The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-02

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John Bridger had heard the story,
had seen the spot, and was baffied.
That murder had been done was be-
yond question; the position of the
wound did away with the possibility of
suicide; but what was the motive?
The rector had crossed the field at the
hour of the murder, but he was beyond
suspicion; although, as Boss Tee
thought sometimes irreproachable
middle age has the background of
shady past; but one piece of evidence
alone diverted suspicion from Mr..
| Guyhirn-he had never been abroad
| ard N. d'Himbu had never before been
| IL England.
AS for Miss Marchden-well. her past
| history must be traced, and already a
| trusty clerk was on his way to Brus-
| sells, where Marjorie had been to school,
but from the little he learned about her
| disposition, character and tastes, she
| did not seem likely to be the doer of the
| deed.
| Boss Tee held a map of Oldby in his
| hand, and as he studied it an idea
| dawned in his mind. He slapped one
| knee AMI exclaimed "He!' he slapped
the other and exclaimed "Ha" And
| this to his colleagues would have been
a signal that his great brain was be-
| ginning to work at a theory.
Did DR.. Settle go by the road to Lea
| farm, or did he ride, taking the shorter
| bride path? If the latter, then he too,
might be in the British Field at the
| time of the murder
He and NJ. d Hindu had played to-
gether; nay, more; there had been a
| suggestion of revenge for a lost
camel"
Doubtless it was question of money.
The fact that the doctor had himself
sent for an investigator went for moth
| ing; the doctor doing so might simply
be repetition of the blind use by Capt.
Meldy in the Cats Eye robbery.
Money, then, was the motive for the
Oldby murder, and from the well-head
of this motive John Bridger deemed
it would be easy to track the murderer.
Whistling contentedly, he looked from
the window, and seeing Arthur Whit
| croft driving some bullocks from the
street into Back Lane, strolled forth
to join him.
Prime beasts" he remarked, by way
of greeting.
"Ay, SIR" replied the lad, with the
customary brevity of the English viii
lager.
| Makes me feel young again; takes
me back twenty years. and it's good for
a man to step back sometimes he said
to the boy, who began to take liking
to DR.. Settles fresh visitor.
My father had farm in the North,
right up in the dales, and l and my
brother Jim used to drive our cows to
pasture down by the beck, and there
we would lie about four hours, watch
ing the water buzes and the king
fishers, and fishing for crayfish and
nevis. l sharpened my power of obser-
walton down by that stream" he con-
| tinued, with a sigh of sentimental re-
membrance, at this same time switching
a tagging bullock with a adroitness that
won his companions admiration, Lea
farm you're going to aren't you? All,
no! of course not; / know you live at
the Hollow. But let me see; how long
will it take me to walk over to Leaf"
by the bridal path, twelve minutes,
SIR"
THE bride path! 1 suppose most
folks so that way?"
Yes, sir, 'cept in mucky weather;
then they takes the road"
"Ah, well, it's not mucky weather
now. The Lea people must find a nice
step saved when they can come to
church that gamer cut"
Yes; and it's handy-like for the doc
tor now that the missus is bad"
"Ah" said Boss Tee, softly. at is
swampy here" he continued. as they
passed the stile that leads into British
Field. "Kingcups and milkmaids
grow here in May, don't they?"
"Ah, yes, and frogs, too"
|
Frenchman to climb over" mused the
detective, unless he happened to meet
friend who knew the way. I'll have
another look at the knoll" and nod
ding farewell to the lad he crossed
into the now noted field.
A few PAGES brought him to the spot
where poor NJ. dHimbu had been
found. A crushed cluster of poppies
showed the exact place whe the body
had fallen. The setting S, glistened
On something bright that Iay beside
the poppies.
Mr.. Bridger stopped and picked this
something up.
1t was string of five minute jet
beads
. Part of a fringe" muttered Boss
. Tee, whose keen eye noted even the
, frivols displayed by Jay and Peter
Robinson.
Five yards further on, nearer to the
tiny thatChed British cottage lay an
other string-one of three beads only
Hunt" said the detective, "hum'
Less than this has hanged a man
, They may have come off the dress OF
some Sunday sightseer; but I'll keel
them all the same"
Good morning. You're making the
) most of your time" This to white
capped old dame who sat knittinl
within the rose powered porch of {
British cottage
! "Ay, sir; days is never too long fol
willing fingers"
> And ! dare say you are a bit lonely
D living here all alone"
why, sir. as for that I've got my
: thoughts, and thoughts is grand com
panions. And the ladies from the rec
tory most ways gives me a look-one OF
the other, Miss Marchden, she's beer
here hours lately, for she's a-doing o.
my picter."
And with a sign of invitation she en-
tered the cottage and took down
block
1t was a wonderful bit of watel
color drawing, and reminded Mr.. Bird
ger of Cooper's Nancy Macintosh" H,
prided himself on knowing something
of art
"Ah! Comes often, does she?"
yes sir; and glad l am to see her
The last time was on the evening tn,
poor French gentleman was killed. Eth
sir! It's sad l am to think he wal
so near-just behind the mound-and
never heard his cry for help. Going II
aNTrh u gt.