Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-21

went into the Glen, maybe an hour since,
and they cam running home WI the news.
Then I went mysel', and there he's lying
wi pistol py his side. I'm feared, Sir
James, that he sent his ain soul adritt"
"You think he shot himself?" said Sir
james in low tone of horror
( II fear sac, sir, the wife said he seemed
tair down-hearted when he paid his reckon
Ing, and nv opinion is he just went straight
TO the Glen and put the pistol to his ain
head. However, there he is, and L cam
over to tell you, 1 thought maybe ye wad
like to see him before he's lifted
81: James felt unutterabIy shocked.
There is something in death so solemn that
all our passions seem to dwindle in its pres
ence. Sir James stood silent for moment
or two, and the landlord once more wiped
his damp brow
eye kent the chiel when alive, did ye
not, Sir James?" he presently asked.
Il think l have seen him." said Sir James
slowly.
They say lass brought him letter, sac
there'll hae been some petticoat at the bot
tom OF, misdoubt. And he's weel favored;
& fine handsome lad, eh; it's sair end, but
there II hae to be an inquiry, and the Fiscal
must hae notice to-day"
"Yes, of course"
"Wad We like to come and hae look at
him, Sir James? I've left him in charge of
the police; but perhaps We will be able to
identify him, and that ave something"
81 will 60 back to Strathloe with you,"
baid Sir James That there had been some
secret about the dead man ne now felt con-
vinced; some secret Miriam knew, and his
face flushed darkly as he thought of his
vile. So he walked almost in silence by
She side of the landlord to Strathloe. There
was great excitement evidently going on in
the village as they entered it, and various
people were hurrying toward the Glen.
Sir James also unconsciously hastened his
footsteps, and the landlord nearly ran for
ward. They soon reached the momentarily
increasing group standing round the body
OF the dead man. But some of those present
fell back little at the sight of Sir James,
who was the owner Of the soil, and touched
their caps to their landlord. There were
two policemen keeping guard, and these
men also salu,ed Sir James
HI walked on few stems further, and
then came in sight of the body of the sol
6ier Dare. He knew him again instantly
he was lying on his back with his half-open
eyes gazing upward at the misty sky, and
there was bullet wound in his lett temple,
and a small revolver at his side. Sir James
stood looking down at him in silence, but a
great throb OF bitter emotion Was in his
heart
mo wonder she loved him." he was
thinking, with his eyes fixed on the pale
binCUlarly handsome features of the dead
soldier. 1t was a mournful sight; a man in
the very prime of his young manhood had
died seemingly by his own hand. There
were no marks of a life struggle on the
rough grass around; noue in the whole atti-
tupe and expression OF Dare.
AT this moment the village doctor
arrived on the scence, and kneeling-
down opened the waistcoat of the recum
bent figure and placed bis head on the
breast to see if the heart was actually still
Then he looked round and glanced at Sir
James, and shook his head.
''Is he quite dead?" asked Sir James in
81 unsteady voice.
'Quite, tor many hours" answered the |
doctor; she has probably lain here through |
the night.
Then again he pushed the waistcoat aside |
and opened the white woollen vest. As he |
did this Sir James saw q gold locket was |
suspended round the soldiers neck. The |
doctor saw tnis also and raised the locket |
and touched the spring. 1t opened, and |
little curl of hair, the color of which Sir |
James knew only too we'll, iell from it. |
The doctor lifted up the curl, and was
placing it again in the locket, when he saw |
q few written words were also inclosed in |
the gold case.
'fTo be buried with me-" be read aloud |
the next moment. "Ah! poor fellow" he |
continued, $50 this has been the end OF some
unfortunate love affair Well, We must |
respect his last Wishes" and he refastened |
the locket again as he spoke, and once more
laid it on the dead mans breast
Sir James turned away with bitten lips
and knitted brow as he noted this action.
The doctor then rose and Joined him.
''Some one was saving in the village, Sir
James, that you knew this poor fellow. Is
Il true?"
81 think have seen him." answered Sir
JameG, with 50 visible an efory that the
doctor saw this inquiry was ill-timed. But
Et the official inquiry as to the cause of the
mans death in the Glen of StraI hloe, " hich
was held on the following day at the village
by the procurator-fscal, Sir James was
again called upon to answer this question.
A policeman went over to kintore to
summon Sir James to appear at this in
quiry, and this circumstance excited much
curiosity ard excitement in the Dowager
Lady MacKennon's mind.
''Fhev say a gentleman has been found
dead in the Glen OF Strathloe, James," she
said.
YES" answered Sir James, gloomily.
"W no is it?" asked his mother sharply. |
"a mystery, apparently" said Sir James,
turning away, and he spoke to his mother
no more on the subject.
But at the inquiry before the procurator-
fiscal he was forced to speak of it. He
was asked if he had known, or could iden-
tify the dead man, and he smoke the truth
~ saw him and spoke TO him once, L am
almost sure" he replied to these questions
at was at Newbrough a place
near where my regiment is stationed, and
he was then wearing the uniform OF the in
fantry regiment, in which. at that time, he
was in the position of a private soldier, and
his name was Dare"
"And you know nothing further of him,
Sir james? Nothing of his family historv?''
Nothing, except that he distinguished
himself on the occasion of a shipwreck by
great bravery. Ispoke to him in the hos
pital where he was receiving treatment
after an accident; 1 was with the captain
OF the company at the time
''Then l think it will be wise to adjourn
this inquiry until we communicate with
either the Colonel of this regiment, Sir
James, or the Captain you mention You
have no doubt as to his identity with this
SOLDIER" said the proearator-6scaL
GAS far as nv recollection carries me. il |
is the same man, but l cannot, OF course, be
perfectly certain. At all events, his name
was Dare"
''Then, Sir James, will you kindly give
ae the address OF the Colonel wi hose regi-
nent you believe this man to have been in. ,
and the number of his regiment as well? :
And perhaps his Captains name also would
be advsable?"
Sir James complied with this request, and
then returned to kintore with gloomy
brow. He found there telegram awaiting .
him from Tyeiord Hall-from Miriam. 1t
was very briet: Joan is dead" He sat ;
down NTH it in his hand apd ,ope;5,,o1 |