Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-23

that this supposed crime was carried out
by the prisoner in conjunction with her
husband, who, in order to defraud an IN
surance company, had arranged to set fire
to his house and burn himself alive r'
And so on, and SO on.
The result was that, although, as the
Judge told the jury, the case was not free
from suspicion, and there appeared to be
some mystery behind which was not fully
cleared up, the jury at once acquitted the
prisoner without leaving the box, and Mrs
Shand was carried out of Court in dead
faint, but free woman.
Late the same night James Shand,
lsaac's younger brother, was closeted with
the widow
Eleanor" he said, "now tell me, for
heavens sake, the meaning of the extra
ordinary statement which you handed to
me in the prison"
Nothing nothing! Consider my po-
sition. / was mad p
Mad, indeed" returned James Shand,
" if you thought that such a confession as
that could help you. But let me ask you,
Eleanor, do you expect me to believe that
an innocent woman would attempt to
prove her innocence by inventing such a
monstrous tale as that?"
What% cried the woman. ado you,
you, dare to insinuate now that [ am
guilty Pr
Shand turned aside and said nothing.
Listen, then," said Mrs. Shand. "There
is this much foundation for the statement
! sent you: Isaac is alive. Within a few
weeks | will prove it to you"
Some seven months had elapsed since
the trial. Although, in the interval, the
widow had more than once referred again
to the subject, the promised proof of the
extraordinary statement with which she
had startled her brother-in-law had not
been forthcoming. James Shand was a
matter-of-fact man Of business. Seeing
that his sister-in-law duly proved her hus-
bands will, and obtained the money in
sured upon his life, he very soon came to
the conclusion that her statement was a
passing hallucination, born of the mental
excitement occasioned by her troubles
Mrs. Shand continued to reside at Wick
stead Grange, though, when James pressed
her to sell the place, she always said that
she intended to do so as soon as her ar
engagements were made. Partly at her
brother-in-law's suggestion, however, she
had engaged lady to live with her as
companion. This lady was Miss Curtis,
middle-aged woman of tact and intelli-
gence, and a distant relative of the de-
ceased Mr. Shand.
Although Mrs. Shand had no idea of it.
Miss Curtis was in constant communication
with James Shand. In fact, James sup
plemented out of his own pocket the mod
est salary which Mrs. Shand allowed her
companion, the understanding being that
the lady was to keep constant watch on
Mrs. Stands actions and health, and re-
port to him as occasion required.
1t was Christmas Eye-the Christmas
after the fire at Wickstead. James Shand
was in his Office in Billiter Street, busily
preparing for his Christmas holiday, when
Miss Curtis was announced.
WELL said Mr.. Shand, after they had
exchanged the compliments of the season,
and how is Eleanor ?'
Il have been rather uneasy about her.
replied Miss Curtis. 81 want to ask
whether you have heard of her expect
ing to see or hear from anybody this
Christmas"
No." said James Shand, who was de-
sirous of getting an absolutely Independent
statement. Why do you ask ?''
Because she has been dropping hints
on the subject from time to time for several
weeks past. At first she spoke in mys-
FERROUS way that rather puzzled me. But
during the last two or three days she has
been referring to it constantly and without
any disguise"
"How do you mean? What does she
say"
50 That in the course of day or two, on
Christmas day probably, she will hear
good news from some one whom | know !;
that, perhaps, he will come himself; at any
rate, that he will write; that she has been
expecting to see him or hear from him for
six months, but he has promised that it
shall not be later than Christmas, and so
on. She speaks so confidently that she
evidently believes in what she says, and it
ali sounds SO natural that it would not
have attracted my attention but for one
circumstance"
sand what is that ?"
Miss Curtis paused and went on in
lower tone:
al dare say you will laugh at my fancy,
but something in her manner, in her tone
of referring to this Individual, impresses
me with the idea that she is alluding to-
Isaac. Do you think it can be a delu-
sion ?"
james Shand did not quite know what
to say, but made what effort he could to
pooh pooh Miss Curtis suggestion.
Perhaps" continued the lady, II
should not have entertained that idea but
for the other fact of which | have told
you before-the noise in the cellar"
"Ahl she still hears that, does she 20
asked james.
"She has heard it, or thought she has
heard it, more frequently than ever during
the last week-especially at night The
night before last she woke me up to ask if
] could hear it. Of course / could hear
nothing. Last night she woke me twice.
The second time she said she must go
down and see what it was. / had the
greatest difficulty in preventing her.
When listened at the door and insisted
that there was not a sound to be heard, she
grew quite angry, declaring that there
was perpetual rat-a-tat-tat, rat-a-tat-tat,
like double knock at the hall door, only
down in the cellar"
Extraordinary was all james Shand
could say.
"You see, Mr. Shand," Miss Curtis went
on, there can be no doubt after this that
she is subject to one delusion, and, if to
one, why not two? The result is that am
greatly alarmed. | am not of nervous
disposition, but to be walked two or three
times in the night to listen to this noise in
the cellar would upset anybody. | am
looking forward to tonight very anxi-
ously, and / think that it is time that
some doctor who understands these things
was called in to see herr
Mr.. Shand could hardly object to this
So, after some further conversation, it was
arranged that Mrs. Stands regular medi-
cal attendant should be communicated
with, and that he should call in any fur
Their advice he thought necessary. With
that Miss Curtis left
James Shand had small but festive
Christmas party that night at his comfort
able residence at Blackheath. The live
lier amusements of the evening were over,
the guests who lived near had gone, and
the remainder of the company were sitting
| round the fire in the smoking-room, the
ladies having followed the gentlemen
thither. Besides the host and hostess,
there were only present Mrs. Stands sis
ter the pentler,an she was ahorlt tn marry