Middletown transcript., 1894-07-14

| OF a llfetlm6. Charlie AStran was
arrested-arrested for murder
The cashier of the bank was found
dead at his post; the young mans
desperate want of money was well
known; suspicion widened and circu-
lated; and at last he was arrested upon
sufficient circumstantial evidence to
convict him.
Indeed the testimony of one person
was enough to do this, in the minds of
many-the testimony-given with
seeming reluctance-of Leon Condor,
the murdered cashiers nephew.
People are apt to be unreasonable,
and unreasonable at such times, and
no one stopped to contrast the char
acter of reckless Leon Condor with
that Of the luckless man whom he
accused-no one seemed to remember
that he had been an unsuccessful suitor
for the heart and hand of Ruby Sim
clair.
All was confusion and distress at tho
Astran mansion. Even the mother
almost believed in her sons guilt when
the bloody knife that was found in the
dead mans breast was shown her, for
she recognized 1t as her sons. Only
Lulu was firm in her belief of his in
nocence-Lulu and one other.
In the twilight of the day of the
coroner's inquest, slender figure stop
ped at the door of the Astran mansion
paused, and swayed and trembled,
and knocked timidly, while she shrank
with intuitive dread from meeting
with the naughty mistress of the
house.
miss Slnclairl' cried Lulu, for il
was she who opened the door, having
just made ready to 60 to their lawyers
office.
"You are his sister," cried the girl
iucOherently. "And he is innocent
he is innocent-I know if, l know it!'
"Miss Sinclair-my sister Ruby
| think we'll moment" cried Lulu, as
she breathlessly caught her hands and
looked into her eyes eagerly. "You
have wonderful power. Would you
use it to save our loved one? Would
you hold that stained knife in your
hand and read the story of that awful
moment, of-of he-assassination?"
'"Try me. and Ruby Sinclair's slen
der foIm was firm enough now, and, al
though her face was deathly pale, her
eyes cleaned with confident hope.
Come then with me-" cried Lulu
impatienJly seizing her arm, and a few
moments later, they entered the la y
yer's office together.
A few W, rd, explained the presence
OF the stranger.
Il have heard Of your power" sa id
the Learned lawy er with all incredulous
smile. Certainly. you can try tit
can do no harm. Jack step around
and ask Johnson to fetch that knife
here. Tell Potter and Felson to come
tool"
The errand boy soon returned, fol-
lowed by crowd of curious faces,
among them Leon Condor.
eff am not wanted, l will retire.
he said, with his eyes fixed upon the
colorless face of Ruby Sinclair, Il
thought-''
"Stay if you like-if the ladies are
willing?" the lawyer remarked inquir-
ingly, and, as neither of them spoke a
word, he accepted their silence as con-
sent, aed he took seat near Ruby, |
drawing back slightly as she shuddered |
and turned away.
"Now, Hiss Sinclair" the lawyer
said, extending the knife toward her,
she took it silently, with slight shiver
and an almost imperceptible dilating
of her dark eyes; burning flush
swept over her white face, then
receded, leaving it more pallid than
before.
s'This knife belongs to Charlie |
Astran," she began slowly, grasping it |
tightly, and fixing her dreamy eyes
upon the interested group around her
for second, then turning to face Leon
Condor squarely. sit is his knife, but |
he never did the dastardly deed for
which he is arrested. The mist clears. |
| see him enter the bank. | see him |
use this knife and leave it upon his |
desk. Now he goes out. The knife is |
still lying there. Another pauses be. |
fore his desk. He glances around. He
takes the knife. Now the lamps are |
lighted. 1t is late. The clerks 60 |
out one by one. The cashier is alone.
A form comes softly out of the gloom.
l see the glitter of steel. 1t is the
knife. l see the murderer's face. He
comes behind the cashier with steal
thy step. He strikes-oh, my Godi-
he has killed himr' she shuddered |
violently and paused, her great, dreamy
eyes, filled with horror, fixed upon |
LIE IN Condon's ghastly face. then went |
on slowly. "His face-that murderel's |
face is not Charlie Astran's, although |
the knife is his. He is tall and dark |
and cunning. He does not shrink as he |
takes the life of the man who loved |
him. Now he takes a roll of bills
from the dead mans pocket. He tries
to open the safe, but fails. Then lie
goes out. He does not-he dares not
look at his victim"
"And his name, give US bis name |"
shouted the excited lawyer, and, for
once, his calln judgement was overcome
by his imagination, while Potter sig
nificantlV fonk his Of a nd hv tho door