The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-11-17
The lawyer was pleased at this

The lawyer was pleased at this
straig ghtforward reply.
"What were you doing there?"
SIS it essential to go into that?"
eft is very essential. -
'.Well, then, went there to meet
Miss Lewis, having asked her for an in
terview.'
"Did you see her? If so, whereof
"She met me across the river"
"How long did this interview last?''
"Of course / cannot be accurate, but
I should say about an hour. The sub
ject which we discussed was one Of vi
tai importance to me, and was not
anxious to bring the meeting to close
before exhausting all the arguments at
my command. -
Mr.. Barnes reflected moment and
calculated that if Miss Lewis left the
summer house at 9 o'clock, granting
her 5 minutes to cross the river and as
many more in returning, this statement
Of Marvel's, that she talked with him
an hour, would just fit the one which
she had made to the effect th-t she
reached the house at half past 10. This,
therefore, satisfied him that be had the
matter of time correct.
"Now, then. Mr.. Marvel, said the
lawyer, please tell US what you did
after Miss Lewis left you.
81 Istarted towalk to the Epping road,
but before reached it I retraced my
steps. y
Exactly. You crossed the river. did
you not?"
Eyes. How did you know?''
Never mind Tell us how you
crossed. -
s.I meant to wade the stream and
looked for shallow place, but Istepped
into hole and was obliged to swim. /"
every good Now tell us why you
were SO anxious to cross the river SO
late at night.
cit is delicate matter, but as this
seems to be of importance / will be
frank and tell you the whole story. My
first object in visiting the farm was to
| persuade Miss Lewis to marry me with
out her uncle S consent since he had re-
fused 10 grant it. At the meeting be-
tween us she would not do more than
| promise to send me definite reply the
next day by letter. After she had left
me could not-help thinking that she
meant torefuse and was only delaying
the i'll tidings, especially as she insisted
that I should go on to Portsmouth to
wait for her letter. I thought Of some
arguments which Ihad not used and re-
turned, hoping to find her still up and
SO make one more attempt to win her.
| That, sir, is the full truth.
"Did you see her when you reached
| the house?"
| "No, sir.
did you enter the houses'
| 'sI did. I went into the dining room
| and as far as the door of Miss Lewis
room, but as there was no light in her
apartment I concluded that she had re-
tired, and I left the house as had en-
tered it.
"While in the house did you see Mr.
Lewis?''
s.Before answer that may I ask you
question:
Proceed"
'.When you ask me if Isaw MI. Lew
is, are you not trying to get me to
make some admission which might con-
meet me with this MURDER
Mr.. Upper was a little confused at
this direct question and hesitated mo-
ment before he replied:
"Mr. Lewis has been murdered, and
there are suspicious circumstances
which seem to implicate you. 1 am on
ly giving you az opportunity to vindi-
cate yourself. .
"You are very kind, y said Marvel,
with smile, sbut it seems to NE that
it is the other way, and that you are
simply hunting for the criminal. Now,
if I admit that saw Mr. Lewis that
night, whether I killed him or not, /
might be acknowledging myself to &c
the last person who saw him alive, and
that might be construed into an evi-
dence of guilt. I believe have the
privilege of refusing to criminate my
self, and I will not reply to the cues
tion
80 lro BE Continued