The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-12

conversation between the Fosters
which he overheard might well mean
something less serious than murder
What did they say? They had oeeh
sent for in Il hurry and had just had
short consultation with their mother
and sister. Henry said that the tnlng
must be done, and at once; also, that
as there were two OF them II would De
easy. Robert said that Henry. as
doctor, would know best what 10 90.
Now you, Colonel Brett, had been say
ing-before we learned these things
from Mr.. Hardwick-that SneathyS De-
havior of late had become so bad as 10
seem that OF a madman. Then there
was the story Of his sudden attack op-
a tradesman in the village and equally
sudden running away-eNactly the sort
of impulsive, wild thing that madmen
do. Why, then. ursht 1t not be reason
able to suppose that 'sacathy had be-
come mad-more especially considering
all the circumstances of the case, his
commercial ruin and dlsgraoe and MS
horrible life with his wife and(er ram
ily? Had become suddenl much Jrse
and quite uncomfortable, so that the
two wretched women, left alone with
him were driven to send in haste for
Henry and Robert to help them. That
would account for all The brothers
arrive lust after Sneathy had gone
out. They are told in hurried inter-
view how affairs stand, and 1t Is de-
cided that Sneathy must be at once Sc
cured and confined in an asylum before
something serious happens. He mas
lust gone out-something terrible may
be happening at that moment. the
brothers determine to follow together
at once and secure him wherever ne
may be. Then the meaning of their
conversation is plain. The thing that
must be done and done at once, is
the capture of Sneathy and his contine-
ment in an asylum. Henry, as
doctor, would know what to do-in re-
gard to the necessary formallties. And
they took a. halter in case a struggle
should ensue, and 1t were found neces-
sary to bind him. Very likely, wasn't
tt?"
well, yes" Mr. Hardwick replied,
'ft certainly Is. It never struck me in
that light at ALL"
THAT was because you believed to
begin with that murder had been
committed, and looked at the prelim-
mary circumstances, which you learned
after, In the light of your conviction.
But now to come TO my actual observa-
tions. I saw the footmarks across the
fields and agreed with you Gt was in
deed obvlous) that Sneathy had gone
that way first, and that the brothers
had followed, walking over his tracks.
This state Of the tracks continued until
well into the wood, when suddenly the
tracks OF the brothers opened out ana
proceeded on each side of Sneathy's.
The simple inference would seem to be.
of course, the one you made-that the
Fosters had here overtaken Sneathy
and walked one at each side OF MIN;
but Of this I felt by no means certain
Another very simple explanation was
available, which might chance TO be
the true one. IT was just at the spot
where the brothers tracks separated
that the path became suddenly much
rnuddier, because of the closer over
hanging of the trees at the spot. The
path was, as was to be expected, wet
test in the middle. 1t would be the
most natural LIlIUB III tHt WI i' ip'
two wel-dressed young men on arriv-
ing here to separate so as to walk one
on each side of the mud In the middle.
On the other hand. man In Sneathy
state assuming him, for the moment,
TO be mad and contemplating suicide)
would walk straight along the center
of the path, taking no note of mud or
anything else examined all the
tracks very carefully. and my theory
was confirmed. The feet of the broth
ers had everywhere alighted In the
driest spots, and the steps were of ir-
regular lengths-which meant, OF
course, that they were picking their
way; while Sneathy's footmarks had
never turned aside, even for the dlrtiest
puddle. Here. then, were the rudi-
ments of a theory.
At the watercourse, of course. the
footmarks ceased. because of the hard
gravel The body lay on knoll at the
left-a knoll covered with grass. on
this the signs of footmarks were al
most undiscoverable although i am
often able to discover tracks In grass
that are invisible to others Here, how"
ever, It was almost useless to spend
much time in examination, for you
and your man had been there, and
what slight marks there might be
would be undistinguishable one from
another. Under the branch from
which the man had hung there was an
old tree stump, with fiat top. where
the tree had been sawn off. I examined
this. and it became fairly apparent
that Sneathy had stood on i when