The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-03-15

Z
| eyes, an aquilno nose and thin, firmly
compressed lips. She anwered the questions
put to her shortly and clearly. She had,
| she said, known or suspected nothing Of
an intrigue or love affair between the
prisoner and her governess. A few days
before the girls death she noticed she was
much depressed. She endeavored to dis
cover the cause, but failed.
On the night of Saturday, Sept. z, the
witness retired to rest earlier than usual
she had Neutrality-suspicious. $780, The de-
ceased had not come down stairs after see
ing the children were properly put to bed.
! She seldom did come down. 1t was only
in the morning witness first learned that
the governess was missing She then COM
municated with the police. Meanwhile
she searched the girls room to see If there
was anything there to ccount for her dis
appearance. She discovered the letters
produced, and on learning that the girl
had been murdered handed them to the
police. She had seen Captain Oliver write
| and had no doubt whatever that they were
in his handwriting.
Mr.. Briefly rose to cross examine.
You never saw the letters produced
| till the Sunday after the girls death?" he
asked.
Never" answered Lady Roland.
You yourself have had no correspond
ence with the prisoner
ooh, yes, l have"
"Of what kindly
Il have often written asking him to stay
with us. / knew nim we'll"
understand. But no love letters have
passed between him and you?''
You are insulting me, STRIP
Il should be very sorry to do so, Lady
Roland, but 1 must obey my instructions.
If what l suggest is untrue, deny it. No
love letters ever passed between you and
the prisoner"
NO. none 1t is an infamy to suggest
| it"
Now, Lady Roland, did you go to bed
when you retired to your room Saturday
night-tho night in question:
Yes, did"
"You swear that2"
Yes
"You did not go out to the park"
"No, 1 did not
"You did not meet Captain Oliver there
by appointment"
Il did not"
"The groom was mistaken in thinking
the lady he saw with the prisoner was
your"
He was"
You have never made appointments
with the prisoner by means of letters
written by the deceased girl?'
Never
Now, l put it to you. You did make
such appointments. You had love affair
with the prisoner The deceased girl was
merely a go between, who, to prevent dis
covery, wrote your letters to the prisoner
and received his letters for you. Is there
any truth in this?''
Not an atom"
You never wrote to him yourselfS"
Never u love letter.
That's what mean. Now, you swear
to this?';
II do"
Now, listen to this" said Mr.. Briefly
very quietly, taking up the copy of tho
letter which had been prepared for him.
Now, listen to this, Lady Roland, and
then say if you are willing to stand by
what you have said:
''RoLAND PARK, Aug. Is.
''MY DARLING CHARLIE-l am breaking my
heart to sec you again. Miss Despard is away
on holiday and won't be back for n week. l
can't wait all that time to write to you. Why
do you come so seldom now2 If you play me
| and tell me what you are doing l am dying
for love of you. Your broken hearted
"HEIEN.
"Don't mind my threats, dearest. I'm half
mad through your neglect"
When Mr.. Briefly came to the end Of
the note, he looked up at Lady Roland.
She was CHASTITY.
"Well?'; he said.
my God, he swore to me he had burnt
itu'
For a moment or two there was dead
silence over the court; then the judge
| spoke.
Let me see the original, Mr.. Britely, I"
he said.
Its not an original, my lord, u replied
Mr.. Briefly quietly, 'only a copy from
memory. The original, as the witness says
| the prisoner told her, is destroyed"
The next second Lady Roland sank
down fainting in the box.
| She was not further examined or cross
examined. Indeed her condition was SO
| dangerous that such n proceeding was out
| of the question The trial proceeded in a
| lame way, but the heart was taken out Of
| the prosecution by the collapse of their
most important witness, and under the
direction Of the judge the prisoner was &C.
| quilted.
Subsequent discoveries left no doubt that
the verdict was just, and that the case
was one of suicide. What became Of the
revolver is now the only mystery in the
affair-Exchange.