Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-01-27
tCpntinued from last week.
CHAPTER vi.
A SURPRISE OR A CLEw?

dcns. Once, indeed, turned back ia
fellow him there; but, after all, what
good could LIDO? | could mot ward of
even for an hour the storm of trouble
that was about to break over. that Uni
happy household. @3-f
Some time afterward, when the edge
of the agony had been dulled, Mabel
told me Of what occurredx Of course
George was not at home, nor could his
whereabouts be given. A Venetian glass
dagger was admitted to have hung until
recently on the wall of his room The
superintendent asked to see Georges
photograph and this tailed with the
descriptions of him given by the bus
conductor and by those of the pursuing
crowd who had given information. 1t
was further admitted that George had
left the house the previous evening in
dress clothes His friendship with the
unhappy woman WAS nc: denied
The chain Of Circunl stantial evidence
seemed COM !ete, aud a warrant was is
sued that - nc night for he arrest of
George FentOn fer the n.urder of Har-
rieC Starlss. Earlier III the day yer.
dict OF Wi!fn! murder had been brought
in by the coroner jury
The suspense and agony Of the next
few days fer Mabel and her parents
were simply awful The father and
mother were bowed down in terrible
grief. Mr.. Fenton entertained no doubt
of his sons guilt, his connection with
the murdered woman having fully pre-
pared him for believing the worst, and
it was pitiable to see the old man
crushed by the awful blow Mrs. Fen
ton was utterly Frustrated, but her anx-
iety was all for her, hoy. She never
spoke Of the murder, but sat all day in
her room piteously asking each new
conner whether there was any news of
George. Mabel alone in that house pre-
served an appearance of calm. Her pale
drawn cheeks, her anxious eyes, told of
her inward suffering, but she moved
about seemingly unconscious Of the
blow that had fallen, busy with her
household duties.
At last there arrived the news of
Georges capture, and it came almost as
a relief to us. Better this than the
dreadful uncertainty which had hung
over us like an awful nightmare The
moment Mabel heard of his illness she
announced her determination of going
to nurse him, and, accompanied by
maid, she set off for Yorkshire to the
wilds Of Craven. She would not hear of
my going with her Oh her journey. /
in TO r..
Their and mother and arrange for the de-
Tense
In weeks time George was ft to be
moved He was brought up to London
and formally charged before the police
magistrate with the murder of Harriet
Staples. Chiefly on the strength Of nv
reluctant evidence he was committed
for trial at the Old Bailey.
All the while the unhappy lad stout
~ maintained his innocence, but bis
solicitor and counsel were in despair.
Against his own improbable account of
what actually had taken place there
was arrayed mass Of overwhelming
evidence, from the conclusions of which
1t seemed impossible to escape 1t could
be proved that he had been in the habit
OF waiting for Harriet Staples, and that
they had often been seen together.
There was evidence that on the night
in question they had been out for
walk: and that in Back Saville street..
on their return, high words had passed
between them,. while the very presence
OF the dagger pointed to premeaita.
ton. A clearer case there could not be
made, and it seemed certain that unless
other important evidence was forthcom-
ing the prisoners life hung by very,
slender thread. At the earliest moment
possible, obtained an interview with
him.
He had indeed altered in the last few
weeks, and it was scarcely possible to
=1ecognize in this broken down wreck,
with worn face and haggard eyes, the
strong, bright, active man of a few
short weeks ago. For one moment
trace of his old look crossed his face
when he saw who was bis visitor =. ii 4
"Ah, you have come, Brett! L knew
you would. Good God, isn't it awful?''
And be buried bis face iii his hands
thin, wasted HANDS. '.i,.1' - r. 4
/ had determined to find outrat this,
interview whether there was possible.
chance of his being innocent, SO after 3
few minutes l asked the brutal quas-
fon: "' -, K 49,: fNI%G3: i
"What on earth possessed you to Kill
her, Fenton?'' :. .*>ts. j
He drew back as if had struck him. ]
Then he looked at me steadily, and re-
piled: =: - t....2e7.- ~. ,,}s #s !.
= Brett, thought you knew me! I
murder Harriet? would have given
my life willingly for hers at any '1munio,s mo-
ment. Brett. by all that is holy, T swear
! have nothing to do with, her death ' FIJI
''Tell me- all that happened that aw-:
ful night" Irejoined. .s II We are nov
Ing heaven and eartafor evidence. Per-
haps you may give me 4 Chew 5 s'ss ssss5
=. Its weary, work going over 81 all
again, Brett. Harriet and had been
out for walk toget her, and asswe turn
ed toward Spiegele isen' 3 4 4 gain urged
her to give some reason for relfnaing to