Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
BY j. MARSDEN SUTCLIFFE.

| long hair fell in thick profusion. The damp,
| dark earth had dimmed the brightness OF
| the hair, to which here and there tangled
masses of the soil still clung. One of the
workmen, with a groan OF pity, tenderly
raised one of the long tresses, revealing un-
derneath rich faxen color. Decomposl-
ton was too far advanced to admit OF recog-
| nitlon, but the hair when washed and re-
stored to its original faxen tint, might
form an important clew to lead to identlh-
\ cation.
By this time other officers had come upon
the scene, among whom was Inspector
Sullivan, good-natured 1rishman and an
active and intrepid officer of the Metro
politan police.
Inspector Sullivan dispatched one of his
men for conveyance to remove the body
to the parish mortuary, and another for the
Divisional Surgeon.
Until thesurgeon arrived the Inspector re-
fused to allow the remains to be interfered
| with.
"Wait till DR.. Maurice Dean comes," he
said; eve can do nothing without him. He
must see the body first. Meanwhile one oi
you fellows had better get tarpaulin; we
shall want one."
Maurice Dean came quickly in answer to
the summons, and, having swiftly noted the
position of the body, gave orders for its re-
moval from the grave in which it was lying.
With hushed voices the workmen spoke
to one another as they made arrangements
for the performance of their appalling Office,
and a tear rolled down the cheeks OF more
than one of them as with almost womanly
gentleness they raised the body from its
dishonored resting-place, with its long
tresses of light faxen hair streaming in the
wind, and carefully deposited it on the tar
paulin, which had been stretched on the
ground close by the side of the grave where
the body of the poor unfortunate had been
found.
Maurice Dean knelt down by the side of
the corpse to make preliminary examina-
ton of the remains. Though the defacing
| fingers of decay had alteredthe features past
recognition cursory examination told him
that no external injury was IL. be found in
front. The face. though greatly disfgured,
was intact, and the dark dress of olive-green
merino and the long grey ulster in which
the body was clad showed no signs of cut OF
rent.
But when the body was carefully turned
over a renewed cry of horror broke from the
group of bystanders, mingled with expires
sions of profound commisseration from mer
little given to manifestation of any of the
deeper emotions, as the young surgeon
pointed with the index finger of his right
hand to deep wound in the back of the
skull.
ga bullet has passed in there" the doc
tor remarked laconically, whereon pitying
EXPLANATIONS, "Poor creature!" "Pool
soulp' ''I wonder whose bonnie lass she car
have been?" broke from the lips Of the spec
tators.
Maurice Dean proceeded to examine the
wound more carefully, and finding the hail
matted and stiff, glued to the head by the
coagulated blood which had flowed from the
spot where the bullet had sped on its fatal
errand, he carefully detached the hair with
| his penknife Then taking one of the long
tresses in his hand he turned it back tc
give him better opportunity of examining
the wound, and noting for the first time the
rare faxen tint of the hair he gave wild
start of horror, and his heart bounded
furiously against his ribs. In another
moment it was as if bolt had shot through
his brain, as rising from the ground, over.
whelmed by the lightning force of sudden
conviction, he staggered back few paces
and, throwing his clenched hands back In
the air in an access of terror and grief, cried
| out in the awed hearing of the bystanders
"My God! Ny Godl It Il my sister. That
| villain LatourP'
I Scarcely had the cry left his lips ere he
fell back senseless to the ground.