Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-10-15

istrate.
II don't know nothing at all about
it, and won't divulge anything about
it," said Miss Table, rather inconsist.
emily. Il won't! to save anybody's
life! And I'd like to see who'll make
me speak when don't want to speak
I'd like to see the church and the state
try to do it; or the army and navy try
to do it; or the house Of commons and
the house Of lords try; or the Erch.
bishop of Canterbury and the lord
chancellor try; or all Of them together
try to make me speak when I don't
want to speak,"
Cor hold your tongue when you don't
want to hold it, you impudent Great
ure! exclaimed the doctor in a rage.
"Well, s'pose people can be i'm.
percent if they choose to take the con.
sequences, can't they? And here am ]
ready to take the consequences. !
s'pose you'll do something dreadful
to me! Well, do it; here am, ready
to be made victim of, or martyr of,
or a 'natomy of! But I won't speak!
won't speak! / won't! to please any
body''
"You are speaking all the time, you
wretch! You are deafening us with
your speech, if you would only speak
to the purpose" said the doctor.
"Your words, young woman, betray
that you do know more Of this mat.
ter than you are willing to divulge,"
said the magistrate gravely.
Il have told you what l do know,
sir; that when I closed my eyes my
mistress was still in the room, and
when woke up she was gone"
"But have you no knowledge or sus-
picion Of how she went?"
81 have no certain knowledge, sir, as
did not see her when she left. But
as there seems no other way of her
getting out Of the room, it stands to
reason that that policeman as kept the
assage-door must have let her OUT
The magistrate and the doctor look
ed at each other in perplexity. They
had full faith in the policeman; they
had no faith whatever in Tabitha, and
yet the evidence was certainly against
the policeman, and in favor of Ia
bitha. She saw this, and followed up
her advantage by saying valiantly:
There, gentlemen, have told you
the truth. 1 can't tell you any more
than that. Now you may do your
worst to me, for here 1 stand ready to
be martyr to the TRUTH
The doctor and the magistrate still
continued to look into each others
faces for counsel
"Why don't you make the policeman
confess? Don't you see that there was
no other way for Miss Leaton to es-
cape but through the door that he
guarded, for the dressing room guard
ed by the other policeman mas no out
let, and the window shutters were all
barred and padlocked by the doctor,
who took away the keys with him?
And even If he had not done so, the
windows are full sixty feet from the
ground, and even if she had attempt
ed to jump from either of them, she
must have broken her neck. But she
could not even have attempted it, since
the windows were found as they were
left, securely fastened. And therefore,
your worship, is it not perfectly clear
as my mistress must have left the
room through the door guarded by that
pelice?" concluded Tabitha, pointing
vindictively at the innocent but dis
comfitted officer.
"Sims, this looks very badly for
you," said the magistrate.
Il know it do, your worship; but I
hope my characters above suspicion"
81 believe it to be, Sims, and I do
not myself suspect you.''
In fact, both the magistrate and the
doctor strongly suspected Tabitha, but
as the evidence was certainly not
against her, they could do nothing in
the premises.
They left the chamber and went
down into the crimson drawing room,
which had been the scene Of so many
of the Investigations, to consult with
the others upon the best means of
searching for and recapturing the fu-
gitive.
They remained long in consultation
before it occurred to them to summon
one who might be supposed to take the
deepest interest in the matter. Then
Mr.. Humphreys said:
"Had not Mr.. Montrose better be re-
quested to give us his company and
counsel in this AFFAIR.""
Certainly" replied Doctor Watkins,
ringing the bell.
"Give my respects to Mr.. Montrose,
and say that we should be pleased to
see him here" said the doctor to the
footman who answered the bell.
The servant withdrew, but presently
returned with the news.
"Mr. Montrose has not yet risen, sir"
''LaZy fellow, and it is nearly II
O'clock" said the doctor, dismissing
that matter from his mind and resum-
ing the business with the magistrates.
The form of a placard was drawn
up, offering reward for the apprehen-
sion Of Eudora Leaton, and this was
ordered to be Immediately printed and
posted all over the country. The police
were sent out in every direction to
prosecute the search; and when these
measures for the apprehension of the
fugitive had been taken, the doctor or
dered in breakfast, and sat down with
the magistrate and solicitor to par
take of it. And while they were thus
engaged Malcolm Montrose, who had
returned home unobserved, quietly en-
tered the dining room and babe them
good morning.
"oh, Jon ere up at last!" said the
dostof.
II had q very bad nights rest; that
must be my apology Tor a very late
appearance" said Malcolm, drawing
his chair to the table.
"And have you heard since you came
down that the prisoner has ezcaped?
| Eyes. so my servant Informed me;
but she cannot have gone far"
| "Why, no; and as the promptesi