Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-08-22
CHAPTETR TX.

CHAPTETR TX.
AFTER THE DEED.
While the Major, hardly able TO credit
his own eyes. was staring at the oeau
bodv of his dead lad, Jaggard. attracted
aIso by the strange cry, came running
up.
"What il it sir?" he asked, saluting
len even in that moment Of anxiety.
heard an awful cry, sir, and come arter
you"
Jen pointed to the corpse but said noth-
ing. Jaggard. ignorant OF the truth, bent
down to place a hand upon the DEAD
mans heart Then he saw and recos-
nized the face.
"Mr. Maurice! God, sir, what does It
mean?" he cried aghast with sudden nor
ror.
1T means murder. Jaggard!' replied
len. in a hollow voice which he hardy
recognized as his own. Mr. Maurice
went to Denminster before dinner ana
now" the Major pointed again to the
remains.
Murder" echoed Jaggard. his rudy
face growing pale. And who, sir
81 don't know can't say Interrupted
his master, impatiently. GO and get Inc
men 10 bring down a stretcher for the
body. and send the groom for Or. FL
wald."
Amt 1t too late. sir?'
"Do as I tell you" said Jen, so fercely
that Jaggard did not dare TO disobey'
but ran off. leaving the Major alone with
his dead.
The road which ran past "Ashantee'
towards The Wigwam was lonely even
in the day time and at this hour OF the
night-for it was close upon nine O'Clock
il was quite deserted. Not person was
in sight. although the Major could see up
and down the road for a considerable
distance. owing to the bright moonlight.
He raised Maurice-or rather all that re-
r,,t.-s -s->---s-. u i-i--------,
placed the body on the soft grass by the
wayside. Then he sat down and began
to think out the reason for the committal
of this cowardly crime.
That it was crime he was certain,
for there was no reasonable idea to sup
pose that Maurice had committee suicide.
He had left for Deanminster hardly three
hours before full of health and spirits;
and now he was dead. A dead body,
lonely road-all the evidence of an afro
cious assas snation having been commit
ted and not one trace Of the assassin.
Undoubtedly the twice-uttered cry had
come from Maurice, and as Jen had raced
out of the house after the first time he
heard 1t, he must have reached his boy
almost Immediately after he died. before,
so to speak, the body had time to grow
cold. Yet the strange part of the affair
was that the body was cold, and that
there did not seem to be any wound
whereby the murder could have been
achieved.
II am taking too much for granted"
muttered Major Jen, passing his hand
across his brow. Maurice may not
have been killed, after all. 1t is Etwald
and his horrible prophecies which have
put the idea into my head Let me have
a look at the poor lads body"
In the bright moonlight he carefully ex-
amined the body, but could find no trace
of any wound. until he came TO the right
hand. Here, in the palm, he saw a rag
ged rent clotted with blood, but It was
mere scratch. not likely to have caused
death, unless poison were. Here,
Major Jen muttered an oath, and rose to
his feet with new and terrible idea in
his brain.
THE devil-stick. by Heaven" he said
aloud.
Again he bent down and examined the
face and hands. Both were swollen and
discolored; he tore open the shirt at the
neck. and saw that the young mans
breast was all dIstended and bloated.
Undoubtedly the cause Of death was
blood-poisoning, and the devil-stick had
been the instrument used to effect the
deed. But here the problem proposed Il
self: Who had killed Maurice? The per-
son who had stolen the devil-stick! Who
had stolen the devil-stick? The person
who-Major Jen came 10 an abrupt
pause. He could think. for the moment.
of no answer to that question: but II Is
only fair 10 say that dazed by the ter
rible occurrence of his dear lads death.
Jen had not his wits about him.
While he was still considering the affair
in a confused manner, Jaggard reap
peared with the men from "Ashantee"
carrying a stretcher. While they placed |
the body Of Maurice thereon. the groom |
bound for Deanminster passed them driv- |
ing the dog-csrt, and Major Jen stopped |
the man 10 tell him that at all risks he |
was to bring back DR.. Etwald with him. |
Jaggard wondered at this, for Maurice |
poor lad-was beyond all earthly aid-but |
Jen was thinking Of a certain person |
who might have committed the crime,
and he wished for the aid OF DR.. Etwald |
to capture that person. In the mean
time the necessities OF the case called |
for the immediate removal Of the body |
10 "Ashantee.
1t was a melancholy procession which |
bore the body up 10 the house. Four /
men carried the ber-for II was nothing |
else since IL bore the dead body OF a I
young rnan-and behind came Major Jen |
bowed TO the ground with sorrow. He |
could hardly believe that Maurice was |
dead-that he had persisted upon lonely |
road by an unknown hand. But |
that was the question. Jen began 10 think
the assassin was not unknown; thar he
had a clue 10 find the guilty one: and he |
awaited the coming of DR.. Etwald with
great impatienee to see what his opinion
was regarding the course to be pursued
Go be continued)