The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-15
J CHAPTER XY.
Nh RARNES ON HIS MRrTE.E,

my snterests: he does not believe that
Waiter S guilty 8
sthattrue?'' said the squire, quick
interested s am glad to hear it, for.
0nah Burrows seems to have made
ont complete chain. OF evidence. If
l:yon, M Barnes, with your experience,
xe unconvinced, there must be weak
pot II 1t Tell me, how is It? -
sss Burrows is uaistakeR." " said
Barnes aIisevidence is all good
and most Important His deductions,
however, are incorrect. As you say,
there is q flaw. pointed it ont to him,
but Re IS obstinate and refuses to see it.
cannot convict Marvel withontp prov
inS that Miss Lewis here was an ac-
scomplice after the fact if net before =
God forbsd that he should 90 that. =
was afraid that be would have
ruughtt out this point before the grand
isz. and thas Miss Lewis as a conse-
auance would have been still II prison.
That he has not done so shows that he
eeretl fears that he could not sustain
& die charge
Well, but do yea. think you can
selear Marvel? If 50, who did kill Lew
our last query is q hard one to
answer, but must do so it I ana to
sroTe Marvel's innocence. All I can.
ssay now IS that hope to accomplish
that Now, wish TO see the body
assain. VIII you come with meg
The squire and the detective moved
tsHar1 the parlor, where was the casket
oontaining the remains. Virginia wen4
4 IS her own room. The two men stood
beMde the coffin a moment in silence.
Barnes gazed intntly at the char
red face bandaged IN SILK handkerchiefs
tD conceal the Disagreement, and the
1zre wondered of what be was think
ID truth Mr.. Barnes scarcely knew
himself He had q dimly defined idea
within his mind and was awaiting its
Development Presently his eyes wan
dered down 10 where the crossed arms
o the corpse lay upon the breast, and
I lie noted the diamond ring
e said he, Il think mis-
take VIII be made if we do not inter
siere 2
What do you mean?''
There is q ring on the finger OF the.
corpse It should not be buried "
by not
Because the man was murdered, and!
any thing corrected with the body may
{ become an article Of value as evidence
T OF some Hnn- 2
How can ring amount to any,
thing?''
81 don 4 say il will but It may. We.
detectives, as yen know: are cautious,:
and Ishonld be indebted if you will re-
moyesit. q
oh, certainly, If yon specially wish
i'll The squire removed the ring with
some difficulty.
wish, squire, that you would keep
that yourself. Should anything occur
which will make 1t useful to me. /
shall know where to get it. .
Yes, Twill keep it, and it shall not
leave my possession unless I let yen
know first. =
4 thank you, hut may I look at it
now for moment?
Certainly The squire handed it
to him. Mr. Barnes examined it close
II, and, Noticing an inscription On the
inside ofsthe band, went to the light to
decipher it. It proved to be s4W. to NJ .
The detective started and muttered,
sThe same initials as were on the lock-
et!'' Then, returning the ring TO the
squire, he asked:
Have you that locket? Though that
IS foolish question, as suppose yca
gave it TO the authorities at Dover, wSta
the other things in evidence.
.sYes. They were given up yester-
day
81 wonder, . thought the detective,
.sn 7 have made a mistake. may wish
20 see that locket once more, and must
question Miss Lewis. y
At this moment the minister arrived,
and the ceremonies commenced. John
Lewis came in with him, and then
went TO call Virginia, but she declined
{ 10 leave her room. At this there was
little surprise, for what girl would care
to show herself before SO many people
after such an experience? The service
was brief, the main point In the dis
course being to impress upon the minds
Of those present the transformers Of
human life and the extreme uncertainty
as te how long man might live or how
soon be called away from all that he
holds dear en- earth, and therefore the
policy and wisdom Of SO arranging
earthly affairs that one might be ready
to answer the call at any time. While
the worthy man spoke nothing but
truth, it is doubtful if any Of his hearers
even so much as made his will the
next day, so far of do most men feel
from death.
The body was inferred in a private
cemetery belonging to the estate, stu
ated at one end of the farm, near
growth of timber land. After the funeral
the neoDle f1ispersed.