Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-14


camp meeting. Teams were hitched
here and there, and many people moved
about languidly, talking under breath.
The distant clang of u blacksmith's
hammer sounded impiously. 1t was as
if he who welded it had desecrated the
Sabbath.
at can't be him, " said the minister,
with the easy disregard of grammar that
comes from living among uncducated
parishioners. "If he'd done it, he'd
have run away. He's in my orchard now
trimming trees He's been there at work
these last three days" He looked about
him with benign triumph.
"Then will go and get him, began
the deacon constable
"No, " said the minister with gentle
firmness; IL will go. 1t is n terrible
blot on mans character even to con-
meet him with crime like this. No one
suspects him as yet. ="
The blacksmith seemed to be about
the only person in the town undisturbed
by the moral convulsion. He was a stall
wart man. deliberate of action and cool
of speech, contrast to his fussy forge.
He was moreover, n frcethinker, the
only one i'll the broad valley, and slight
ly feared as such, as plausible rational
lists are apt to be by ignorant believers
He was IA disciple of Emerson, the phil
osophic dread of the community. 1t
was whispered that even the minister
dared not cross swords with the only re-
spectacle man i'll town who belonged to
no church. No one ever knew the man
of the forge to accept an improved state
ment as fact. No one ever knew him
to lose his temper. No one ever knew
him to be otherwise than scrupulOusly
honest. He seldom gossiped. He delight
ed in dry, intellectual disputes and in
getting his opponents angry. His favor
lite topics of argument were the fuulity
of religions and the exclusion Of pauper
emigrantS. He was known to look upon
George Williams with disfayOr because
he was not an American born citizen. 1t
was William Worthely's habit never to
let any one suspect that he was possessed
of the information that others were eager
to give him. Therefore he never had the
detestable custom of interrupting tcllers
of stories just before the point was
reached. This self possession gave him
the reputation of being IA good listener.
1t also gave him "a real advantage in "a
conversation of which he was not slow
to make use with native adruitness.
Therefore when on the morning after
the murder, the village gossip stopped
eagerly before the door of his shop the
blacksmith did not even raise his eyes
from the shoe he was fitting with expert
care.
Thomas Burns - began the gossip,
hating for the expected inquiry.
"Well:' said Worthcly dryly, will.
ing to crafty his ncighbor's cagerness
to impart exclusive information.
Haven't you heard;'
"What:'
He was murdered last night
guess they suspect George Williams
Here's the minister bringing him down
the road He looks scared enough.
The blacksmith dropped the horse 5
hoof easily from his leather apron and
went to the wide door BY this time
every one seemed to have OWNED the
minister's mission. Looks of inquiry
and Of aversion were cast by eager and
curious farmers upon the unhappy la.
borer. The blacksmith looked at the
Englishman compassionately and took
his pipe out of his mouth.
Don't be too cocksure," he said
dryly Its u serious business " be con
tinued loudly SO AS to be overheard by
several others, "to accuse man Of
murder -
The minister looked up at the speaker
with "A gratified nod. amen to that, "
he said solemnly. The two passed by
Others followed, struggling. The black.
smith gazed after them intcntly, until
they turned into Burns yard. Then he
bent over to the gray's off hind foot, as
if nothing unusual had happened. But
there had. His pipe was out
Suspicious, sullen, frightened, def
ant, George Williams glarcd from one
to the other, as the minister, with IA
whispered word of encouragement, ush.
cred the farmland into the presence of
the constable, the doctor and the store
keeper. The teacher of the town aCade-
my had been added that morning 20 the
imprompru coroner's jury, and he sug
gested that Williams should be imme-
diately taken TO the barn.
81 don't see why l should 60. What
have | got to do with it," pleaded the
unfortunate man.
The five turned pale and nudged each
other nervously. That indefnable in
stinct which is the gift Of great detect.
ives and which incisively points out
the guilty person with occult force
possessed each bystander This feeling
increased when Williams hung back
pale and trembling, upon the pastor 5
encouraging arm. The good man now
had serious doubts, but his Christianity
forbade him to express them to the
mans face
When Williams was brought into the
presence of the dead man, by all the
recognized laws of circumstantial evi-
dence he hopelessly incriminated him.
self before n question had been asked
II didn't do it!'' he cried. why am
brought here? am innocent Before
God, am innocent.
"No one has questioned that yet, "
said the constable rather coolly. 1--WE
have proof that Mr.. Burns saw you on
| ly little while before his DEATH and
we want you to explain the circum-
stances. " This shrewd random shot,
fired because of the prisoners perturba-