The herald., 1897-10-10

was followed by such awful conse-
that I deserve severe penalties aud am
ready to submit to them.
But if what 1 say in regard to the
innocence of my intentions should be
doubted. if it should be believed that
I really wanted to kill the man, if the
charge should be brought against me
that I waited so long before making
my confession because I hoped to find
some scent which would put Justice off
my track and that 1 did not tell what
had done until danger to another alb
solutely forced me to do it, and if the
man should die and I should be held
liable for his murder, still have moth
ing to say, and shall submit to what
ever may happen. l did not come here
on my own account, 1 came solely to
right another man. I have cut loose
from everything which gives me an
interest in life, and I put myself into
the hands Of the law, and if anyone
chooses to laugh at me for doing that
he can do it, and I shall say nothing"
For few moments not word was
said in that room. Several persons
were looking with great interest at the
dipsy lead which was passing from
hand to hand; then Mr.. Shallcross
stood up and addressed me.
my young friend" said he, may I
ask where you have been this morn
ing?"
This question enraged me. Was to
meet with nothing but ridicule and in
suit? Did this man think that I had
been dissipating, and had concocted
this story under the influence of drink?
1t seemed to me as if his question i'm
piled such a suspicion. What business
was it of his where had been? I was
about to refuse to answer, but con-
quered the impulse.
Il have been in my Office" I said, the
words almost sticking in my throat,
"and,- in one other place"
"Then," said Mr.. Shallcross, at ap-
pears that you have not heard that this
morning, about ten o'clock, Reuben
Farris recovered from his delirium, be-
came conscious and sensible, and told
who assaulted him. That man was
Doctor Latimer; he has been arrested
and is now in jail"
l stood stunned and aghast. I saw
before me Mr.. Shallcross with beam
ing face and a hand outstretched;
saw other hands and other faces, they
all seemed coming toward me. Sud-
denly some great tension within me
seemed to give way; the room rocked.
1 think sat down, or perhaps, I fell
When 1 recovered my senses 1 was
sitting in an arm chair, and l per-
ceived the smell of whiskey. 1t came
from a glass held toward me by Mr..
Dorman.
Take some of that" he said, 'it will
stiffen you up"
1t would have been impossible for me
to imagine before that hour that men,
ordinary, common men, some of them
rough hammered, all of them men who
took no interest in my affairs, some of
them men who did not like me, and not
one of whom / had ever thought of as
q friend. should now gather around me
and speak as those men spoke. 1t as
tonished me as much as anything else
that had happened that morning. Mr..
Shallcross held me by the hand While
he spoke to me, but 1t was Mr.. Dorman
who had the greatest influence upon
me, 1t was he who slapped me on the
shoulder and spoke of the good STUFF
that was in me. He was generally
rough in speech, but his manner now
told me what he meant. Other people
came up and they shook hands with
me. and said things which flushed my
cheeks. The news of my fainting in
the sheriffs office must have spread all
about the court house.
i made few answers to what was
said to me. scarcely comprehending
what 1 heard, and what l saw about
me. was delighted and excited. Cen
erous, friendly feeling, although
might not know what it meant, could
have no other effect upon me. after
what I had passed through. But my
mind was not upon all this. something
else engaged it absolutely and wholly;
l wanted to get away. l told Mr..
Shallcross that it was absolutely neces-
sary for me to attend to something.
As left the room other people came
to me and shook NV hand. One was