Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18

uncle's and fellow J. p. He had had
the case reported to him, it seemed as
soon as the body had been found and
had at once gone to the spot. He found
the body hanging NTH the right
hand cat of.
ITS a murder, Brett" he said,
without doubt most horrible case
of murder and mutilation. The hand
is cut off and taken away, but whether
the atrocity was committed before or
after the hanging, OF course, l can't
say. But the missing hand makes it
plainly a case of murder, and not sui
eide. I've come to consult you about
issuing warrant, for | think there's
no doubt as to the identity of the muir
derers."
"else we should have had some work
for Mr.. Martin Hewitt here, which
wouldn't be fair, as he's taking a rest.
Who do you think of having arrested?"
The two young Fosters. It's as
plain as it can be--and a most revolving
crime, too, bad as Sneathy may have
been. They came down from London
to-day and went out deliberately to do
it, it's clear. They were heard talking
of it, asked as to the direction in which
he had gone and followed him-and
with rope"
Isn't that rather an unusual form OF
mountaineering" Hewitt remarked.
Perhaps it is" Mr.. Hardwiclk re-
piled, but it's the case here, plain
enough. 1t seems, in fact, that they
had way of threatening to hang him
and even to cut off his hand # he used
it to strike their mother. so that they
appear to have carried out what might
have seemed mere idle threats in a dia-
bolically savage way. OF course they
may have strangled him first and
hanged him after, by way of carrying
out their threat and venting their spite
on the mutilated body. But that they
did it is plain enough to me. I've spent
an hour or two over it and feel am
certainly more than justified in order
ing their apprehension. Indeed they
We're with him at the time, as I've found
by their tracks on the footpath through
the wood"
The colonel turned to Martin Hewitt.
"Mr. llardwicll, you must know" he
said, sis by way of being an amateur
in your particular line-and very good
amateur, too, I should say, Judging by
n case or two l have known of in this
county"
Hewitt bowed and laughingly en-
pressed fear lest Mr. Hardwicll should
come to London and supplant him alto.
gcther. This seems curious case"
he added. eff you don't mind think
should like TO take glance at the
tracks and whatever other traces there
may be, just by way of keeping my
hand in"
"Certainly," Mr., HardwiclS replied,
Frightening 81 should of all things
like to have Mr.. Hewitts opinion on
the observations | have made-iust for
my own qualification. As to his opin-
ign there can be no room for doubt.
J|The thing is plain"
With many promises not to be late
for dinner we left my uncle and walked
with Mr.. Hardwick in the direction of
Rathcrby wood. 1t was an unfre-
qucnted part, he told us, and by par
ticular care he had managed, he hoped,
to prevent the rumor spreading to the
village yet, so that we might hope to
find the tracks not yet overlaid. 1t
was man OF his own, he said. who,
making a short cut through the wood,
had come upon the body hanging, and
had run Immediately to inform him
With this man he had gone back cut
down the body and made his observa-
tons. He had followed the trail back,