The Portland daily press., 1898-10-19

observed the Coroner. was cutto flsltor
known to the deceased|'
The ewes of the father and daughter met
for, "a single instant as she glanced around
upon the long line of expectant counte-
nances. -
"Oh. yes +" she replied "The gentle
man who came unexpectedly to see US has
been known to us all for fully five or six
years"
land has always been very friendly
towards the unfortunate girls''
"Always.'
"The only thing taken from the lady
apears to have been a diamond brooch.
Do you know anything of itP"
"Of what?" gasDed Liane nervously, her
face paIing almost imperosptibly behind
her black veil.
stOf the brooch, of course. "
81 only know that she priced it very
much, as it was a present from gentle
man she had met while in the Riviera
eigIfeen months ago.
fsHe was not her lover?" inquired the
grave faced man, without looking up
from the sheet of blue foolsoap whereon
he was writing her statement.
''Not exactly. l have no knowledge OF
her possessing any admirer."
The Coroner at last paused and put
down his quill. "And this miniature.
which was discovered beside the bodyP
Have you ever before seen it in the pos
session of the deceasedP' he asked. hold
ing it up to her gaze.
NO." she answered. Never.
The jury not desiring to ask any ques-
tions. Liane was then allowed to retire to
O chair next her father, while the doctor
was called.
Twill you kindly tell US the result of
the post -mortem, DR.. Lewis?" the Coro-
ner requested, when the medical man had
beenlsworn.
cal language the injuries he had discoV-
cred, and described the exact position In
which he had found the body when he
reached the spot.
"And what, in your opinion, was the
cause of death?" asked the Coroner in dry
businesslike tones.
"She was shot at close quarters while
ascending the incline leading from the
railway arch towards Stra tfeld Mortimer
The weapon used WAS an Army revolver.
produce the bullet l have extracted,
he anWered, taking it from his vest-pocket
aud handing it across the tabla. The
deceased assailant stood on her left side,
and must have shot her as she rode along.
She evidently mounted her cycle at the
commencement of the incline. and having
run down swiftly and passed beneath the
arch, was again descending when the shot
was fired. -
twas death intantaneous?' inquired
the foreman of the jury.
Scarcely, answered the doctor.
stSuch wound must, however, cause
death, Immediate attention could not
have saved her,"
A thrill of horror ran through the
crowded court Nearly everyone present
had seen Nelly Bridson, with her smiling,
happy face, riding about the village and
roads in the vicinity, and the knowledge
that she had met with an end SO terrible
yet mysterious, appalled, them.
Some further questions were put to the
doctor, after which George Strattield en-
tered. AS he raised the greasy copy of
Holy Writ to his lips his eyes fell upon
Lame She was sitting, pale and rigid,
with a strange haggard expression upon
her beautiful countenaDce such as he had
never before beheld. He gazed upon her
in alarm and surprise.
The Coroner's questions, however, COM
PEELED him to turn towards the jury, and
in reply he explained how, on that fate
full evening after his fathers death, he
was riding along Cross Lane and WAS
Mortified by discovering the body of Nelly
Bridson. In detail he described every in
cident, how he had lifted her up, and
finding her quite dead, had ridden on into
the village to obtain assistance.
Lame listented to his story OPEN
mouthed. Her hands were closed tightly,
and once or twice, when questions were
put to him by Coroner or jury, she held
her breath until he had answered. She
WAS as one paralysed by some unknown
fear. Their gaZs met more than once,
and on each occasion he fancied he detect
ed, evan through her vsil, that her eyes
were dark and haggard, like one con-
sumed by some terrible dread
"You have, believe, some knowledge
of this miniature" the Coroner observed
again taking the small, oval, bejewelled
portrait in his hand.
eyes" he anwe-ed. SIT is I'm doubleday
the one which has been missing from my
late fathers collection for more than
twenty years. 1t was supposed to have
been stolen, but by whom could never be
ascertained. My father had several times
offered handsome rewards for its recovery,
as it is family portrait.
"You have no idea, suppose, by what
means it could have como into the info r
tupate girls possession"
"None whatever. The unexpected dis
covery amazed me-"
you have not told us what caused you
20 ride along Gross Lane on that even
ing" the foreman OF the jury observed
presently.
Again Lame held her breath.
81 had an appointment, he answered.
not without considerable hesitation, land
was proceeding to keep it,"
"Did you know Miss Bridsonf'
"We had met on several occasions.
The detective from Scotland Yard bent
across the table and uttered some words,
after which the Coroner, addressing
George, said
inspector Swayne desires to aso srtain
whether it was with the deceased you had
an appointment"
NO. he replied promptly.
Again the Coroner and the inspector
exchanged some hurried words.
"Who was the person you intended to
meet?" the Coroner asked, looking in
quiringly at the witness.
"A lady"
"Am right in presuming that it was
Miss Brooker?"
George paused for an instant, bit his lip
in displeasure at being thus compelled to
publicly acknowledge his clandestine
meetings with Liane, and then nodded in
the affirmative.
"Then you were about to meet Miss
BROKER. but instead, found Miss Bridson
lying in the roadway deadP" the Coroner
observed.
81 did. ="
care you aware that Miss BROKER
wrote to you expressing her inability to
IyaoD the pnDOjntm6Dt2p the Coroner