The herald., 1895-04-28


cover them tonight. I'm awfully sorry,
but If you don't mind giving me your
card III bring them round to your place
In the morning
1T was certainly annoying, but felt
that it would be worse than useless to.
waste any more time in searching for
them. l had no cards-how could man
of all work at bootshop sport cardsp-s
but gave the fellow an envelope, which
happened to have in my pocket and up
on which my address was written in full.
"'You shall have them first thing to-
morrow morning. said the man, and with
a sharp Good night he went into the
house.
got no sleep that night. felt uncom-
Portable about those keys-something
seemed to whisper to me that they would
get me into trouble. A heavy shadow set
tied over me. I was heartily glad when
morning came and I had to turn out of
bed to go to my work.
"When / reached the shop, my master
remarked that looked pale, haggard and
generally out of sorts.
g Been out all night?' he asked, half
jokingy.
6 No, sir, replied with feeble at
tempt at smile, but I don't feel alto
gether up to the mark, perhaps
''At that moment some one came into
the shop, and 1 began taking down the
| shutters.
60 Robert said my master, coming out
to me just as 1 was about to carry the
last shutter to its place. will you come
into the shop please?'
II did as directed.
This is Inspector Roundway,' said
my master, indicating man had seen
enter the shop.
" Now young man, said the officer,
what explanation have you to offer con.
corning your movements last night?'
Last night ] echoed family, the
blood despite myself rushing into my face.
'Yes-come--don' It pretend to be green
the games played out exclaimed the
officer sharply. I suppose you don't know
anything about these keys do your and
he held bunch up for my inspection.
Yes, l gasped, they are mine' I
| held out my hand to take them, but he
drew them back with sudden jerk.
" It's rum go when young fellow
| in your position carries skeleton keys about
with him., he exclaimed dryly.
| Skeleton keys?' I echoed family.
Skeleton keys?'
"'Of course he said. Here they be,
as large as life You d forgotten they were
on the ring perhaps, but we have you
nailed to them in any case. Your land
lady identified them before came round
here, and then there's this ere bit of pa
| per, with your name and address ON it.
| Maybe you'll own up to that as well. =
II am afraid that my manner was
| against me- l went red and white by
turns, stammered, hesitated and made
| just about the worst impression l could.
! But somehow l managed to struggle
through the history Of my adventure Of
the preceding night
"'An extraordinary statementp ex-
claimed the officer, world of sarcasm in
both tone and manner. Perhaps you
may succeed in making jury believe it,
but extraordinary-oh, yes-certainly
most extraordinary. Are you aware young
man, that an extensive robbery was COM
mitted in Maldon road last night?'
THAT same evening the town rang
with the account of my capture. Tho po-
lice were congratulated on every side.
But the strangest and for me most I'M
lucky part of the whole business was that
the burglarics ceased from that night.
! Subsequent events appear to me now
like hideous nightmare. First came the
| luNcSllSdblOu DelOT6 Un0 DOE-
ough magistrates, then followed my COM
initial to the assizes, next there was the
anxious, weary waiting for my trial. and
| by the time the day appointed for it arrived
| l was in a most wretChed and deplOrable
| condition, both of mind and body.
1.-The case against me was strong one
had come stranger to Redgarth; soon
after my arrival the burglaries had COM
menced; with my departure they had
ceased. The evidence of the keys seemed
| irresistible, and l had no one to plead for
me. The result you have already foreseen.
| The verdict of the jury was Guilty and
| not soul in all that crowded court pitied
me. The judge delivered short address,
bearing on tho necessity of protecting So
| ciety from such daring, debascd and hard
ened criminals, and passed upon me SEN
| tence of ten years penal scryitude
| Then suddenly a new feeling took pos
session of me. The living active conscious
ness of innocence rushed upon me. You
are condemning an innocent man, Lex
claimed loudly, and but at this mo-
ment turned hastily round and caught a
| glimpse of face in the front row of tho
| gallery behind me. had seen that face
before. 1 recognized it knew it.
gave fierce, wild cry of triumph
| He is yonder! He is yonder!' shout
ed, pointing with my finger at the fellow
who turned CHASTITY white and covered be-
meath my gaze. There is the sooundrel
who borrowed my latchkeyl
| 1.-The terrible carnestness of my words
| and manner-no less than the fearful as
| pect of the man Idenounced-made great
| impression upon the court. The judge or
| dered my removal from the dock, and
was taken to the cells below, but his lord
ship, evidently greatly affected, ordered
| the inquiry to be renewed. The result
gentlemen was that eventually 1 received
her most gracious majesty's free pardon.
Tho real thief, it turned out, was the
son of a well known and highly respected
resident of Redgarth. That he had been
| in desperate circumstances, but had sub
sequently been known to spend money
freely, was soon proved. A good deal of
| the spoil was traced and some of it rccov
cred. The keys had never really been lost.
| The two skeletons he himself had placed
| upon the ring. He had left them, together
with the envelope had given him, upon
the half floor, as though they had been
| dropped and forgotten in the hurry of
clearing off with the booty. Had l not
seen his face know not what the issue
might have BEEN
THE young fellow subsequently made
| full confession and to save himself from