Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-29

on the top Of . HAMPSTEAD omnibus, or
route for nay lodgings. Beside me sat a
working man. He was contenp lassvely
sucking short clay, and from time to TINS
he cast looks of interest In my direction.
The idea occurred that he was thinking O.
becoming a candidate for the thousand
pounds reward. 1t had been a matter of
grim wonder to me where peoples eyes had
been durirg the past two days, for, with the
exception of shaving my upper lip, had
made no change In my personal appearance.
And the features which stared from every
boarding in London were very much like
mine.
was mistaken, however, in my omnibus
companion he had no suspicion of the prize
so near him He spoke at last, and he said
what ten men Of his class would have said
on that particular night:
Strange affair, that On the Liverpool
line Do you think they'll catch hims
II hope" he went on, not waiting for nv
answer, ''they won't, because that would
make it rather unpleasant for me- Lord bless
you! ] could tell em something about that
affair, l could let daylight in. But what
says is this-so long as that chaps at large
why should / mix up with police courts. OF
course, if they catches him it's a different
matter. 1t 'ud be my duty then, as an honest
man, to go forward. For, mark what say,
he's innocent, and can prove it"
l could almost hear the thump, thunp Of
my own eager heart.
/ started and cried: "Have you not seen
the evening paperss''
Yes" replied MY working friend, and
produced Globe.
l glanced at it anxiously Pooh, That
is the first edition My good man, you must
make your statement this very night Bligh
Is arrested"
he dropped his pipe in sheer amazement
"You don't say 500 Then I'll get down here
there is police station in Henry street. Joe
Williams isn't the man to keep his mouth
shut when there's any coed to be done by
opening it"
volunteered to go with him, and we clam
bered off the roof of the omnibus together.
| was determined not to lose sight of him
All my future hung on the lips of that man.
Nv nat do you know of the AFFAIR." asked
curiously, as we went along.
Never mind, he replied, with exaggerat-
ed caution, you'll know soon enough -
Arrived At the station my first,care was to
enlighten the inspector as to the ruse had
practiced ON my companion.
This done, Joseph Williams, platelayer,
told what he knew.
1t is not necessary to q obe him exactly,
his mode of telling a story was slow and
bewildering one. Suffice it to say that he had
Travelled in the compa rtment ad joining that
in which were Andrews and myself. He
heard our raised voices, he heard a scufie
and ba Il
along the footboard till he could look in at
our window. There he saw me on the floor
and Andrews with the pistol pointed at his
head. He heard the report as Andrews
fired, and saw him fall dead
just then a train was rapidly approaching
on the up line. Williams saw his danger and
returned as quickly as he could to his own
carriage. Here he thought over the tragedy
he had just witnessed. Clearly it was his
duty to give information at the next stop
ping place But his inclination ran in an OBJ
posite direction. His past was not blame
less one, and he shrank from entering the
witness box and running the risk of having
that little escapade of years ago dragged into
the light of day. He reasoned thus-here am
|, respectable, hard working man | have
4 wife and children, all of whom are ignor- |
ant of this dark chapter in my life. NY !
mates, too, would look askance at me if they !
knew had seen the inside Of one OF her ma |
jesty's prisons
Finally he compromised with his conscience |
If, at the end of the journey, or at any time,
was arrested, he would come forward if |
,ot, he held to the proverb: "a still tongue
naketh a wise head"
So l was proved innocent, and, the neces-
AIRY formaiities over, was free man.
And the first use l made of my liberty was
o call at the red brick Kensington house to
zee Betty.
What happy evening we spent, Ny
weetheart's roses were coming back, her
,lue eyes sparkled, her lace gown suited her
o perfection. But with strange feminine
'erversity, she declined 10 express much
.ratitude toward Joseph Williams, plate
aver.
He should have come forward ct once"
he cried, petuIanuy. Just fancy, Horace!
VI the time you were hiding in that dread
ul Porter street, all the time my heart was
early breaking, that man could have ended
all, and vet be wouldn't"
But, my darling, why thrust all the
lamo on him! He did not know that l was
4 Porter street, or that had tender heart
d little sweetheart, and the poor fellow had
is own secret to protect"
But she shook her brown head, and to this
ay keeps her own opinion
One more scrap of evidence came later On
! confirmation OF Williams story, though
one it needed 4 friend of the dead mans
nd Andrews had told him his difficulties
ere so great that suicide appeared 70 be the
H. a.. :
ere: III I had pistol / would blow nv
rains out
So the matter ended and was soon forgot.
n. aud Betty and l are married now and
cry hsppy.-Ars. Henry E. Dudeney in |
'ourieT-J ournal