The St. Johns herald., 1896-09-26

I
 Killed on the 18th.
 The paper was much crumpled, as if it had met with rough usage, and, what added to the effect of the direful words, it was besmeared with blood to such an extent that some of the letters were scarcely legible. I would willingly have kept it from tue eyes of the deaconess, but she held out her hand tremblingly to get possession of it, and it was too | late to attempt concealment. She read it at glance, and, as if it had been on fire, threw it from her, unable to utter a word. "Stay little" '" said Girvan as he rose and took his hat. ''I will be back in 10 minutes l" He hurriedly left the room. And l, taking up the paper, began to question the officer as to the person who left it at the bailies' office. I ascertained that his name was Hugh McPherson, a cobbler who resided in the Cowgate, and that his account of the manner of obtaining it was that he found it among straw on the street right opposite the coach office in the High street, from which the coach to Gala shiels started twice week. It was fur ther stated by McPherson that his opin- ion was that the paper had fallen from the coach, along with the straw among which it was found. Before I had time to form any opinion as to the real pur port and meaning of this sibylline scrap Girvan came again hurriedly into the room, breathing hard, as if he had been running-an effect no doubt due more to his excitement than to his bodily ex- ertion. Laying down his hat, he resumed his seat, and putting his hand into his pocket he drew out another paper some thing like an account
 'Look at that," said he as he handed it to me-
 Glancing over it, found it to be an account for skins, due by Girvan to An gus Macgillivray, duly discharged.
 "What of this?', said I, utterly at loss to know the meaning of it all
 Examine the handwriting of the two papers, said he.
 did so and immediately ejaculated, "Why, that blood stained scrap is writ 
 'No doubt of it." said Girvan. '1 knew it the moment I saw it, but l wanted to make sure work.
 "And sure enough it is," replied I, ''but what conclusion do you draw from it?''
 1T am afraid to mention it, '" was the reply.
 "But I'm no," cried the deaconess in wild way. "It is just as thought" she continued as she moved her arms as if to enable her to utter the words, Angus Macgillivray has murdered my husband" !"
 ''But why should he publish the act in his own handwriting?" I rejoined
 Because the awful man glories in his revenge" she cried again hysteric- ally.
 'That hardly squares with human nature" !" said Girvan. To this assent ed, adding that Angus was not so mad as not only to write his own condemna- tion, but give the officers of the law a direction to go in pursuit of him."
 With all these qualifications, 1t was impossible to get rid of the direct ef- feet of the words of the paper clearly enough indicating that the deacon had been killed by some one whether Angus or not. The officer himself seemed to have no doubt, and, as for Mrs. Macgillivray, her former conclusion was only rendered more certain, and the calmness into which she quickly relapsed appeared to be the consequence of resignation to the will of God
 Meanwhile the officer had intimated that the paper was to be preserved and taken up to the office in the morning, with any explanation that could be giv- en of it. He then went away, and late as the hour was we resolved upon seek ing out McPherson to ascertain from his own mouth the true circumstances connected with the finding of the ex- traordinary paper. We accordingly went to the Cowgate, and having found the man, who was on the eve of going to bed, proceeded with our examina- tion. He adhered strictly to what he had stated in the bailies' office, nor had he any more to communicate, but we derived thus much from our visit that we became satisfied the man was honest and was not accessory to any trick or deception whereby some one might have been supposed to have taken advantage of the public fermentation to infuse new interest into what was already suf- expressing. Girvan took the pa per home with him, and we parted with the hope of getting some more light next day.
 (To BE CoNTINUED.)