Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-03-28

ilAAA%S dnd--tiistA n - -
fot-lost theml''
Dufot slightly shrugged his
shoulders, and with the same little
disdainful smile again interrupted
the judge.
"All that you have SO far said, sir,
is based simply upon presumptions.
Let US reason for one moment. My
uncle, you say, and | acknowledge
its truth, was close upon an age
when life is, to say the least, precar-
ious. At seventy years to the aver
age man the grave is well in view.
Do you suppose me capable (slnee
you have been good enough to credit
me with some little intelligence) of
having, even for moment, contem-
plated crime which M. Duaot's age
rendered useless and absurd You
have reminded me Of bebt which |
had unfortunately contracted. Could
| not, by your own showing, have
confidently relied upon my uncle's
generosity to have relieved me from
that difficulty, even as lie had re-
lieved me from SO many previous
ones ?n
"One moment" said the judge. 81
will turn your argument against
yourself. Yes, you certainly did
hope that NJ. Dufot would once
more lend a helping hand and drag
you from the scraps into which you
had gotten yourself. | am well
aware of the unwritten law which
exacts men of honor'-of that honor
of which even you can boast of-the
payment of a gambling debt within
twenty four hours. You came here
to find your uncle; you played the
role of penitent, Of the true repen-
tant; you promised him that if he
would settle this bebt for you, more
urgent than any of its predecessors,
you would renounce the gambling
table forever. M. Dufot refused,
and absolutely. Then the thought
flashed across your mind that he
alone stood between you and the in
heritance of all his wealth and the
consequent safety of your good
name. From this resulted what you
with delicate irony have called a
thrust of the thumb. T"
Stay, sirl" cried Duffot impa-
tiently; "these are mere SUPPOSE
tions, vague ideas. You are simply
building up sensational romance
Indeed 2" replied the Judge, maxi
ing, as he spoke, sign toward the
end of the chamber; "there is anoth-
er also who has word to say, whose
testimony will be worth taking. You
will own that / have done my best
to introduce him with due effect"
A folding door was heard to open
and to close again, and the sound of
some weighty object being wheeled
along the floor. Dufot following
with his eyes the direction of the
judges outstretched finger bebeld
the body of his uncle lying back in
the huge arm chair he hid been wont
to use in life.
Itwas a gastly sight, the head had
fallen back; the lower jaw had sunk
and from the open mouth the swoi-
len, blacksned tongue projected.
The stiffened hands tenaciously
clutched either arm of the chair, and
beneath the folds of cloak could be
seen the rigorous outlines Of the
legs, extended to their fullest length.
Dufot gazed fxedly at the dead
body, and in a quiet, almost gentle
voice, said: "My poor unclel What
sacrilege." No sign of surprise or
startled guilt was to be seen in his
face, but only in his eyes an express
sion of pensive sadness and regret.
After moment he turned toward
the Judge:
81 believe this is what you call in
legal terms, a conformation. You
are an advocate, | see, of measures
in which emotion has no little share.
Dut be treasured; l will spare you q
sight of a grief which, without doubt,
you would turn into testimony
against myself"
"Well," said the judge, not heed
ing his remark, lis not nj. DIfot,
the elder, before you now, just as
you last left him, when the crime
was done? Do you not recognize
the familiar attitude in which he sat,
the very clothes he wore? The
position of the body and the head
is not changed by the fraction of an
inch"
"And how, sir, should / know, as
| was not there at the moment when
this execrable crime was commit
ted ?"
"You will observe" continued the
judge, perfectly unmoved, "what has,
perhaps, for the moment escaped
your attention; you will notice how
easy it is for one to imagine the
whole scene The assassin was be-
hind the chair IN which M. Dufot
sat, when he refused to counlenance
any longer your misconduct. 1t is
certain that some figuring had been
done, some accounts rcckoned up;
that, by mischance, you had soiled
your fingers with ink, for one of the
hands that was laid in violence upOn