Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-11-21

"You are sure; l mean you know,
Jim had knife, and that he struck the
man?''
'Yes-I know; that's what I'm come
about" And for the first time her
eyes fell, and she plucked her shawl
nervously. There's a girl, pal OF
mine, she saw him and she's got to
tell. what can L do?''
"She's got to teli-what do you
mean. is she called as a witness?'
Yes, that's it-be a witness; that
means tell all you know. l made it
out-somebody WAS bound to make it
out, and i did. You see 1 belong to
him."
\ wonderful TRANSPORTATION came
over her face. and filed 1t with tender
womanhood. linking it to another
womanhood higher and purer than hers,
and from which she had hitherto
seemed far away: think she would
have said, Il love him. had she known
know, but as was, her old phrase told
il all.
"what can doP" she asked again,
as l said nothing.
"You mean how can 1 keep her
silent. preventing her telling what she
knows"
Ats not that, she's game for that,
she'd lie for him, and she'd swing for
him, we're all pals, you see; but"
and with the unusual effort at the
thought poor Meg's face grew troubled
and her words-''they've told me, the
man who came about it and others,
that you can't help peaching if they get
Nn in \ hA in.
tue witness box. They ask you ques-
tons and you speak, though you'd
rather bite your tongue out 1t Is
true?"
"Yes, Meg, am afraid she cannot
hide the. truth; it is better to tell it
simply and hope that" I stopped
abruptly. ''Did no one else see the
quarrel7'' l asked.
mo, that's 1t, Jim and the man were
alone, only she was there. she'd only
just come in; if she'd not come in they
might have thought it an accident
she's the only one.'
Cant you make up something for
her TO say? she'll say it," sic cried
eagerly
1 turned away from her to think
quietly, and the glitter OF the brass ring
on her finger caught my eye. Was she
his wifeI pondered.
1t was not likely the couple was mar
ried, but il was possible, and 1t was her
only hope now, his only hope for life.
and it must be tried.
Meg" / said, ''there is one thing
you ought to know. You are safe Win
me, and You ought not mind my speak
ing out No man can make q WlI8
witness against her husband in Eng
land. and If"
But her face was piteous in fts wide
gaze at mine.
You need not talk of it, :, - oaxd
bluntly, "they told me- But Ionq't
save him that way; Pm not wit GouGh
for that they say. If he'd onIT know
how it would be, he'd have tak1m -
to church fast enough" sho 1ddo1,
with bitter candor; then ratoinG hef
head, she said deEantiy, ..btit Z VII.
make no difference. I'll stick 70 him,
and he knows it-if only you'll tell me
how"
''No, Meg" 1 said gently, 'there is
nothing you could say. If L told you
anything. | should be doing wrong, and
it would do no good; they would find
out at once you were not speaking the
TRUTH
There is nothing 1 can speak of.
Meg, unless you can hide for time,
and keep right out of the way"
If" she said, her brow knotted with
the effort she had made to grasp my
suggestion, IF no one came to speak,
if 1 were not there to speak, would Jim
get offP'
Il do not know, 1 will inquire; but
If you are sure no one else saw the muir
der, very likely he might be saved.
What does James Bond sayr"
He says lie knows nothing about
it.''
"Where is the knifeP'
She looked at me for moment, then
ut the door, and then she opened the
bosom of her dress and showed me a
strong clasp-knife with the blade an
inch across. 1t was shut and she did
not open it, but put it hurriedly away.
What il she drew suspicion to herself?
Meg" l began in tone OF remon-
STRANGE; but 1 had frightened her. She
recognized an effort at Tespectability
which was antagonistic of Jim, and
turned and went out quickly. / fol-
lowed her to the gate; but the fog had
covered everything again, and though
1 got a lantern, and shouted and
searched, failed TO find her.
Nor did lind her until, all prelimi-
nary inquiries over, James Bond was
brought up for trlal.
There had been one eye witness of
James Bonds savage blow, knife in
hand, at his drunken companion, of
this the authorities were convinced; I;
but this one witness had eluded them.
81 shall clap my hands on her yet,
said the terTIer-like officer of the de-
tective force to me, rubbing his wiry
gray halr with baffled gesture. "By-
the-by, it is that girl you were inter-
ested in, sir. ] suppose you do not
know where she is?''
l was glad that 1 knew nothing; for
though 1 cared little about James
Bonds fate, L cared much for Jim's
Meg's sorrow.
''Ah," 1 said, rather hypocritically,
s'then it will be all circumstantial
evidence. The. knife will lie a clue, 1
imagine"
1.-The knife!" muttered my friend,
irritably, that's just It, we have not
got the knife. James Bond was known
to carry one, but he does not produce
it; but you can't hang a man because
he's lost his knife, even if you can
side to fit it, No sir, it's a poor case;
Pm as certain as am that see you,
that Jim killed Robin, but We can't
prove it, and unless l lay my hand on
Meg we shan't prove It"
was full of thought for Meg. and
decIGed to walk home, so as to be
alone. The girl had evidently run
away, for she and Jim were too well
known to the police TO make any hiding
place among her former companions
secure from search, or proof against
betrayal.
OF course had not the slight clue to
guide me as to the Whereabouts of the
girl who would wander on aimlessly
into the country, walked in my per-
plexity as aimlessly as Meg. until l
found myself IN the Harrow Road.
On still, with my head bent, until the
road grew lonely and silent, and lamps
were few, and the town was no longer
around but behind me. / heard tramp
ling feet and saw darkly outlined