost of dread,
toward the door.
But listen. The witness has answered
the question bravely: ~ am"
"And he was in the habit Of commune
similar to the one I produce?"
HE was."
"Did he communicate with you by an
advertisement appearing in the Standard
on the Friday before the murder?"
HE d Id not"
'Were you," said the counsel, smiling,
"under the impression, last Saturday,
that the advertisement emanated from
hlm?"
"I was. But you must let me explain"
And with great steadiness she stated her
reasons for so thinking, and what she had
she did not think ernest the author of it.
This caused a great sensation. The strange
cipher advertisement was q fact quite new
to the general public.
"DoI understand you to think, then,
Miss Maunder, that the person, whoever
he was, who inserted this advertisement
was also the murdererW
II don't know she faltered. Then, with
courage: eyes, I do think So"
He smiled calmly as he looked round.
1t was evident he thought nothing of the
girls theory, but believed Crisp to be both
author and murderer. Others in court
also smiled and shook their heads. Her
idea was too complex and far fetched for
them. They could not swallow it, in vul-
gar phrase.
She was taken then through the events
of the Saturday afternoon, Ind examined
particularly as to the prisoners state
ments about the deceased. Afterwatd the
solicitor for the defense, we'll known to be
employed by Mr.. Parkham, crew from
her all that might tell in the prisoners
favor, and then, casting one long, loving
look Of comfort at her lover, Ethel sat
down. She had told the truth; she had
perfect trust now in the wisdom of the law.
Two or three unimportant witnesses fol-
lowed, the medical evidence succeeded
these, and then Mr.. Parkman was called.
AS he took off his glove many sympataiz-
ing chances were cast at his handsome
figure and grave face. What q trouble
and annoyance it must have been to him !
What a loss to be deprived Of his two chief
employees at once! And then how rich he
xro, anil fo ho aud o1r,oot fo,1 i0,o h1a
too, for was he not going to be married to
the Hon. Sylvestra Hautban!
1.-THE prisoner has been a clerk in the
employing It of your firm for nearly FOUR
teen years, Mr.. Parkman?" That was the
first question of any interest.
steady and upright man in all of his deal
ings with u.s."
Mr.. Parkman then went on to tell what
he knew OF the differences between Critch-
low md the prisoner, and the unfriendly
mention of the cashier which Crisp had
made in their last conversation. But he
told this so reluctantly that the examin-
ing barrister was struck by his bias In the
prisoners favor, and asked him with a
smile: "And do you, too, think that the
same person inserted the advertisement
and committed the murder?"
The witness paused; it was clear that he
had no doubt that his protege was guilty
u VuO On0 anu CAo OuACA y ~ \ y
and passed his hand over his brow. Then
he said: II do"
"And so do ~ said the counsel, dryly,
and was about to sit down with that quip
in his mouth when there was u hustle at
the door. Some glanced that way impa-
tiently, and some expectantly; what was
the expression of Mr.. Parkman's face it
was hard to say. 1t was almost a baffied,
hunt>d look that came into his light blue
eyes, and the hand which he raised 10
stroke his mustache scarcely hid an odd
contraction of the mouth. The noise ceased
as a burly man pushed his way through
the crowd to the table. He seemed to be
some one of Importance, for the counsel
paused in the act Of sitting down, and lent
a willing ear to his whisper. Then a hur-
ried and seemingly exciting iconference
went on between these two and the solicl-
tor for the defense and one or two others
80 exciting that. expectation was raised
to a very high pitch, and at length the
Lord Mayor, unable to boar il longer said
witness, Mr.. BanckworthW
Thus recalled to himself. Mr.. Banck-