Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24

kept out of the lamp light on entering, but
did not entirely conceal his agitation. With
a frightened guess at what had occurred
Arthur took up the rife, and examined it
but Davy had reloaded ii, and SO it bore nc
evidence of the shot that had been fred.
"You didn't 60 hunting, after all?" Ar
thur asked.
"I hunted Hank" Davy growled, "and-
he'd have got what he deserved if I'd shot
him."
"No,-he wouldn't He told me himself
that his errand to Ogdensburg to-day was to
quash all proceedings against you."
Dsvv had meant to confess to his brother
what he had done, and beg him to assist
him in avoiding detection; but this in
formation astounded him, and, in his mud
died state, it seemed to debar him from re-
posing confidence in Arthur. The CONVEX
sation ceased. The brothers remained seat
ed side by side, silent and absorbed in their
thoughts. Arthur went to bed and to sleep.
DaYy remained in his chair on the hearth,
his ewes wide open. At broad daylight ne
was sitting there still. He had thought of
flight, and then had tried to cal
culate the evidene against him; but
his conclusion was: whats the use?
Don't they always catch murderers? I
know well enough can never save my
head from the moose. Better max an end of
it all at once. 1 will confess the whole
thing and make an end of it." Early in the
morning he heard wagon stop in front of
the house, and that was followed by several
blows on the door. Arthur was still sleep
ing soundly, and he did not awaken. Davy
went to the door.
SIS that you, David MuIfOrd," said the
caller
''Yes," replied Dayy.
''Then / have a warrant to arrest you.
You are summoned in regard to the Henry
Pierson affair"
Davy heard the fatal name of Pierson, and
did not doubt that the officer had come for
him on account of his last nights deed.
His previous assault, and the proceedings
following it, were for the moment forgotten.
"Here am" he said, "arrest me. 1t was
I that did it."
WHAT" began the constable, who did
not understand the matter at all.
''I tell you that it was I killed Hank
Pierson. That's sll-and you can take me
along" =
The constable who arrested Davy Null
ford understood the matter less than before
the prisoners avowal that he had shot Henry
Pierson. He had brought warrant which
set forth that Davy's bondsman surrendered
him in the assault case, but it made no men,
ton of his having committed any new Of
fense, and its service should have involved
Davy in no new trouble, for since its issue
the grand jury had dismissed the case. At
the word "kill," the jealous constable's face
assumed the expression of sportsman who,
hoving fired at little bird on tree, sees
big one falling at his feet.
81 don't know anything about your affair"
he replied, shut you can come with me to
Squire Thompson, and explain"
Davy went along submissively with the
constable, and Arthur knew nothing of his
sudden departure.
The Justice of the Peace began by declar-
ing that the case of Pierson against Mulford
would come up before the County Court at
Ogdensburg in due time, and that, having
filed the accusation, he himself had nothing
more to do with it. But when the constable
observed that Pierson did not now complain
at all, but had been murdered, the Squire
listened. Davy said laconically that he had
killed Hank Pierson with one shot, the
night before, and that they would find the
body on the scene of the crime at the place
which he had described. In the presence of
this startling case of murder the magistrate
assumed what is called, in elevated Ian
guage, ''the mask of the law" an express
sion Of official gravity proportionate to the
quality of the crime. After telegraphing to
the Coroner be sent for a second constable,
placed the culprit between the two guards,
took the head of the procession. and started
on the road to the Pierson place.
DavY went along, as in nightmare, over
the road that he had traversed the night
before in the footsteps of his victim. The
in silence kept close watch upon
him.. By virtue of a single word this man,
who recently had right to their protection,
had in an instant become their prey; and he
could read in their glances the immeasur-
able gulf. the infinite distance separating a
future convict from an honest executor of
the law.
On reaching the premises, Davy saw ne
gate wide open, just as he had left it the
night before. As he entered the walled
field his eyes turned involuntarily to the
left, toward large tree. At the foot of the
tree lay a form, half hidden by the oats.
The knees of the assassin bent under him,
and he leaned against the wall, incapable of
going further. The Squire alone made his
way toward the object which he had already
and bent over it.
After few seconds of examination, the
magistrate rose, with both hands pressed
against his sides in an attitude of abandon
ment, and bent almost double by a wild
burst of laughter, choking and hiccough-
ing in way that resounded cheerfully
through the still morning air. The con-
stables looked at each other in amaZement,
but the paralyzed DavY was apsthetic. One
quilted him enough to join the
Justice, and likewise burst into tremen-
dous laugh. The second, feeling that the
situation was relaxing, and that his duty
was no longer serious, also abandoned the
the prisoner, Joined his comrade, and took
The part of chorus. Davy lett with his now
bewildered brother saw in this strange scene
only new form of the nightmare weighing
upon him. In his state of mind, nothing
could be more diabolical than these three
men: Squire Thompson, with his shrill
laugh, and the constables with their broad
outlaws. Haggard and terror-striken Davy
them, while his hair nearly
-ose on end, and the sweat poured down his
face. Still, laughter being the most in
fectious of all human phenomena, the feat
lres of the assassin soon contracted into an
.pileptic grimace, shrill crow issued from
lis throat, he laughed-yes, even he, while
,old fear was freezing the very marrow in
mis- bones; he felt himself going mad.
'Come here, you idiotp' cried one Of the
,onstables to him.
The sound of this voice recalled him to |
HIMSELF He advanced trembling, and, by
supreme effort of will, looked down at his |
eet Immediately an abrupt revolution |
ook place in his feelings. He, too, began |
o laugh for joy, as men sometimes instinc-
lively laugh when they have just escaped a
,reat danger. His victim, PROSTATE under |
he tree was one of those scarce-crows which |
ire set up in grain fields to keep off the |
parrows. Henry Pierson, thrifty soul, had
arefully dressed the efiigy in his own super.
garments. The staff which sup