The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-30


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Eyes, looking 'dazed like the policeman
said" / replied. III can understand his
using the expression now that have seen
her"
Nothing further occurred for about a
week, when we received visit from q
stranger My aunt could hardly be per-
suaded to see him, so certain did she feel
that his visit must be connected with this
dsagreeable affair For my own part was
| anxious to hear any thing that would throw
light upon 1t. "If he is," 1 said, "he may,
perhaps, see the uselessness Of mixing us
up in it. We had better see him."
We found clergyman, Mr. Edward Hold
fast, chaplain of W Jail, tall, thin man
! with worn but kindly face.
"You have come, hope" said my aunt,
ITO set us free from the dsagreeable and, I
| may say, absurd position in which we find
ourselves. will not answer for the conse-
quence IL am taken to stuffy court and
made to say all sorts of things, when
know nothing. Ny poor, dear husband
"Quite so, my dear madame" said Mr..
Holdfast: "the evidence is most unsatisfac-
| tory, and propose taking some steps which
| may save-mind, only say may save, In
| the event of my experiment proving success
| ful-all necessity for public trial Gould
you make up your minds to being present at
n private examination oe the witnesses and
| the prisoner, conducted on the scene Of the
-the-at the bath -house!n Without waiting
| for the tremulous negative on my aunt's
| lips, he continued 81 can elicit nothing from
| the prisoner. but she steadily repeats when
| questioned Il know nothing of French
woman and nothing of a MURDER and once
she said: Send for my father and then
| correcting herself astily-'But no-itwould
| kill him to find me herer So she refuses
| her address. We have advertised, of course,
| though she does not seem to see the neces-
| sity of accounting for her presence in this
! neighborhood.
"Then," interrupted my aunt, "you think,
| as we do, that it is impossible this poor
young lady can be really guilty"
But Rev. Edward Holdfast had not been
| chaplain of Jail without learning how to
| keep his own counsel
at is not tor me to pronounce any opin-
| ion, but" he continued, 81 am sure neither
| you nor your niece will refuse what assist
ance you can render to lady of delicate
| nature like yourselves, who. if innocent,
| should be spared the horrors of a public
| trial of this kind"
We secretly questioned the legality of Mr.
Holdfast's inquiry, still more so its efficacy
But not daring to entangle herself in argu.
ments of a legal nature, my aunt wisely ac-
quiesced, and promised to appear on the fol.
lowing day at the bath-house. This really
was very brave of her. all things considered,
but the appeal to her humanity had con.
quered, thonght. 1 could form no satis-
factory conclusion Us to Mr.. Holdfast's in
tentions. The idea of suicide had been
A,f1 x,p,,fr tod 1,1yv tpo1 nj
the Coroner's inquest; it had been clearly
proved impossible for such a cash to have
been inflicted by the woman herself. Per-
haps Mr.. Hodfast doubted this, and wanted
by examination of the place to prove the con-
trary; but this could certainly have been
done without our assistance. Did he wish
to watch tho effect of the terror of the place
on some other person he suspected! There
was something very unpleasant in the
thought of assisting at such scene. Did
he hope that the prisoners unaccountable
silence might be broken, and that, face to
face with the scene, she would continue a
denial that could not but carry conviction
into the minds of those who would have to
witness against her' But no, it was idle to
surmise; the determined restraint and ST.
lence, beyond just what he had chosen to
communicate, formed complete barrier to
his intentions.
"She must be bailed out" said my aunt,
'otherwise no one would allow her to appear,
and who can have bailed her except the
chaplain himself."
timidly suggested it was hardly bail
ing matter.
'He seemed fearfully anxious for her
escape; did you see how his face worked
and twitched. He was nearly flying out at
me when he thought l wouldn't come
was too frightened to say no, that was the
fact; not frightened, of course, but it is
awkward to have gentlemen getting into
RACES in one's own drawing room"
Eyes, aunt, the china!'
Don't talk nonsense, Ellice. It's my i'm
preston, though you pretend he wasn't ex-
cited, that If he can't hit on plan of clear
ing that young woman he'll elope with her!
He has pretty woman in tragic circum-
stances on his hands, and he means to save
her somehow; what better method"
"If he thinks her innocent" 1 reply,
rather staggered at my aunt's extraordinary
idea. 1t was certainly true that he had ap-
peared terribly anxious, that he had sup
pressed his anxiety with conscious effort;
he had the traces of sleepless nights and
strong emotion on his face, but the fate of a
human being was hanging in the balance,
and natural humanity, quickened by the
sacred nature of his office, was enough,
thought, to account for unusual feeling.
'Don't tell me-" continued my aunt,
''that if she were not pretty girl there
would be so much fuss in that mans mind;
it isn't his business to say who's guilty and
who's not, and to my mind he is very little
fit to do either"
On the afternoon of the day appointed nv
aunt and l found ourselves at the "Folly.n
We crossed the large central room, Or
iginally designed for the pump room, now
used as young mems institute, and we'll
supplied with illustrated papers of extreme
antiquity. 1t opened on an unroofed turf
inclosure, intended as an exercising ground
for patients occupied in assimilating the
mineral waters, but 1t usually served as
drying ground for the "attendant's" linen.
There was no linen there to-day, however.
Instead were two benches accommodating
the already assembled witnesses, and beyond
was the fatal bathroom. 1 hardly dared
look toward 1t, so near was still the horror
of the place. We took our seats among a
mixed assembly of gaping farm laborers, one
or two tradesmen, and ladies'. There was
conspicuous absence of any Of the gentlemen
of the neighborhood. Did Mr. Holdfast fear
that his proceedings might be called in
questions Hardly any one spoke beyond
slight and almost inaudible greetings to
their friends. The Clergyman stood near
the entranceof the inclosure, leaning against
4 Nl,.. xrlt 49, l., y