The silver star., 1898-03-10

/ of the crime"
He drew back few steps from the
corpse, upon which he had come sud
denly and unexpectedly. and looked
around. Without noticing his path he
had journeyed to the bottom of a deep
ravine before his progress was arrested.
High hills rise upon either side, COW
cred with heavy growth Of timber
and tangled underbrush. A little
stream found its way with great DIFF
ficulty through the rocks at the bot
tom, and its waters were never gilded
by single ray of sunshine.
The corpse was that of a girl who
must have been under 20 years, and the
face was one of more than common
beauty. The figure was tall and deli
cately proportioned. The clothing, now
torn and stained, was OF fine material.
and the discoloration OF the neck. ears.
fingers and wrists-the piece torn from
the bosom OF the dress and the pock-
cts turned outward-told that robbery
as we'll as murder had been committed.
The marks upon the base Of the skull.
caused apparently by heavy blows from
a sharp stone, seemed sufficient to
have produced death alone. but, In ad-
dition to them, blood was slowly oozing
from and congealing upon several
wounds. in one of which a knife was
still sticking.
with this knife" he said. giving ut
terance to his thoughts as he drew out
the weapon, l could even thus kill
all my enemies, make myself rich, and
l.
The sentence was never finished. Be-
fore it could be a dozen men, who had
been watching and creeping near,
sprang out of the bushes and pinioned
him beyond the power OF resistance.
Taken beside the corpse. with the
blood dripping knife in his hand. what
could he say in defense?
His defense must be made at another
time and place, and in truth he was
thinking more Of the corpse of the
murdered girl than of his own desper-
ate situation. and. drawing himself up
proudly. he asked that she might be
cared for.
Whatever may be your purpose with
me-" he said, "at least see II there is
hol yGt lake your
hands OF and let me see II my skill
can not be Of some avail. am ply
sician.'
Scowling brows and clenched fists
were the only answer he received.
They paid not the slightest attention to
his words. except 1t might be to grasp
him even more firmly than before. and
hurry him before a neighboring justice
to be examined and exhibited as a
monster. But he had the satisfaction,
II indeed II could be called by that
name. to learn who the supposed VIC
tim of his murderous knife was; that
her name was Ethel I-oring; that she
was comparatively stranger upon a
visit to an old uncle who lived near
the scene OF the tragedy; that she was
an orphan and rich In her own right
that she was known to wear costly Jew
elry and carry with her considerable
sum OF money tall Of which was miss
ing), and that she had gone out to take
a walk alone and was found as de-
scribed. These facts, together with
his having been detected bending over
the body with a knife In his hand. and
that In his pocket was found about the
same sum OF money and OF the same
description as that known to have been
In the possession Of the murdered girl.
were dwelt upon by the prosecuting at
torney with remarkable force, and the
prisoner saw that It was next to use
less TO attempt a defense.
To all questions he replied In a sim
nlo and fyttfhfrt1
his name was Alonzo Martin, his age
Is; that he was by profession a physi-
clan. unmarried. possessed Of some
means; that a love OF geology had led
him thither. As for his being the
murderer Of the girl, he denied II In
the most emphatic manner. and ex-
planned how he came TO be bending over
the body with the bloody knife in his
hands.
You will deny next" sneerea Tho
attorney. that you threatened To kIIl
all your enemies In the same man
ner."
Il heard him distinctly" volunteered
strong. rough looking man, who wa,
said to have been among the f,rst 1,
not the frst. to discover the murder
who had guided others there. and had
been the most willing and strenuous IN
his testimony against him.
1T is case that might happen a
thousand times" was the reply: "bu,
permit me TO ask II she ia indeef
dcad?"
you will soon see." growled IN,
sfih-necked Justice: see more than yor
want TO-"
III dead I have no wish to look IN.
on her again. The horrible sieht
have had is fully sufficient. and / have
.een enough OF death not to be u,riou,
In such matters"
mo doubt Of It! Murder and rob.
berry is your trade!"
The old uncle OF the murdered r,r
stepped to the side OF the Justice. snd
hey had a short whispered conyer.s. !.
lion. but evidently an important one
The purport Of II was soon MAJ,
Known.
Without the most remote idea n,
what was going to take place thu n~,.