Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-03-02
HAPPENED DURING A NAP

close. Horses were shot under him
comrades fell dead at his side, but
neither steel nor lead could touch him
Yet his name was written on . bulist.
1t was drowsy summer afternoon
lay in hammock under the trees be-
fore my uncle's house, called Sunny
side, on the banks of the Hudson, some
miles below West Point. Someone
passed along the concrete walk near me,
but l was SO near 10 sleep that l had
not the energy TO turn my head to sec
who it was. supposed. however, that
IL was Captain Charles Marshall, the
accepted suitor OF my urcle's daughter.
Ny feeling for Marshall was not cor
dial. l would have preferred to have
seen Margaret engaged to Horace Pre-
Bile. whom liked exceedingly.
A few minutes after the steps which
l took TO be Marshalrs passed me,
suddenly remembered that the General
had asked ine TO confer with him upon
matter of business that afternoon.
knew that l should find him at that
hour in the long room," as 1t was
called, an apartment extending the full
length of one side OF the house.
At one end was the Generals desk,
where he wrote his letters. There was
also an easy chair for reading, AMI
some small, revolving bookcases. The
other end had somewhat the appear
ance of a conservatory, and midway
was a couch with cushions, a work
basket with colored woods, and other
Indications that Margaret often kept
her father company in the long room.
She lay on the couch fast asleep. The
General, at his desk, had not moved
at the sound Of NY coming.
put nay hand on Margaret's fore
head and walked her. She did not start,
but only opened her brown eyes and
looked up at me with instant recogni-
hon. Before either Of us spoke Mrs.
Holiday appeared in a doorway and
said:
Captain Marshall is here"
The girl followed her mother to an
other part OF the house and 1 walked TO
the Generals side.
spoke and he did not move. I laid
my hand upon his shoulder. My touch
disturbed the equipoise of his body. 1t
slowly, heavily slid from the chair. and
fell TO the hoor. where it lay face up
ward
Find DR.. Hilton cried, "and send
him here instantly Tell no one else"
Hanley obeyed with alacrity, and in
scarcely more than a minute DIR. Hill
ton came. He was a young physician
resident in the family, with which he
hof aIar ~
of a competence under the Generals S
will.
General Holiday had been shot
through the body. The bullet had shat
tered the spine and death had resulted
Instantly from the shock. So much DR..
Hilton was able to say with perfect
certainty. He added that the murderer
must have stood directly behind his
victim, and have aimed well General
Holiday had been dead very short
hme-certainly less than an hour.
Mrs. Holiday was utterly prostrated,
and I believe that nothing but her
mothers dire need saved Margaret
I have already confessed my preju-
dice against Captain Marshall, and it
Is, therefore, with the greater pleasure
that | admit him to have proven him
sslf a seryicable man In such an emer-
gency.
1t was under his direction that we at
last began to make an investigation of
the tragedy. We had alreay telephoned
the police of West Point
Evidently the extraordinary circum.
stance-the seemingly impossible detail
which distinguished the case from all
other mysteries-was the presence of
Margaret when the shot was fired. She
told us that she had come to the long
room Immediately after luncheon Her
father had come in. very soon after
ward, and had gone at once TO his desk.
She must have fallen asleep Immediate
ly, and she remembered nothing more
till the moment she saw me standing
before her.
'0Tbis is beyond belief" said Hilton.
"It is utterly incredible that Margaret
should not have been awakened by the
report of the weapon, but it Is even
more preposterOus to suppose that any
human creature could have had the
hardihoOd to commit this crime right
before the girls face, even though she
slept"
"He might have felt sure that she
wouldn't awake" said Marshall, and
[ noticed that his cold gray eyes
scarned Hilton's face narrowly.
The suggestion seemed TO escape the
physician, but it came like a blow to
NE MGrgaret's sudden and deep sleep.
might furnish the explanation of the
,ntire mystery. Hilton sat next to Mar
yaret at the table. He might have
irugged her food.
But Nfargaret's sleep might have been
natural in the beginning. Then some
one might have come noiselessly to her
side, as had done, without disturbing
her sIumbers. He might have caused
her TO inhale some soporiferous vapor
which would have dulled her senses
while the murderous deed was done.
They make powders nowadays"
said Marshall, which develop extra
ordinary energy but very little noise.
! think IL possible that a weapon so
charged might have been fired in this
end Of the room and not have been
heard by anybody but the murderer. 1t
is extremely improbable, but we must
not forget the fact"
Where Eere you" 1 asked, with
unintentional rudeness.
"I was in the parlor with Mrs. Holli-
day." he said. And your question re-
minds me of one that may be pertinent
DR.. Hilton, from your examination of
the body, should you think 1t likely that
General Holiday was shot after Mar
garet left this roomT
gentleman" said, I'VE waste time
with suspicious. Let US confine our
selves to the facts in the case"
There is police officer in West Point
who has considerable reputation as
n detective. his name Is Bernard kc!-
" Within an ho11r after the message