Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-02-02

WAsh ss@es seeme0 70 iualcate tnat SOM
such ferocious beast. perhaps a dog
was loose in the neighborhoOi. I
would be for the jury, however. t.
review all the facts and return a jus
and impartial verdict upon the case
The jury dslibersted for some time
and finally determined that the de.
ceased died from the bite of some
savage animal, but what animal they
were unable to say. A rider to the
verdict directed the police to use all
possible diligence to track out and
destroy so dangerous beast. and sug-
| gested that q reward should be offered
for its capture or death. This was
done by the local authorities. but with
no result, and as weeks went on and
no fresh victim fell to the "ravenous
beast or beasts unknown" men ceased
to 60 armed or to apprehend attacks,
and the Craddock Park mystery was
forgotten.
Mr.. Duncan Macd onald had left no
will, and though he had torn up q
testament providing for his nephew,
he had not vet executed his threat of
disinheriting him. So Macbane, as
the only near relative, came in for the
manufacturers very considerable for
tune. He sold out his uncle's share
in his business, and his first act almost
was to purchase an old, half ruinous
place called Dullas Tower, which had
been (as / gathered from the scanty
letter he wrote me about it) the an.
cestral seat of the Macbanes before
the family fell into poverty and i'll
repute in the old witchcraft days.
1 was prevented by my school du-
ties from seeing Macbane, now that
he had gone North, and about this
time Standish got good appointment
on an Indian railway in course of con.
struction and had to sail at once.
Thus we three friends were parted for
long, and it might be forever. / was
sorry enough to lose Standish; think
it was rather a relief to see no more
Of Macbane. He was stranger than
ever, now that his sudden prosperity
had come upon nlm-aiteruateiy gay
and sullen, exalted ITand depressed,
and disquieting enough in either mood.
occasionally sent him a line, and at
still rarer intervals received an an
swer; but, on the whole, I thought he
had dropped out Of my life perman-
emily, and | was not sorry to have it
so, now that he needed no help. l
did not dream of the strange way in
which We were once again to be
brought together.
CHATTER V.
1t was some months after Standish
had left for India, and I had already
received one letter from him, when
was startled by brief paragraph
among the Indian telegrarhs in the
Times. 1t ran thus: AZ regret to
state that Mr.. F. Standish, the young
end talented engineer experimenting
the construction of the Salampore
Junction Railway, has been killed, is
is supposed by tiger" This was all
terribly simple, brief and direct, as
messages of evil are now. Twas great.
/ ly shocked and grieved at this sudden
death of my old friend; for though I
was not likely to see him again for
many years, and college friendships
fade sadly when college life is over,
yet We had been much together before
he left, and nay remembrance of him
was still warm and affectionate. AS
soon as recovered from the blow OF
the news, | wrote at once to Lieuten-
ant Johnson, a young officer whom
Standish had mentioned as being
stationed near his quarters, and as
being an acquaintance of his, to ask
for some particulars of my friends
death.
The answer was forwarded to nee
about the end of August. I was moi
at the time in London, but had beer
invited by an old friend of my family
to stay with him and have some shoot
ing Though this was mere pretenc.
on my part) at his place in Yorkshire
Lieutenant Johnson's letter was SEN
on from my lodgings to Darton Manor
where / was. 1t was a good letter
showing in its tone of manly regre
how familiar and dear Standish hac
grown in the short time Of intercours,
with his new neighbors; but what
J turned to most eagerly was, of course
the account of my poor friends death
; 1t was brief aud rather mysterious
Stsndish had gone out for an earl,
walk in The cool of the morning, ia
} king his gun with him, as was hi
custom. He had walked along III