The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-09-26

tisements have been inserted in all
the papers by Fenthurst's legal advls-
ers, for the purpose Of discovering
the individual in question, but as no
answer has been forthcoming, it IS
generally. believed that the whole story
is myth. At any rate, there seems
but smcll chance of an alibi beng
proved at the last moment. The muir
der was committed on February o..
Since his condemnation the murderer
has been confined i'll Silkminster jail,
where his execution will take place. -
Astonishment and dismay confront.
ed me as laid the paper down. l
was the missing witness they had SO
vainly sought. I distinctly remem-
bered, early in February, running up
to town rather late in the afternoon,
spending just half an hour there, and
returning by the first train I could
catch. My landlady didn't even know
but that [ had been for rather longer
walk than usual. I had entered into
conversation on the return journey
with the only other occupant OF my
compartment, a young man with a
small black bag, on which were paint
ed the letters &C. f." remembered
all this distinctly. In order to make
sure I snatched up my diary, and
quickly turned to the date Of the mnr'
der, February 6. There was the en-
try: Gran up to town IN afternoon.
Inquired concerning material for
Chap. vii. Saw B. for half an hour.
Returned by 6.24 train.
The horror OF the situation now
flashed upon me. A mans life-the
life Of my old friends aon-depenaed
upon me. / looked at my watch. Ii
was just eleven o'clock. Hurriedly !
dragged on my boots, thinking the
while what I should do. My first i'm.
pulse was to rush to the telegraph
Office. Then, with dismay, 1 remem-
bered that it WAS shut for the night
after S o'clock, and that the postmas-
ter took the $50 train to the large
town of p, about five miles of,
where he lived, leaving the office for
the night in charge of caretal1er,
and returning by an early train the
next morning.
TWAS impossible to telegraph. Then
l thought of going to the police There
were just two constables and q ser.
geant in our little town. but what
could they do more than I? Country
police are proverbial for the leisurely
"routine" manner in which they SET
about an inquiry, and it would not
do to trust them. ! was in despc;r.
Madly I threw on my hat and rushed
! out. I ran in a mechanical way to the
postofice. Ofcourse, it was shut
and if I had aroused the caretaker he
couldn't have wired; besides, all ou1
| wires went first to F., and, as
have said, all communication was shut
off after s o'clock. Then I started
for the railway station. This was
about half mile from the postolice
and we'll outside the town. As [ hur-
ried along, I thought, with fresh dis.
may, that this would also prove q
| fruitless errand, for the last train tc
Silkminster was the $50 p. H., by
which I have mentioned the postmas
ter always travelled. Silk1ninster,
must mention, was nearly $50 miles
down the line.
Should wait till the morning ENC
telegraph? I remembered that the
Office did not open till eight o'clock
I had, by this time, reached the sta
ton. Of course, it was all shut up ant
all the lights we're out, except those il
the signal lamps for the night express
1t was now half past eleven. Wa:
there no nope? Yes.
At this moment my eye caught {
light in the signal box, about quar-
ter of mile up the line. could sex
the signalman in his box, the outline
of his figure standing out against tht
light within. I looked at my watch
the down express from London wa
almost due. would make rush fol
that signal box, and compel the occu
pant to put the signal against it an.
stop it. 1t was desperate game, bu
only get that train to stop Tor an in
slant. and all would be right. By set
ting into 1t could reach Silkminste
in the early morning, and what care!
I for any action the company NIGH
take if L saved my friends son? I
the signalman refused to put back tn
levers, the strength born OF despera
ton would enable me to master him
and relax them myself. All thi
flashed across me in an instant, and
clambered over the ratings on tn
side OF the station, and found mysel
on the line.
Even as I reached the rails . soma
phore signal that was near me let full
its arm, and the red light changed in
to brilliant green. The express wa
signaled! Would there be time?
dashed along over the rough sleeper
toward the signal box. 1t was yer,
dark and I stumbled over and owe