The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-05-01

ding her glorious light then it was that he
saw what was coming. Great Cod it was
Miller, and he was dragging the form Of
man. He seemed to have lost his bearings
for he left the form in the clear space to
rcconnoiter, and came almost directly where
Ned lay Ned's retreat was shaded by
several cedars and two or three smaller ones
interviewed between Ned and Miller.
He was near enough to have spurned Ned
with his foot. He said in an undertone,
''ths is the spot, and turned and went
hack to the limp form which he had been
dragging with rope He picked up the
end of the rope came Juggling back to the
place which he had just left. The doleful
bird kept right on its weird tune, the
katydds were little shy at the
approach of Miller, but they opened
up full chorus again and seemed to be
vieing with the -poor-will as to which
should sing the most appropriate for this
weird scene.
Miller stopped within one step of where
poor, trembling Ned lay, and the orb of
night peeping through little opening be-
tween two cedars, showed him the pale
features of the once jolly peddler Slime in
death, And the great gaping wound in his
throat tod the diabolical story. Yes, the
cash was there. and the life blood had
oozed therefrom.
Miller unstrapped spade from his back
and began to dig.
Poor Ned suffered as much agony in the
next hour as is seldom crowded in mans
whole life. 1t was then that he was thank
full for the weird chanting of the katydids
and the doleful song OF the bird that was
so persistent in having poor will whipped.
For surely if it had not been for these
chintngs Ned 5 breathing would have been
would have Drained him with the spade on
the spot.
He finished the grave and rolled the life
less body of the peddler in his shirt front
all saturated with human gore. lie SHOW
cled the loose dirt in on the body and after
trampng and retramping the same, he pro-
ceeded to pile cedar brush on the fresh
earth, and when he had finished he stepped
back to view his hellish work.
A.
he assembled to the loft and got old Jake's
pack, he then piled up the old flooring
on the ground floor and with the same
spade dug deep in the earth and there con-
cealed the proceeds of his bloody nights
work, after which he carefully replaced the
flooring saying, there, that will be there
even though the ranch burns to the ground"
Poor, stupid Ned was suffering from the
pleasure to every one who had the pleasure
effects of what he had witnessed.
But he must do something. His last
copper was gone, nor had he anyplace
to 90.
All! said Ned. | will hold this awful
nights work over Millers guilty head. will
20 to him in the morning and tell him that
is he don't give me back every cent of my
money and my Sweet Violet who is my
lawful wife, that | will 90 to New Castle
Immediately and pass him over to the hang
man. / have you John Miller, you are
completely in my power. Poor, inebriate
Ned You reckoned without your host
You have a terrible man to deal with. Do
you not know that the desperate gambler
who planned and consummated the diaboli-
cal murder of last night would stop at
nothing to cover up that very crime. You
are doomed just as sure as you tell him that
you possess the awful secret.
At dawn Ned pulled himself together
and went to a neighbours and actually
begged his breakfast. His face was swollen
and discolored from drink that the good
peoplewho had known him all his life could
hardly realize that the man was Edward
Upton. When he left the farm house to
Miller's gambling ranch he met one of
Violet's servants. She had not been at
Niolet's but very short time, and being
from distance, didn't even know that
Violet was on speaking terms with poor
Ned And when she met Violet she said,
81 met a man out on the pike whose face is
swelled and black, and he is an awful sight
to see"
Poor Niolets face grew pale and she
trembled like leaf. Something told her
that the man was her husband She slipped
away and got her bonnet, saying in au in
audible tone Of voice, 81 will 20 to the
store and if it is him | will tell him | will
tell all and ask father to let me fetch
him home that | may care for him. Oh,
my husband! my husband love you with
all your faults!'
In the meanwhile Ned had gone direct
to the ranch and walked boldly in. No one
was present but Miller. He boldly began to
tell Of his knowledge of the terrible crime
Of the night before. But he didn't get far
with his narrative, for Miller reached for