The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-05

which followed are too well known to
need iteration here. So will come at
once to the night Of the murder.
81 was sitting In the parlor, ponder
ing bitterly over my position. / had be-
gnn to realize the fact that If should
pursue the course which I had began
and should prosecute Marvel it must be.
at the cost to myself of Virgie's love. I
was debating as to the most sensible
course to adopt when, suddenly, ] heard
pistol shot and bullet broke through
the pane. 7 jumped up, hurried to the
window and distinctly saw man crap
pllng with my dog. The snow had
ceased TO fall, and there was light from
the moon, which was visible through
fheelouds as they broke away. Thought
{ this was young Marvel and that he had;
deliberately fred through my window,
in pursuance of the threat made on the
day of the party. had seen Yirgie pass
through the parIor and leave her pistol
on themantel; soquickly possessing my
self Of til fred at the retreating figure.
At the same moment a second SHOT was
fired, this time at me, for it struck me
Son the head. though it inflicted but a
slight wound.
6 learned at the inquest that these
shots we're fred respectively by Lucas
and Miss MaTyel-the first accidentally
and the second deliberately, though at
! the time did not see whence the latter
came and supposed that it was from the
man's weapon.
s sA very few minutes after this ]
heard the nocker at my front door.
Thinking that it might be young Mar
vel still desirous Of injuring me, con-
cluded to so prepared and took weap-
ON In my hand. / did not again take
Virgie's, for had time to think before
acting, and asI was possibly about to
take life it occurred to me that it
would not do to use Virgie's pistol. be-
I cause it has her name on it. At the
same moment it flashed across my mind
that young Marvel's also bore his name
and that it was in my possession. ! took
it from the drawer where I kept it, and
went to the front door, where the man
outside was again knocking. Iopened it
and bearded man entered. When I
saw that it was not young Marvel, I led
the way back to the parlor. Reaching
there, I faced the man and inquired his
name.
:. Walter Marvel, he replied, sand
your day of reckoning has arrived. For
q moment I was dazed, and I did not
remember that there were two who bore
this name
g that is impossiblef exclaimed.
T do not recognize you.
g You will In a moment, he an
sMered, and rut his hand to his hip
pocket. Immediately understood This
was the elder Marvel, and the time had
come for him to take my life or for me
to take his
Il was certain that he was at that
moment getting ont q weapon, though,
as it proved later, it must have been
that as evidence Of his identity he
meant to show me the locket which my
sister had sent to him. I think that be
wished to know where his daughter was
before going to extrenities. Be that as
it may, thought that he was about to
raise his hand against my life, and so,
having a pistol already in my hand, /
shot him, and be died almost without
struggle
II at once proceeded to carry out my
long prepared plan. Isripped the body,
cutting tae garments away, with the
exception Of the long coat, which, with
much difficulty, ] succeeded in remov-
ing without destroying, as I decided to
wear it away from the house. There
was not a moments delay, fer had
long been ready for this emergency
and SO acted promptly. I got one Of my
own shirts, making sure that it was
marked with my name, and Slipping
this on him made it appear that I had
been aroused after going to sleep. Next
I arranged the shirt so that it touched
the wound and allowed some Of the
blood to soak through. This served as
mark, and I fred at it In order that
there should be bullet hole through
the garment and near enough to the
other for both shots to have entered tee
same spot. I suppose that my hand trem-
bled somewhat, and that is why, as the
doctor testified, this was but slight
wound and the bullet passed out again
It can be found in the floor, Of course,
if it be deemed necessary to substantiate
my statement in that way.
ssNext, to make the Identification COM
plete, / placed upon the finger of the
corpse the large diamond ring which I
had always worn, and which is well
known. This was again fatality, for
this is ring which he gave to my SIS
ter when he engaged her affections. 1t
was with some difficulty that got the
ring on, fer his finger was much larger
than nine {Again Mr.. Barnes utter
ed an ejaculation and thought to him
self: Exactly, and it was SO small a
thing as that which led me finally to
suspect the e,uth. If the finger could
not swell after death, as the doctor
n1o;,..e <o bo <t,o foot fbou tho rino