Evening star., 1898-11-05

~ = y - -
must find out more The question is: How
was this wound made? Was there q third
man IN it?'
Guide may have jabbed him from be-
hind with some other instrument. and at
t,rward thrown 1t out of the window.
Yes said I. but that is going on the
assumption that Guide did the trick, which
l don't for moment think is the case. Be
window, it would most assuredly have been
found They keep the permanent way very
thoroughly inspected upon the Metropol-
itan No, Barnes. There is some other
agent in this case. animate or inantmate,
which SO far we have overlooked complete
1y: and innocent mans life depends
upon our raveling 1t out.
Barnes lifted his shoulders helplessly,
and took another sandwich. I don't see
what can do
" Nor 1, very clearly. But we must start
from the very commencement, and go over
the graund inch by inch
so wrapped up was | in the case by this
time that l could not fix my mind to any
thing else Then and there went out and
set about my inquiries.
with some trouble I found the compart-
ment in which the tragedy had taken place,
but learnt nothing new from it. The sta
ton and the railway people at Addison
road, kensington. were similarly drawn
blank. The ticket inspector at Shaftesbury
road, who distinctly remembered Guides
passage, at first seemed inclined to tell me
nothing new either till dragged 1t out Of
him by regular emetic of questioning.
"Then he did remember that Guide had
been carrying in his hand a carpenters
straw bass, as he passed through the
wicket. He did not recollect whether he
had mentioned this to the police; didn't see
that it mattered.
Il thought differently and with a new
vague hope in my heart, posted back to the
prison. i had heard no word of this hand
baggage from Guide or any one. 1t remain
ed to be seen what he had done with it.
They remembered me from my previous
visit and let me into the prisoner without
much demur. Guide owned up to the basket
at once. Yes, he said, 4 had some few odd
tools to carry from home. and as l couldn't
find anything else handy to put them in 1
used the old carpenters bass. l had an
iron eye to splice on to the end of wind
lass rope, job that I like to do myself, to
make sure it's done safe. l never thought
about telling you of that bass before, sir.
l didn't see as how it mattered.'
Where is the bass now?
In the left luggage office at Shaftes-
bury road station Name of Hopkins. I've
lost the ticket
Where did you put your basket on en-
tering the carriage at Addison road?'
ON the seat, sir, in the corner by the
window And with that l left him.
Now, thought / to myself, l believe /
can find out whether you murdered Andrew
Walker or not, and drove back to Ham
mersmIth.
Il inquired at the cloak room. Yes, the
carpenters bass was there, beneath dusty
heap of other unclaimed luggage. There
was demurrage to pay on it, which l Of
tered promptly to hand over, but 1
could produce no counterfeit bearing the
name of Hopkins the clerk with smile
said that he could not let me have it. How
ever, when he heard what I wanted, he
made no objection to my having over
haul.
tyun lIrerc of ha hoe
together with a hammer l took this away
and opened the sides. Within was ball of
marline, another of spun yarn d grease
pot and several large iron eyes. Also a
large marine spike 1t was this last that
fixed my attention. 1t was brand new.
with a bone handle and a bright brass
ferruie. Most of the iron also was bright
but three inches of the point were stained
win ta1nt dark brown. From casual
inspection l should have put this down to
the MARINE spike having been last used to
make splice on tarred rope; but now my
suspicious made me think of something
else
Il raised the stained point to my nose
There was no smell of tar whatever On
the bright part there was the inGefinablc
odor of iron; at the tip that thin coat of
brown Narnlsh had plotted this scent COM
pletely away.
Il think my fingers trembed when 1
turned to the bass again.
Yes. there opposite to where the pojnI
OF the MARINE spike had been lying--it was
Tilted up over the ball of spun yarn-Was a
closed-up cash in the side of the bass The
spike had passed through there, and then
been withdrG wn. Round the cash was a dim
discoloration, which l knew to be dried
human blood.
in my minds eye l saw the whole
ghastly accident clearly enough now The
two men had been standing up struggling
Guide had gone down under blow
kLocked senseless, and Walker had stun-
bied over him. Pitching forward. face
downward. onto the seat before he could
recover. his head had dashed violently
against the carpenters bass. The sharp
marIine-spike inside. with its heel resting
against the solid wall of the carriage had
entered the top of his skull like bayone:
No human hand had been raised against
him. and yet he had been killed on the in
stant. without a struggle.
Then he had rolled off on the floor, and
the blood from his wound had dripped on
him.
Now. | know that for barrster to go
ahout ferreting ont these items of evidence
Tor himself Is matter open to censure To
begin with 1t takes up time which might
be used TO greater financial profit in other
ways. Also it is undignified
so kept my own particular ramblfngs
In this case remarka bly, quiet, and IN court
led up to my facts through ordinary cross
examination.
Mind you, it wasn't a short case. or f.
simple case when it came I'D for trja!
Counsel for the crown had anticipate6 An
easy conviction, and when they saw that
they were going to be fought they threshed
through their briefs like men. Perhaps I
dld let them have an undue length of
tether: but the temptation was too big to
be resisted. But at the proper psychologi-
cal moment ] called attention to the shape
or the puncture in Walkers skull, and
then dramatically sprang the bass and the
marline-spike upon them unawares After
That. as the papers put 1t, there was ap-
plause In court, which was instantly sup-
pressed" "
"Oh. the conceit of the mani" said o'Mal-
ly laughing.
Grayson laughed, too. well" he said
Il was younger then, and I suppose I was
trifie conoeited. The crown didn't throw
up. They fought through to the finish
ard the judge gave the rottenest summing
up l ever heard-siIly. old fool. But the
jury chucked a Not guilty without
leaving the box, and then leading counsel
for the other side came across and con-
graduated me on having saved Guide from
the gallows. Now, I'd have bet anything
on hanging that man. said he"
u N V Err SITY NOTES