The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-01
CHAPTER XIV

should be a detective Where are your
prisoners?'
"No, mol Not prisoners, replied
MeTick, shocked at the word, "They
nre my guests. travelling companions
what you will but not prisoners
"Still l see my detective attends on
them both," said as Strent and Rose
Gernon came along the platform,
st is we'll to take all precautions.
How is Francis Briarfeld?"
''Rather downcast, He is afraid Of
being arrested for tho murder"
emo fear of that answered Merriclc,
casting glance at Strent, "This gem
tleman's evidence will exonerate him
fully"
Strent, smooth and unctuous as ever,
rubbed his hands and bowed, but Rose
Gernon tdrned her back on him with
gesture of disgust. Evidently she had
not forgiven his hurried departure from
tho inn.
''What arewe waiting for?'' she said
sharply "Let us go on to the inquest.
wish to get it over as soon as possible
and return to town"
We took the hint and walked along
to room adjoining the morgue, where
the inquest was being held. 1 intro
duced Merrick to the inspector, and
after o short conversation they went
into the morgue to exanine the body.
Not caring to see so ghastly sight, l
remained outside with Francis. In
quarter Of an hour the doctor and the
inspector returned, the former rubbing
his hands with n we'll pleased express
sion, the latter looking somewhat as
tonished. What had passed in the
morgue know not, as Merrick refused
to crafty my curiosity.
"Wait till you hear the evidence Of
Shent" he said significantly.
The jury was made up of well to do
Marshminster tradesmen, who took q
profound interest in the proceedings, as
the dead man was tho brother Of Miss
Bellin's future husband. The Bellins
were the great people Of the neighbor-
hood, and the tradesmen hoped to serve
the hall when Mr.. and Mrs. Brairileld
settled there. They were, therefore, ex-
oessively polite to Francis, but their
frequent marks Of attention only drew
from him bitter smile.
"Would they treat me in this way if
they knew all?'' he whispered to me-
''They will never know ALL" / an
swered in the same tone
had spoken to the inspector, and he
in his turn had talked seriously with
the coroner. The latter had been told
the whole story, and though astonished
at the folly of Francis yet found it in
his heart to be sorry for the young man.
He said he would not question Francis
moro than was necessary, and we hoped
to carry through the inquest without
exposing the underlying romance.
The first witness called was o local
doctor, who deposed to having examin-
cd the body of Felix. He gave it as his
opinion that the young man had died Of
poison and explained the state of the
blood with lot of medical techincalities
which none Of the jury understood. 1t
was, said the doctor, a case Of blood
poisoning, and the deceased had been
wounded in tho hand by some sharp in
strument wtich was stepped in poison.
/ came next and narrated how I had
staid at the Fem Inn on that night and
had met there Francis Briarfeld, who
was waiting there for his brother. Then
I told Of the discovery Of the corpse and
tho finding Of the arrowhead in the fire.
place. ! said nothing about my tracking
tho trail to tho pool, and if possible we
wished that portion Of the evidence to
be passed over in silence, Fortunately
the jury were q dull headed lot and
submitted quietly to the guidance Of
the coroner. He only asked questions
pertinent to the death without going
Toe deeply into the subject, At this
point produced the arrowhead.
Francis explained that he had arriv-
ed from Chile ON the 9th Of June and
had gone at once to the Fen inn at the
request Of his brother Felix. His broth
or had net arrived ON that night, and
he had gone to bed, He was unable to
say how his brother had come to his
tragic end. Then came the critical
point which we wished passed over in
silence.
"Did you see your brother at the Fen
finn, Mr., Briarfeld?' asked the coroner.
II did not see my brother alive, was
the evasive answer
"Perhaps the body had been put in
the pool by the murderer" said one of
tho turynen, ''ln which case Mr.. Briar-
field would not see him.
IT did not go to the pool on that
night" replied Francis, adroitly evad-
ing the remark, ''It was later on that
learned my brother's body was there and
at once gave instructions that the pool
was to be dragged. "
At this point Mr.. Briarfield was ask.
cd to stand down, and the inspectors
evidence was taken. He deposed to the
fact that Mr.. Briarfeld had instructed
him to drag the pool for the body, and
thatit was found there.
This piece Of evidence quite put the
jury off the scent, as if Francis had
placed tho body in the pool, he would
not have told the inspector where tc
find it The critical point was thus
glided gently over and the coroner call
cd Rose Gernon. Once the jury knew
how the crime had been committed, and
they would forget all about the hiding
Of tho body in tho pool, so that the folly
Of Francis would not be made public.
! must say that Rose Gernon gave her
evidence very clearly. She said she
was an intimate friend Of Felix Briar.
field, statement which rather shocked
the moral tradesmen of Marshminster.
Felix asked her to go down to the inn
as he had prepared it for his brothe
and wished to see him there about
family matter.