The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-07-17

through the mess room window"
There was general cry of amazement
and horror from the men forming the
guaIA l was disguised with the job was
on, which gave no opportunity for eXer-
cising skill and felt somehow elated that
happened to be on the spot when what
promised to be very mysterious affair
occurred. Addressing the servant, who
was clad in a blue striped jacket OF the
Eaton cut, / cried:
Lead me to the scene of the murder in
the shortest way.n Then, turning to the
officer in uniform, added Come along,
sergeant and commenced running across
the spacious parade ground in the wake of
the man who brought the news. | had not
run quick enough, however, to prevent mo
from hearing one of the soldiers say
'And so the beggar's shot at last. |
always thought some one would brain
him.
Another voice murmured something like
''Serve him right" But that was not the
time to make inquiries nor the place.
We entered the spacious hall of the Off
GERS quarters and the sounds of women
screaming and weeping could be heard on
every hand. At the door of the mess
room an elderly gentleman in mess COS
tune stopped the way.
'Ah, policeman at last" he said.
''This gentleman, said the police SER
geant, sis Inspector Poynter, from Scot
land Yard-fortunately here on other
business
This way, sir" cried the Major-for that
was this gentleman rank. THANK Heaven
you are on the spot and he led the way
into the great room, around which a few
men in uniform and private dress were
standing, pale-faced and hushed, in the
presence of death. Two army doctors
were leaning over the chair of the MUIR
dered man, and they had already pro-
nounced life to be extinct.
As | advanced announced, the medical
men stood aside, and | saw stout man
lying back inanimate in the circular chair
which he had occupied at the feast. He
was in all likelihood forty years of age,
hooked-nosed, and | should imagine that
his habitual expression might be termed
fierce and commanding. His eyebrows were
buShy and heavy, and met over the nose,
while his large mustache joined short
whiskers at the ends. CHASTITY pale,
blush tinge remained upon the nose and
cheeks, and this seemed to indicate that
his countenance was not only weather
beaten, but MAJ led by tokens only to be
seen ON the faces of those who are fond of
wine and similar beverages, and who use
them unsparingly.
will you see that nothing is movedm
/ asked the police sergeant; and having
explained the necessity of this precaution
to the Major Iexamined the surroundings.
The white damask cloth in front of the
chair was crimson and wet with his hearts
blood. There were four very large and
wide windows looking toward the moor
land and the deceased man had been sit
ting right opposite the one at the extreme
end of the room-the end where the head
of the table was. 1t was explained that
Captain Mervyn-that was his name-waS
in the act of rising to reply to the toast of
the brides health, when the fatal bullet
came crashing through the window to pen
citrate his heart. Standing as nearly in his
| then npGitiOn as npGSihla | ca w tho hole n
| the glass, with the numberlesS cracks radi
ating from the round center. In the
| gloomy light of the space between the win
| dow and the moorland, l discerned some
| thing like the ruins of a house. When
| had noted every thing informed the doc
tors that the body might be removed to
| the Captains bedroom, if they wished it,
and that gentlemen might take away
| whatever possessions they had on the ia
| bles. Meantime, left the room in charge
of a constable who had just arrived, and
| with the sergeant proceeded to examine
the outside of the building.
Upon entering the building l noticed
that fight of six steps led up to the hall,
and side flight OF similar number led
| down to the area and the kitchens. From
| this it will be understood that although the
mess room might be said to be on the
! ground floor it was still high enough to be
| classed a first floor. Going out at the back
| door, we descended the same number of
steps, and here | found a number of young
officers, servants, soldiers and militiamen-
| the latter ill-clad, just they had run
| from their dormitories, the canteen or the
! recreation rooms. The Colonel was there
| in a state of great excitement and distress.
He had, notwithstanding this fact, taken
| the precaution to put an extra guard of a
| sergeant and TWO men on the gate, and no
one was permitted to enter or pass out ex-
cept few officers who had rushed out
| bareheaded in pursuit of the assassin. l
noticed to my dismay a number of people
| from the street had gathered outside the
walls. Passing through the gateway, after
being introduced to the Colonel, | saw that
| the ground to the moorland rose slightly,
and that the roohess ruins of a hut stood
upon the very edge of the rise, and directly
| opposite the broken window, and this win
dow was opposite the gateway Little
| more than glance sufficed to show me
| that tirearm, resting horizontally upon
the sill of what once was window in the
hut, would convey bullet to the heart
this fatal one had found.
The shot has been fired from this hut"
L lntimated. viii you see that no one
enters it!
As spoke two young officers, clad in
| mess jackets, advanced from the ruins, and
one of them said:
1--WE have been there''-but before |
could answer heard other words spoken
in the close vicinity which commanded my
attention, although l took care not to APP
pear to be listening. The words were these:
Somebody has been killed-who is it,"
| and before | could interfere the second
officer replied to the speaker:
miss Brooks
''Miss Brooks! Great heavens! Not
Captain Mervyn-"
The rain was coming down again, but in
| a dense, misty kind of way. Some men
came out with lanterns, and guard was
put on the ruins at my request l then
noticed that the two young officers who
had come from them, and the civilian who
had spoken so strangely and suspicionsly,
were not only wet, but stained and splashed
from head to foot. The officer who had
uttered the words ''Mss Brooks" had evil
IDENTIFY fallen more than once, for his fine
scarlet mess jacket was bedaubed all up
one side.
Taking the first young officer and the
police sergeant aside, asked the former if
he was acquainted with the young gentle
man to whom his companion was now
speaking.
80, yes; he is friend Of most Of u.s."
''His namef"
''Sidney Beryl."
"Any professionf
"No." Then with sudden suspicion:
"Surely you don't suspect him!"
81 can't say vet" replied.
Then turning to tho sergeant, asked him
to disperse the crowd, if possible, while |
| proceeded with my examination.
what is your friends name!' l asked
the officer | was talking to-"the gentle
man speaking to Beryl."
His name is Bromley-Lieutenan