Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-09
ASERIES Or SHORT STORIES.
By ]. MARsDEN SUTcL1FFE,
ENTITLED
E ROMANCE OF AN INSURANCE OFFICE
BEING PASSAGES
Formerly General Manager the Universal
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

1
tions until YOU bring the body up"
The little courthouse at Rissborough was
| thronged next morning long before the
Justices took their seats on the bench.
At last 10 o'clock came, and the business
of the day began. But though public curl
| osity was on the tiptoe of expectation to see
the prisoner, who was accused of the muir
| der of his uncle, there was no sign of Fred
Cameron. For reasons that will presently
| appear, the police had decided to proceed
with the regular business of the court before
entering on the case that was stirring up SO
much excitement in the quaint, old-fash-
ioned town. The crowd, temporarily
baked in the main object of their quest,
amused themselves with feasting their eyes
on the prisoners wife, who was seated at
the solicitors table by the side of Mr.. Vel
luna stout jolly looking man, with bald
head, frosted whiskers framing a rubicund
| face, and merry twinkle in his eye, who was
looking particularly in his element just
then, as if like an elderly Mark Tapley he
was happiest when circumstances were
grievous.
John Harmer's daughter was looking pale
and distressed, but even the anxiety she
was suffering while a terrible change hung
over her husband could not quench the
light OF beauty that shone in her face.
1t was not what you would call strong
face, if by strong face you mean the face
of strong-minded woman with masculine
understanding and courage reflected in her
countenance. But the delicacy of her
features, the rounded curves of cheek and
chin, and the transparent clearness of her
complexion, with lips like the opening bud
of rich red rose, and the soft pleading
look of her brown eyes, like gazelle's, fur
nished all that was charming and beautiful.
1t was not face that would lead you to ex-
pect great or heroic things from its fair
owner. 1t was the face of loving woman,
whom nature had made to be passionately
loved, although her beauty had nothing of
| the sensual type about it. But those were
mistaken who supposed that Mary Cameron
was lacking in the courage to face the dread
full ordeal through which she was passing.
Timid and shy though she was, she was
gifted with one of those natures that, trans
formed by the love they bear for the dear
| object OF their affection, can go through lit
eral fire and water rather than shrink in
loyalty.
At last the preliminary business was got
through, and Fred Cameron was brought
from the cells below and put forward
The young wife cast upon him look of
steadfast affection and trust, while Mr..
Vellum gaily nodded and stretched forth
his hand, grasping Fred's in hearty grip.
Fred looked strangely white and rigid,
though perfectly selfpossessed. There was,
however, a stern expression on his hand
some face, and naughty curl of his lip, as
he stood forth to answer the accusation,
scarcely compatible with guilt. .=-----f
Mr.. Jorkins, looking hot and hustered,
rose to state the case, and commenced by
saying that he would explain matters sufi-
ciently to justify their worships in granting
the remand he intended to apply for.
Before this case proceeds" rose the dull
Get tones of Mr.. Vellum, 81 should like to
ask whether the body of Mr.. Fraser has been
found?''
81 will state to the bench the whole facts
| and produce my Witnesses" Jorkins re-
piled, with umbrage in his tone.
But this answer did not satisfy Mr.. Vel
lum, who proceeded to protest. with show
of indignation, against his client being
placed in so degrading a situation, when
there was no charge to answer, except a
purely imaginative one, existing only in the
heated fancy of the police, who, having dis
covered that an elderly gentleman had not
reached his home, Immediately jumped to
the conclusion that he had been barbarousIy
murdered, and by his only blood relation
too.
The ways of country justices are like Bret
Harte's Heather Chinee. peculiar" and
the chairman having intimated that thew
would hear Mr.. Jorkins first, motioned to
that officer to proceed.
Mr.. Jorkins, collecting his wits. which
had been somewhat disturbed bv Mr..
Vellum's interruption, commenced to state
his case, after somewhat tedious exordium
in depreciation of the "wigging" that he
might get, attributing anv little lapse of
which the Bench might think him guilty. To
an excess of that Zeal that had SO frequently
on former occasions received the encomiums
of the bench.
what stuff is this!'' exclaimed Mr..
Vellum. Decidedly weak, L call it. If
Mr.. Jorkins has made a mistake, let him
say so at once and end the matter, without
beating about the bush In this MANNER
Jorkins grew purple in the face at the
innuendo that he could be guilty of making
a mistake; but his equanimity was restored
when the chairman blandly remarked.
1--WE have decided to allow Mr.. Jorkins to
state his case, and we beg that he NAV be
allowed to do so without interruption"
Mr.. Jorkins once more began, and in
timated to the justices that he would bring
forward evidence to show, in the first place.
that murder had undoubtedly been com.
mitted. He would convince the court of
that, by testimony that admitted of no rea-
sonable doubt whateYer; and he thought
that when the bench heard the evidence
they would hold that it was case of alb
solute certainty. 1t would, no doubt, be
more satisfactory to the justices, he went on
to say, if the police were in position to
avow that they had found the body, and
that it bore upon it marks of the crime that
had undoubtedly been committed (there
scornful laugh burst from the deep chest of
Mr.. Vellum); but he had every reason to
hope that before the evidence of the witness
had been taken, the body would be recovered.
Witnesses would then detail to facts, point.
ing to the prisoner as the perpetrator of the
crime, and the bench would then be in a
position to decide whether there was suffi-
cient reason to justify the further detention
of the prisoner. For his own part, he de-
clared in conclusion, he should have no
hesitation in asking for a remand.
Mr.. Vellum once more rose in protest, and
this time it was manifest that his indigna-
ton was not feigned. He spoke as man,
and not as hired advocate. But again
the magistrates, after consulting together,
decided to hear the evidence.
Witnesses were at once called. who swore
that they had seen the prisoner and Mr..
Fraser leave the town together in the
direction of Clump cottage, but as this fact
was admitted by the defence, Mr.. Vellum
declined to crosS-eXamlne.
Before calling witnesses who will impli-
cate the prisoner, I shall now call Mrs.
Bint. the deceased gentlemaD's house
keeper, and his housemaid, Mary Shad-
well, who will prove that Mr.. Fraser did
not return home.
Mrs. Deborah Bint deposed to this fact,
and swore that from the time Mr.. Fraser
left home in the morning Of Tuesday she
had not seen him. She explained that she
was under no concern about her masters
absence after Forhurx,s return. until late