Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-27

unless it was that he wanted to see his brother privately. Such talk was very weak, and the jurymen looked significantly at one an- other. They know the Fen inn and could not conceive that any one could be so mad as to dwell in it even for night It was said to be haunted, and, though such Q superstition might be scoffed at, yet not one of those present would have passed la hours of darkness in thnt i'll omened place.
 "were you not afraid when you saw tho lone inn," asked a juryman.
 Rose shrugged her shoulders and laughed contemptuously.
 "I am afraid of nothing" '" she said coolly. '"There are no such things as ghosts. Besides had my brother with me"
 Your brothor!
 "Yes, Edward Strent"
 The inspector gave low whistle, and catching my eye nodded significant ly. He remembered what I had said on the previous night, and now agreed with my theory that the secret of the committal of the crime lay in the rela- tionship existing between Rose and Strcnt. They were, it appeared, brother and sister I saw all kinds of possibili- ties now that such tic was made clear Meanwhile Rose proceeded with her evidence.
 'Mr. Felix Brairfield came to the inn, '" she said, after his brother had gone to rest saw and spoke with him and afterward went to bed myself. l understood that he was going to stay
  morning.
 Was he alone ill the room when you left him?''
 "No. He was with Strent. An hour or so after retired Strent came to my door and asked me to go down stairs. l did so and found Felix lying dead on the floor. My brother had left the room, and on going out at the back of the house found him mounting the horse of Mir. Francis Briarfield. l asked him what had happened, and he just said Felix was dead and advised me to fly lest should be accused of the murder. "
 That, suppose. was also the reason of his flight?'
 ''So he told me when saw him in London, but he then declared himself innocent of the crime. I was afraid 1 would be accused of the crime, so took the horse and gig in which we had come to the Fen inn and drove to Marshminster. From there I returned to London.
 "Why did you not give the alarm?'
 II was afraid of being accused of the murder. -
 Here the inspector whispered some thing in the car of the coroner. He nodded and again spoke to Rose Gernon.
 Why did you not tell MT. Denham where to find Strcnt when he was ap- parently guilty"
 ''Strent is my brother" said Rose quietly, "and as he told me he was in- nocent I did not wish him to be arrest ed for the crime. But that he visited me yesterday and was seen by the men set to watch me hc would never have been caught.
 Her examination lasted some consid- crablc time, but the coroner did not succeed in ollciting anything new from her. She consistently held to the same story, so in despair the examiner de- 1 sisted, and she was told to stand down. In her place Edward Strcnt was called, and then for me began the most inter estinS part of the case. knew all that had been said hitherto, but did not | know how the crime had been commit ted and waited to hear what Strent had to say. Iquitc believed hirl to be guilty, | yet hardly thought Inc would accuse himself of the crime. He first corroborated the story of Rose as to going to the inn and narrated all that had occurred up to tho time when he was left alone in the room with Fe- lix.
 "when I found myself alonc with Briarfield." he proceeded, II had n quarrel with him."
 About whatT''
 About my sister. He had promised to marry her, yet, as l well knew, was paying attentions to Miss Bellin."
 But Miss Bellin was engaged to his brother, " remarked a juryman.
 "I know that. It was about Miss Bel lin he wished to see his brother. in- sisted that he should marry my sister. and he refused. We had hot words He was on one side of the table, I on the other. Between us lay the arrowhead which he had brought in his pocket"
 "Why had he brought tho arrowhead thcrc?''
 "I don't know" replied Strcnt, ly. ing with the utmost promptitudc. "HC took the arrowhead out of his pocket. said it was poisoned and laid it down on the table"
 Do you think ho intended to kill his brother because he stood in his way with Miss Bellin?" asked an iuquisitiv, iuryman of romantic turn of mind.
 'I really don't know, sir." replied Strcnt, looking the juryman straight ir the face. He said nothing to me. We were quarreling over the shabby way ir which he had treated my sister, and the arrowhead was on the table between us"
 What was the position of the arrow hcad?" asked the coroner prompted by Mcrrick.
 ''It was leaning against book whicl was on the table. and tho point was up permost. I said to MT. Briarfield, Will you marry my sister, and he said: No I'm - if will While saying thi, he brought down the open palm of hi hand on the arrowhead and gave & crJ of pain. When he lifted his hand, il had a ragged wound across it from thu thumb to the little finger. I wished tc bind it un but he pushed me away crying out he was a dead man. In thre' minutes he was lying dead on the floor threw tho arrowhead into the fire place and tried to revive him. but i was uf no use He was dead"
 And your"
 II was afraid would be accused O the death, as MT. Denham or Mir. Fran cis might have heard us Quarreling to gether. lost my head altogether an'