Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-11-06

tcrca under their rcof for the night.
Yet their flight looked suspicious II
they were innocent. why did they leave
the inns
Another question pregnant with mean
ing was the reason ~ their being alone
I'm the inn. had seen no servants
either indoors or out. Father and daugh.
ter appeared 90 do all the work. yet IL
was beyond all reason that they should
have no assistance whorc was the
cook. the waiter. the ho-tler. the cham.
bcrmaidi The house was large one Two
p.coplc with all tho will In the world
could not thoroughly attend 20 the do.
mc.tic economy II 81 great q mansion.
Moreover. the girl had looked unused
a. work. That In itself was suspicious
"Can 10 hei" thought l. Can 10 la
that thc-e two hircl this inn 10 compass
the death of Francis Briarneld. and that
hc was drawn here n into n snare by
his brothers letter. On the face of u, IL
looks absurd. and yet In what other
way can ] explain the absence Of serv'
ants. the mildewcd aspect u the roomsl
Now Francis l. dead. and they. with
out word to me. have departed
could not solve the mystery. Far
from doing ~. the more thought. the
moro I examined the surroundings, tho
deeper grew the mystery. The door hail
ls.n locked. and ! could find no key,
The window also was locked. and even
had IL not been no one could have en-
tered thereby. 30 considerable was the
height from the ground How. then,
had the assassin gained admitianccl
Yet sure was I that Briarfeld had been
murdered. hut by whom 10 was hard To
say-nay. impossible
I did indeed think that he had COM
mittcd suicide. but this was too Wild an
Idea 90 entertain even for q moment
When parted from him on the previous
night, he was In the bs-t of health.
looking forward 10 meeting Miss Bellin.
and was pa~sably content with his life.
There was no hint ~ self destruction
either In speech or action. The thought
that his brother had deceived him
would not have engcndercd such All
idea Rather was he determined 10 un'
mask the traitor and regain his prom
isod wife by force. Murder IL might la
Suicide was out ~ the question
Thus far I thrashcd out the matter.
yet arrived at no logical conclusion. a.
there seemed no signs of landlord and
maid. 10 lshooved me Ia consider what j
should do According to Francis. his
brother was due at the meeting plaoc
that morning. so deemed 10 advisable
to wait until be arrived and then cx'
plain the circumstances 20 him. IL he
was In league with Strcnt 90 murler his
brother. he would hardly b. able to dis
guiso his Joy at hearing the success of
his plot I therefore determined Ia
waicl. his face during the interview,
and IL I saw therein any signs of guilt
10 there and then. In that lonely inn. &c
cu.s him ~ second Cain by thus ter.
rorizing his soul with such accusation
and with the sight Of his victim I might
force him into confession.
II he were guilty. I guessed the plea
behind which he would shelter himself
that he had not been near the place
ON the previous night. This ! would
counter ly the accusation that his ennis
saries had carried out his orders and then
sought safety in flight. IL might IT,
that suspected Felix wrongly. yet aft.
er the story told me by Francis ] could
hot but think be- was conn cted In some
unseen way with the death OF the latter.
Tut, after all. these suspicions wce yet
vague and aimless. All knew for CIR.
tain was that Francis Briarfield was
dead swore ON the instant 10 devote
myself TO finding out and punishing his
detestable assassin.
Having come to this resolution. i
prvppcd up the open door. 20 as to Close
the entrance to the chamber Of death.
and descended to the lower regions.
Finding victuals and fuel In the kitchen.
cooked myself meal and made suifi.
ciently good breakfast Then ! lighted
my pipe and took my seat at the frunt
door 90 wxtsh fur the coming of Felix
Briarficld. Whether my suspicious
would 10 dispelled or confirmed by his
demcanor was Of course unable 10 say
until the interview took place. But ]
was most anxious TO know.
All that morning looked down the
winding road 10 Manhminstcr. but saw
no oDs coming thcrefrom- Not . soul
was In sight, and II did for moment
think that Strent and his daughter
might return and declare themselves In.
uocent tho thought was banished by q
few houn' outlook. The inn. ~ l said
before was ON . Alight rise. and Icould
80 far and vida No human being wa
30 be secil and ~ the hours passed ]
grew almost honihed ut the grrwsoms
solitude To b alone with . dead body
In lonely house In lonely moor Il
hardly healthy for the mind
Toward noon took o resolution.
"If." aid I. 'tbe mountain won'i
come 10 Mohamme,l, why. then, No.
hanmed must 20 10 ths mountain"
Tho Interpretation of this We that
lassadsd 70 - Felix nrsarns,d ~ Bslliu