Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-18

NO. 1O1.
started up and sprang to the window.
The boughs of a huge elm were quite
near, and I easily stepped into the tree.
Here / remained hidden by the dense
foliage, for, despite the danger, I could
not resist the curiosity to know who 1t
was that was in the house. In a very
few moments a light appeared, and I
clearly saw that it was young Walter
Marvel himself. Everything seemed to
favor my plot. Waiting until his light
was e1tinguished again and until
could slip out Of the tree without at
tracing his attention I stole silently
away. I walked to New Market juno
tion, where l boarded the early morn
ing train for New Market, for, though
could easily have continued on to that
place on foot, wished to give color to
the story which I intended to tell, Of
having come from Portsmouth, by being
seen to leave the proper train. During
this short ride the conductor pointed
out to me two men and told me that
they were detectives. 1t was these same
two that I afterwsrd recognized at
the saloon, when the squire informed
me that he was taking detectives to my
house. was startled, not unnaturally,
to learn that experienced men would be
on the scene Of the crime so early, ana
in my agitation almost betrayed my
self, as ! know, because Burrows ques
toned me afterward.
"Another unexpected event was when
my dog recognized me at the house and
plainly showed bis friendship. Strange
as it may seem, this possibility, obvious
as it should have been, had not even oc-
CURED to me. A man who commits
crime always overlooks something. I
was so taken by surprise that scarcely
knew what to do, for the animal is so
savage that it would, Of course, look
strange to the squire to see him fawn
upon stranger. However, made
lame attempt at explanation, but poor
as 1t was it served to lull suspicion.
"That night, as fate would have it, !
was assigned to my own room, and,
thinking over the whole affair, it sud-
denly occurred to me that post NOR
tenn would reveal the fact that one
wound had caused instantaneous death,
and, for all that could tell at that time,
the other might be Of the same charac-
ter. However, I saw at glance that
the only way to explain the presence Of
the paper which I had written would
be by supposing one wound to have been
made by either Of the shots which had
been fired from the lawn. In that event
the position Of the wound on the body
would lead the detectives to search for
the corresponding hole through my
clothing. / therefore determined to &C.
crete these garments in this apartment,
and to let their disappearance be part
of the mystery.
Everything went as ! had planned,
except that the paper fell into the hand
Of Virgie, aud led her to believe In
young Marvel's guilt Thus, in her ef.
forts to save him, abe herself became
entangled in the affair and even accused
herself of the crime. To prevent the con-
sequences of this, led Mr.. Barnes to
where he would find the evidence which
I had manufactured against young Mar
vel. I wished to remain behind to
search for the bundle which he claimed
to have thrown into the river, and which
Iwould have destroyed if I had found It
But ttheshrewddetective would notallow
me to leave him. When we reached Ep-
ping, we found Burrows ahead Of US
he had ferreted out all that / wished to
be discovered. l congratulated myself
that all would yet be well, when Mr..
Barnes ut once demonstrated the fact
that Marvel could prove all alibi, or else
that Virgie must be considered an ao-
complice.
"Thus have no recourse but to die.
The truth must be known that the in
nocent may not suffer. 1t is hard that
what / have so long and earnestly
guarded should at last be revealed.
have been victim Of circumstances,
rather than a criminal, and it seems
unjust I srppose I should not have
raised my b: I'D against my fellow man,
and, though it was, as l thought, in
self defense, still it is true that had
long premeditated the killing, and so
bow my head to the stroke Of fate. The
one pang that suffer is that, after all
these years, my niece must learn what
a villain her father was and that her
uncle is q murderer and suicide.
II am confident that Mr.. Barnes sus-
pects the truth and that his skill will
place him in position to unravel the
mystery. Should he be the one, as
think likely, to discover my dead body
and this writing, it is the last prayer OF
doomed man that if his fertile brain
can invent a tale whereby Vlrgle could
be kept in ignorance of my sin he will
exert himself to that end. If not,
humbly pray that Virgie will pardon
me for the misery which have caused
her, that she may enjoy long years OF
happiness, and that in time she may
come to think of me as one who loved
her dearly and who now cheerfully sac
Yifices his life to insure her safety. And
now, Gods will be done, and may ne
have mercy Oh my soul. "
"Ameup, exclaimed Mr.. Barnes-
To RE CONCLUDED NEXT WEDNESDAY.
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