Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-04-19
when you Joined itf'

Yes; and have always been So"
You have never had any quarrel or
misunderstanding with brother ofiicerf"
Never"
when the deceased came into your
quarters before dinner did any dispute
arise between your
NO"
He was very angry about something?"
"He was annoyed" emphasizing the
last word.
With your"
"Ohl no. He was never either angry
or annoyed with me in all his life"
What WIS he annoyed about?"
81 am not at liberty to say"
"You must answer the question"
Il cannot. 1t was an official annoy
ance, about q person not in Walmsbury
or very near Walmsbury at the time, and
who could not possibly have been in any
way connected with Capt. Ovens muir
der"
How was that?"
Because that person never knew, and,
to the best Of my belief, does not know
now that Ca,t. Owen had any cause for
annoyance"
And you say it was not . personal
matter?"
Not in the very least"
Then why cannot you disclose the
particulars?"
Because they were given to me in con.
fidence, and decline to break it."
did Capt. Owen say where he had been
during the afternoonf'
At this point Beautiful Jim raised his
honest eyes and beheld staring at him,
with the fascinated gaze Of . bird ct.
tracted by snake, the girl who was bar.
maid at the Ducks Tail; her small, sharp
features were strained and anxious, her
dark skin was Of q greenish pallor, which
contrasted horribly with her profuse and
unnaturally golden hair. Jim looked 1t
her steadily for moment, and then turned
his attention back to his questioner.
"Ycs; he had been into Walmsbury."
Did he tell you wheref"
Eyes; he went to the Ducks Tail"
1.-THE Ducks Tail? What to do therei"
ITO get the address Of . horse dealer
who had been recommended by Maj. Whit.
taker."
Ibid he get it?''
81 don't know; he did not say"
WAS the annoyance connected with
this horse dealer?"
mot in the very least"
Aon luCL0 AOuOWS0 = AOOk 0u0 ClOS0
examination On the after events Of that
day and evening, to all Of which Jim re.
turned answers precisely corroborating the
evidence which had gone before. Then at
last he was told to stand aside. and tho
name of Rose Meeking was called.
Somewhat to Jim's surprise, Rose Meek
Ing proved to be the sharp visaged young
person from the Ducks Tail; and, II
fright was any sign Of guilt. Miss Meek
inf must have had the credit Of being
very guilty. indeed.
She deposed that rather late in the
afternoon Capt. Owen had come into ths
bar Of the Ducks Tan. There was no
one else there. She did not know the
8act time. but the landlord and the
family were at tea She wss busy tidy.
Ing up the bar for the evening. She a.
ways did that tho last thing before shs
went to her tea.
certain horse dealer, Q Mr.. Johns She
knew Mr.. Johns address ard gave e 10
him. She also told him That Mr.. Johns
bad been in shs hotel that morning and
had gone up to London FOR two or three
days, upon which Capt Owen remarked
that Il was no use his writing or going TO
him for week o. 20. Capt Owen stayed
short time. talking to hes abcut Other
things, and then left ehc did not know
which way he went Thsrc was no ono
else iu the bar during tho time ho was
there.
She WAS thsn aGked whether CspA
Owen had often been in the hotel before.
and whether she knew him ct al init.
mately.
And to this she replied thst shs had
never seen him In tho hotel but ouco b.
fore. when he had not spoken to her.
The day Of the murder was the first time
she had ever had any eonverSation with
him. She was not the least intimate with
him. No. he had not shown the smallest
wish to b intimate with her.
After this, Miss Rose Neeking was put
down. and several minor witnesses were
put up. from none Of whom could any owl.
dence worth mentioning b extracted
There wero various Officers servants and
tho men who had been on duty that night,
two mess walters and the geatlsmen who
bad been guests at the mess table. II
their united evidence was worth anything
II was toward clearing jim Beresford Of
tho suspicion which Leaders unfortu.
nately long tongue had caused to rise up
against him; and then thsy an at down
TO await. with what pGtience thsy might.
the decision ct which the Jury would
eventually arrive.
"You aro safe enough, said the great
jot Of evidence against you"
II have never been afraid thsro would
DO, said jim, c00lly.
And presently the Jury were ready with
their verdict, and amid . breathless hush
It was given to the public, whom It IL safe
to cay that the only persen In that q.
sembly who did not tremble waA the one
on whom the darkest suspicion had fallen.
Beautiful jim. While the eyes Of al
were dimmed with fear Of what tho next
moment might bring forth, no stood up in
his place straight and true, and awaited
the verdict with the assurance Of com.
plete innocence. And the decision Of The
ju! .v rs:;
or persons unknown"
And OIL what . cheer burst out than,
and how they all-er nearly alI-preesed
forward to take Jim BY tbs hand and tell
him that they had never. never believed
him guilty for moment. And then Door
Leader came. shaking and pals q . Ghost,
to tell him II they had given 8 ver
dict against him he should have rone out
and hanged himself like Judas; and then
whom Jim, with rough kindness, told him
not to talk rot, but to get hack TO bar
Backs. he burst out sobbing like great
baby and cursed himself for blubberinR
fool. who had risksd the neck Of the best
master man had over served under.
But IL Wa all very delightful. never.
tAeless, TO BEAUTIFUL Jim. Il % easy and
well to make little Of danger when It il
over; yet this danger had been very real
while 1t had lasted, and more than once
Jim. in spite Of his innocence, had caught
himself furtively striking his throat and
wondering what the fesl Of the rope
would be Ike, Il II should come to that.
OIL without doubt, Il was very, very
pleasant to b FREQ once more.
On account Of the dead man still lying
In the room above the mes room, who
had been 20 great favorits with them
Al. there were no open demonstratiens Of
satisfaction and Joy at Beautiful Jim's -.
lease that evening. But Immediately
after dinner the colonial Allsd his glass to
tho brim. and. turning to Jim, who rat In
the place Of honor beside him. drunk to
him In silence. IN example which was fol.
lowed By every other man It the table in
turn.
by the bye, where Il young Tommyf"
asked Jim, suddenly becoming aware that
Tommy was not in The room.
Gone to bed, or IN his room. Heedy. ]
fancy. " returned the doctor, Who sai on
his Left. Tho yeung du@Gr's not mn to
much; he's just abeut - weak g . cst.
In fact. there's NJ stamina q al about
him, and al this businsss Aas Knocked
him over completely"
"Hm-thsrss no reason why Il should
particularly" remarked Jim.
mo; but It has. and that's very Ger.
tain, said the doctor decidedly,
Suddenly u occurred to him that II was
Just possible that young Tommy MIGHT