Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-19

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
fence IN London were very much like
mine. TT
was mistaken, however, in my omni-
bus 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 of the Liverpool
line. Do you think they catch him.
Il hope" he went on, not waiting for
my answer, ''they won't, because that
would make it rather unpleasant for me.
Lord bless you could tell them something
about that affair that would let daylight
in. But what say is this-so long as that
cLap's at large, why should mix up with
police courts Of course. if they catches
him it 5 d different matter. 1t I'D lie my
duty then, as an honest man, to 60 for
ward. For, mark what say, he's inn0-
cent, and can prove it.
| could almost hear the Trump, thump
of my own eager heart.
Istarted and crie,;: Have you not
seen the evening papers,?
Yes, y replied my working friend, and
produced Globe.
| glanced at it anxiously. pooh! That
is the first edition. My good man, you
must make your statement this very nj ght.
Bligih is arrested"
He dropped his pipe in sheer amazement.
You don't say so. 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
good to be done by opening it.
| volunteered to go with him, and we
clambered off the roof of the omnibus to-
gether | was determined not to lose
sight of him. All my future hung on the
lips of that man.
What do you know of the affair?' I
asked curiously, as we went along.
Never mind" he replied, with exag-
gerated caution, you'll know soon
enough"
Arrived at the Station my first care was
to enlighten the inspector as to the ruse l
had practiced on my companion.
This done, Joseph Williams, platelayer,
told what he knew.
1t is not necessary to quote him exactly,
bewildering one Suffice it to say that he
ing that in which were Andrew and l.
scuffie and he opened his carriage door
and crept 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 re-
port as Andrews fired, and saw him fall
dead.
Just then train was rapidly approach
ing on the up line Williams saw his dam
ger 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 stopping place. But his inclination
ran in an opposite direction. His past
was not d blameless 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 |, a respect
able, Woodworking man. | have wife
and children, all of whom are ignorant 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
majesty's prisons.
Finally he compromised with with his
conscience. If, at the end of the journey,
or at any time, | was arrested, he would
come forward; if not, he held to the pro-
verb: "a still tongue maketh a wise
head"
So l was proved innocent, and, the
necessary formalities over, was free
man.
And the first use made of my liberty
was to call at the red brick Kensington
house to see Betty.
What happy evening we spent! My
sweetheart S roses were coming back, her
blue eyes sparkled, her lace gown suited
her to perfection. But with strange FEM
mime perversity, she declined to express
much gratitude toward Joseph Williams,
plate layer.
He should have come forward at once, :"
she cried petulantly. Just fancy
Horace. All the time you were hiding in
| that dreadful Porter street, all the time
my heart was near y breaking, that man
could have ended it all, and yet he
! wouldn t."
But, my darling, why thrust all the
blame on him? He did not know that I
was in Porter street. or that | had tender
hearted little sweetheart. and the poor
fellow had his own secret to protect
But she shook her brown head, and to
this day keeps her own opinion.
One more scrap of evidence came later
on In confirmation of Williams story,
though none is needed. A friend Of the
| dead mans said Andrews had told him his
| difficulties were so great that suicide APP
peared to be the only way out of them.
The words he used were: eff | had PTS
tolsI would blow my brains out
| So the matter ended and was soon for
gotten, and Betty and I are married now
and very happy.-H. E. Dudeney, in
Courier-J Journal.