Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-11-27


Felix
''She must think that ho is rcall,
Francis and that Felix l. In Paris"
thought "surely she would not will
ingly go to the altar with man whom
she knows 90 be q villain. mol lie ha
thrown dus, In her eyes and made he'
believe what he phases must saw
the pror girl FROM such fate Pcrhap.
la spite ~ outward scmblanoe she In
stinctively feels that Felix IL not Fran
cis Women have their instincts
know of mo- other reason why she should
look pale snd Ill "
Ny oogitations were cut short b,
Aunt Jane knocking at the door anc
telling me not 30 waste the candles
was used 10 these little idio-yncrasic'
~ my aunts. 80 answered that wa
going to bcd and put out the light ri
once. but the r-t Of the night was pas
81 In wakeful state Truly ] had .
lad attack ~ detective fever.
For tho next few days ! kept very
quiet. n I was unwilling to rouse ths
,uspicions of Felix AZ length my aunts.
who entertained no suspicion ~ my de
signs. informed me that be- had gone q
London with Mrs and Mis- Bollin.
The coast now being clear. yenturcsl
out and isgan to work out my carefully
laid plans.
In the first plac,. went % Bob Fun
dy a. hirr hor-s. IL was my intention
" ride out % the Fen inn and thorough.
" examine the rooms. ~ I fancicd Pc
lix might have hidden the corpse In the
house From fundy gained q piece u
unexpected information
want to ride Ia the Fen inn. sir. ="
aid he scratching his head why.
shatevcr's come over that old ruini
Every one seems 10 IL going there "
"What DO you mean. fundyf"
"first Mr. Briarleld and now you. "
said Fundy. "Blcst II can understand
n. though. 90 b. surc. he rode there nj
hight. and you go in the daytime" "
Did Mr. Briarfield 10 to the Fen
inn NJ uighty" I asked. SEEING was or
the eve II learning something impor'
tant had not forgotten Merrick''
theory.
That he did. sir He rode there tive
nights over week ago
Curious. " said I. with assumed care
f,ssncss "It l. not an attractive plac',
I darc lay he only rode a little way ou'
" the town"
"So, sir." said fundy decisiyely.
"Iic went 90 the Fen inn lie told me
~ himself, ~ noticed his hore wa-
done up Look here" added fundy,
oJ+ning his daybOok. 'Sce, on the
10th of Jun. he had horse and on th,
nth. Both at NIGHT AMI did not return
till midnight.
mounted my horse and rode away.
thinking deeply II Fell, had guno o.
the Fen inn on the 10th. then felt
sure that he had actually murdered his
brother Hitherto believed that strcni
was the guilty party. but now. thanks
90 the evidence of fundy. ] saw that
Felix had committed the crime liz
had also ridden Ia the inn ON the lill
in order to conceal the boly. Merrick''
theory wa. thus proved to L. correct
Link by link ! was putting the chain
together. ! had proved that Francis
had not arrived in England till tho 9th
~ June aud 80 made certain q 'hs
identity 81 Felix. hal discovered that
Felix was at the inn on the fatal night.
and also tha, he had concealed the bOdy.
Now wished to discover how the mur'
der was committed
The Fen inn was quite deserted and
n evil looking n ever. I'm spite ~ my
searching. discovered no signs Of tho
deal body II my friend The clothes,
which had seen folded On the chair be-
side the bci. were also gone. and thcr,
was not the slightest thing left To excite
suspicion
"IIc must have hidden the body In
the Marshes" I thought after u vain
search. "Iil sco IL he has left trail. "
Struck by the feasibility of this idea,
I went out at the front door and exam
ine,l the ground. II was moist and mud
dy owing 10 the inccssant pcrcolation
IL marshy water. The path leading from
Marshminster was marked confusedly
with h0r-es' hoofs. 80 IL was quite use
les 20 look for trail In that direction.
Looking from the door of the inn, the
path tr,nded 90 the right. but on the
left, where there was no path. noticed
hoof marks; also that the lush grass wa
trosiden down
Here Is the trail. )" said !. mounting
INV horse "He took the body 10 the
left
Following the trail carefully, and II
was plainly disccrnible owing TO the
dampnsss Of the ground, rode straight
out for some considerable distance. The
spungy marsh jettod black water under
the feet III the horse, and IL seemed a.
though wero in danger Of bcing boggcl
Nevertheless. n the trail continued In
front of me. followed IT, Where Felix
could 20 I could follow. He had eyi'
IDENTIFY placed the body % his brother
across his saddle and ridden with IL In
this direction. ! wondered at the nerve
of the scoundrel
Unexpectedly the trail turned OF nj
right angles and led toward broad
pond Of water slimy and sullen In ap-
pearance On the verge Of this the trail
ceased. and then knew that saw be-
foro me the tomb Of Francis Briarheld
Into these black waters the murderer
had hurled his victim. and doubtless
II the pool were dragged the bo'iy would
b. found This determined 90 do be-
forc taking further steps In the matter.
Then. Mr.. Felix Briarfield." ,aid ].
riding back TO the inn. "then we will
ses how much your astuteness will avail
you-"
fro M coSrNurpl
MAxiMuS.