Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-10-29
the West virginia estate in considera

give mp 70 the old lawyer ms clam upon
the West Virginia estate in considera-
ti0n Of his freedom.
''What is the ofFense with which Mr.
Kyle is chaTged?" asked the Prophet,
walking to the front with an expression
on 1is face such as it wore the morning
when he charged the outlaws.
'Ahl ! do not know, sir, that you
have any right to ask that question, :"
said Lhn laxlz1--- With = L1x.. intended to
be very polite.
''If hadno5 the right to ask, [ Iwould
not do So Now, sir, I shall resist You
process, for l. too, have been a lawyer
to my shame be it said-and 1 know cur
rights, F" said the Prophet sternly.
''Oh, if you VIII insist on placing II
gentleman in an unpleasant position be
fore his friends, of course I can't object.
The charge against Valentine Kyle is
that Of murderl" said Lawyer Bliss.
''Murder" gasped the people, with a
shudder.
Yes, for the murder, nearly 10 years
ago, of his brother, Frederick Weldon.
Therefore arrest You, Valentine Wei
don.
The lawyer advanced to lay his hand
on the heartbroken mans shoulder,
when a laundering "Holdr' stopped
him.
''Who asked me to hold?' asked the
lawyer, looking anxiously about him.
''It is l who ask you to holdl'
Captain Brandon had washed the
blood from his face; the scar down his
cheek was paler than it had been since
the day it was first made, and the re-
manning eye burned with a light that
struck awe to all who saw it.
do you not know meP'
"Nop'
II am Frederick Weldonp'
Frederick Weldon" came like an
audible throb from the hearts of the
people.
Frederick, who was dead, but who
still lives, " said the Prophet.
The intense silence that followed was
at length broken by the sobs Of the
women and unchecked tears flowed from
the eyes Of strong men unused to weep
ing.
Valentine Weldon rallied by an effort
of viii and looked into the face Of the
man who had clasped him in his arms,
and he saw the scar, from brow to chin,
saw it as he did that night in the long
ago, when by tho lightning's flash he
stood over his prostrate brother. He
could not realize that Frederick lived,
even though his voice, the eyes and the
perfect profile assured him.
Has the grave given up its dead:'' .
he managed TO ask.
''No, Valentine, but the time has
come when the clouds should roll away
from our lives. That this has not been
done before is not my fault, as you
shall see.
ooh! If you are Frederick Weldon,
l should be delighted" " said Lawyer
Bliss, putting tho bundle of papers I'M
der his arm and dry washing his lean
hands.
do not interrupt me- 1 am now speak
ing for the information of my kinsmen
and friends hcrc assembled. Captain
Brandon, OF rIredericl, Weldon, conduct
ed his brother to "a seat facing hepeople
and continued:
My position can only be understood
by telling you in rs brief a way rs pos
sible my story since the sad night when
last 1 saw my brother "
The captain hCsiJatcd, while a cough
ing and a shuflng Of feet told of the
profound interest Of the people. He went
on:
"When l returned to consciousness
after the blow l found myself in a hos
pital where Union troops were being
cared for, and my nurse told me the
place was Cincinnati From this man l
learned that q scouting party OF the
Twenty third Ohio had come upon a
man robbing the body Of another whom
he was supposed to have murdered. BY
the glare Of the lightning they recog-
nized this man as "a noted bushvhackor
and fired at him. He plunged into the
river, and his was the body found after
ward, but of which 1 knew nothing Un-
Ill recently
1.-THE officer ~ command, believing
rightly .hGt WAS q Union man, after
asccrtaiuug that 1 sim lived, had me
placed iu an ambulance and sent to "a
hospital Some Of his men kindly gue
me g uge of cl- ''ug, and, as they