The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-30
of Ahck Frazer's new keepers; but we
must find the Loom"
CHAPTER XIII.
RIDnnLPH'S STORY.

II
was carried into the little village of Balla,
and Biddulph noticed that people looked
at him with lowering glances, and shrank
away from him, as he followed the bear
ers of the dead.
But the doctor walked manfully by his
side, and ostentatiously took him into his
surgery to dress his wound
Its a vera bad business" he said TO
one of the bystanders, "but it might ha'
been worse, for the same shot that killed
the leedy just missed killing Mr. Biddulph
as weel.
The man he addressed, with character
istic Scotch caution, made no reply. He
was the keeper of the little hosiery where
the dead woman had lodged, and where,
only the night before, she had boasted,
under the influence OF repeated glasses of
whisky, that she could make Mr.. Bid
dulph Of Dunbaan give her any amount
of money she chose to ask him for.
Aud now she lay cold and stark, with
bullet in her breast, after meeting this
same Mr.. Biddulph in the Glen. 1t had
an ugly look, at all events, the Highland
innkeeper reflected; and his thoughts
are shared by the weird old women, who
crept out OF their smoke-illed cabins to
see the dead leedy" carried past. Almost
the whole OF the inhabitants OF the vii
lage, indeed, turned out to see the sad
sight. The doctor had decently COW
cred her face, but the blOodstains on
her gown and cloak were only too visible.
And now the question arose, where was
she to be taken?
The innkeeper objected to receive the
dead body, on the score of his customers
feelings. But the doctor, with his larger
intelligence, was ready to take it under
his roOf-tree.
''Ah. poor soul, she'll not hurt ye," he
said and he bade the men carry the dead
woman into his house, and lay her in the
best parlor.
''The kitchen will serve me weel enough
on pinch" he remarked. "Now, come
along, Mr.. Biddulph; must ha' a look at
yer shoulder"
When he was dressing it, Biddulph, who
was very pale, said, with some agitation
of manner
II believe they think 1 shot the poor
woman, doctor. l shall offer reward of
two hundred pounds to discover the man
who did"
The doctor did not speak for moment;
then he said slowly:
''Ye are rich man, are We not, Mr.. Bid
dulph?"
"At least, / am not a poor one"
'Then offer three hundred it's worth
the money to clear yer name Of foul
stain"
'Very we'll; 1 offer three hundred,
then; and-let everything be done de-
Gently and we'll"
'Ye mean about the burial? Ay, ay;
but that won't be yet. The poor crea-
ture's death will ha' to be inquired into,
and the evidence taken. But don't fash
about it tonight; ha' some whisky, and
then I'll walk down to the loch wi We,
and see We again In the morn and I'll tell
the folks round about the reward"
The doctor was as good as his word, and
Biddulph was presently rowed across the
misty loeb. in a state of strange and mixed
emotion. He could scarcely, indeed, real
ize the great change that had come to his
life during the last two hours. He was
free man now; and yet something in his
heart-the dead wOman's last awful looks
and dying cries-forbade him to rejoice.
And the knowledge, too, that the circum-
stances OF her death might cast a suspicion
on himself was not an agreeable retlec-
ton.
'But it is impossible that any one could
really believe this" he consOled himself
by thinking, at the very moment when
half the neighbors at least were saying
what a dreadful thing it was about Mr.
Biddulph shooting his wife
One OF the first to say this was Alick
Fraser. Riding home through Balla, he
heard the story from the innkeeper, and
after considering a minute or two, turned
his horses head and rode straight to Ross
more. He felt some satisfaction in the
idea that he should be the person to tell
Nora Stewart the dreadful news.
al wonder what she will say now?" he
grimly reflected, as he proceeded up the
steep avenue; and he was pleased also
when he was admitted AID usher& into
the drawing room, where he found Nora
alone.
lie had never seen her since the day of
the accident on the hills, and, looking at
her now with his keen brown eyes, he no
ticed change in the expression of her
face-a subtle sadness, WEAKNESS, which
was not there before.
He went up to her couch and shook
hands with her warmly, telling her how
pleased he was to see her again.
1--WE heard from Jeanie constantly about
you, you know, but | did not like to in
trude until thought you were really well
enough to see me. Well, the hero of that
day when you sprained your foot is likely
to come to a fine end"
"What do you mean?" asked Nora, with
whitening lips.
'You have not heard the last sensation
in the neighborhood, then?" went on
Alick, with hard relish, when a softer
hearted man would have shrank from in
hicting pain. "Biddulph shot his wife
this afternoon in the Glen, and is as like
ly as not to be- tried for murder as the
police have been communicated with"
Nora did not speak; she tried to utter
some commonplace words, but her voice
was dumb.
81 never liked the fellow; don't know
how it was," proceeded Alick, still enjoy
ing the situation. "An honest man has
no right to pass himself off as unmarried
to young ladies when he has already a
wife," and he smiled.
"And did he do this ?" asked Nora, in a
strange, altered voice.
$50 | understood. Why, Jeanie told
me you would not believe he wds married,
Miss Nora; but he was, sure enough"
"Nor dol believe" said Nora, lifting
her head and fixing her dark eyes on
Alick Frasers face, her voice broken and
vibrating with emotion, ''that he would
wilfully lift his hand to injure any wo-
man. / believe this story is false; that it
is invented by people who hate him.
"Well, young lady, if that is your opin-
ion think you will find yourself mis-
TAKEN" said Alick disagreeably "But, as
this tragedy happened on my property, l
must be off 20 look into it. know the
sheriff very well. Mr.. Biddulph shall