The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-07-26

To stop the bleeding seemed his first
task. He drew white silk muffier
from his neck and bound up the head,
and in a moment or two the old man
spoke.
This is a friend?' he gasped.
''Ges," said Harry Hayden kindly;
"a friend, old gentleman. What has
happened here?"
Il have been assaulted and robbed
by drunken tramp" said the old gen
tleman. Il am unable to rise-I may
be dying"
Keep up your heart" said Harry, [
have something here that may help
YOU
He drew a pocket-fask from his
breast and put it to the old mans lips,
and soon had the pleasure of finding
that he grew stronger, then slowly and
carefully assisted him along the path.
Once his charge stumbled and fell,
clutching at his garments as he did So
Something was torn, he knew; but it
was Lot until he cached the road, and
assisted the old gentleman into shelter
house near the trough where the stage
horse stopped to water, that he saw a
bntron had been pulled off his long
coat
Il am much better now," said the
old man, land the stage will be here
in half an hour; | need delay You no
longer. But tell me the name of my
good friend and preserver."
Harry had glanced at his watch. He
saw that only a hard run could enable
him to reach the station in time for the
train; and that his company might start
without him was nota pleasant thought
'Glad | have been of assistance" he
answered, and sped away as fast as
his long legs could carry him. He
reached the station only in time to
spring into the last carriage as it
started.
The train did not stop at the next
station, nor at the next. At the third
it came to pause. There was a little
commotion on the platform, and two
men entered. They spoke to the con-
ductor and advanced to where Harry
sat.
''YOur name is Hayden?" said one
"Harry Hayden" replied the young
In a moment the other produced
pair of handouts.
You are my prisoner" said he.
''In the name of God, what does this
mean?" cried Harry.
THAT you are under arrest for the
murder of Nathan Bee" said the man.
ellis murder? / knocked him down,
but he was not hurt in the least" cried
Harry.
''Say nothing more, for your own
sake" said the officer.
They led him from the train. Under
the glaring light of the station he saw
his coat streaked with blood and rent,
his hands besmeared with gore. The
marks left upon him when he assisted
the old man through the woods were
such as an assassin might have borne
from the body of his victim.
The crowd that had gathered hooted
him and cried out against him. But
Harry, knowing how the smears and
tatters were obtained, felt inclined to
laugh. Nathan Bee was frightened, he
supposed. The delay was unpleasant.
but could end in nothing serious.
Alas! he was mistaken. Returning
home, Nathan Bee had gone to the cow
house with a lantern to minister to
sick calf, and had been found there,
shortly after, foully murdered, clutch
ing in his ssiffened hand brown cloth
button.
The old Quaker remembered Harry
Hayden's threats and his violence to-
wards Nathan, and a telegram caused
his arrest.
The circumstantial evidence was all
against him, but the button was the
worst point of all. He was cast into
prison, and even Lettice could scarcely
believe him innocent.
rhn 8 f,iol
proven that he had threatened Ma
than's life, and that he was three hours
in reaching a spot to which any man
could walk in one.
In that interval the young Quaker
was murdered.
HAYDEN had entered the station COW
cred with blood, and with a rent in his
coat, button of which was missing.
A button of the same size was found
in the dead mans hand, blood-stained,
but evidently once brown.
Harry Hayden felt hope forsake him
as he listened.
When asked what he had to say for
himself he looked sadly about him.
''Only that am innocent" he said.
II lost one train, and nearly lost
another, because / helped an old man
reach the road. He clutched my coat
as he stumbled, and pulled the button
off. He tainted twice, and it was his
blood that stained my hands and gar
ments l never saw Nathan Bee after
left the bridge. l say this, and l
expect no one 30 believe me-"
He staggered back, pale and sick OF
soul, and hoot of derision filled the
= l.xT hkal
voice of the old judge, who rose upon
the bench and descended slowly to the
witness-stand.
81 vacate my seat and demand to
be sworn" he said. 1.-The prisoner
tells the simple truth, and l can prove
it. l am the old man he found in the
to see his face, and did not know his
his name, but found myself clutching
the button | had torn from his coat as
/ fell, and | have kept it. And l have
also the muffler with which he bound
my bleeding head; it is marked H. II.
Administer the oath that l may swear
to this"
AS he spoke a cry of joy echoed
through the courtroom, and Lettlce
Ogleby rushed forward and threw her
self into her lovers arms.
Investigation proved that the real
murderer was the tramp who had at
tackled the judge in the forest path.
He was found in one of his haunts with
his plunder about him, and the tell-tale
button missing from his ragged coat,
and he met the penalty of his foul deed
upon the scaffOld.
As for Friend Ogleby, he had so de-
sired Harry's punishment and SO
positively believed him guilty OF
Nathan's murder, that he began to
doubt his own infallibility of judgment,
and after few moments conversation
with the Judge. declared that he had
shad it borne in upon him" that he
should give his consent to his daughters
marriage to her lover.