Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-02-22

broad for his"
No one noticed him ~ the crowd
pushed its way into the miser's living
room and looked down with sort Of
horror upon the battered remains Of
!. the old miser lying in q pool Of blood.
The old mans nephew had many more
enemies than friends, and from them
burst q cry like the yelp Of bloodhounds
upon . murderer's track
"Raschal!'
They scattered in every direction in
q self-instituted search for the muir
derer. He was nowhere on the prem
ises and their search here only revealed
the fact that the old man had been
robbed as well as murdered.
Monita lay sleeping through the early
morning hours. the fringe Of her long
lashes lay on the rounded flush of hei
cheeks, and blotted out that crimson
shadow that had fallen with the New
Year dawn upon her life.
OF all San Antonio she was the only
one who did not go to look at the print
Of the crimson hand. OF all San An,
tonic Tasca was the only man who
could not see that the contour of the
red palm and blood dripping nngers
was that of Raschal Quito.
The next day Miser Quito was buried
in his own grounds, for no money could
be found for burial elsewhere, and the
expense that the town went to was
paid out Of the sale Of some of his
handsome effects. They were sold for
a mere trife, for. the people said, ''Ras-
hop oplx t, hn hQ no..
ed" and they did not scruple to make
good such n chance for acquiring the
heirlooms of the Quito family, though
Miser Quito's avarice had not left any
too many for sale.
The hunt for Raschal was savage but
fruitless and at last was given up.
"He must have drowned himself" the
people said: perhaps when the river ID
ow in the fall we may find his bones"
You remember that cry?" asked
Pitro Of Tasca; Eat first l thought Il
was old Quito's voice; now 1 know Il
was that of Raschal as he plunged into
the river"
Perhaps" assented Tasca.
The miser's house was locked, and
time wore on until the wild flowers OF
Texas made a coverlet of blue and gold
over old Quito's grave, and the mark
of the crimson grew less vivid in hue.
Monita clung to the belief that Ras-
chal was innocent; that he would send
for her some day when 1t was safe for
him to do so, and she never questioned
her intent to go when the time came.
Tasca alone learned her belief, and II
|
assured her that it was also his own.
she bloomed again into the lovely,
merry maiden she had been before this
tragedy had swept across her life. The
roses came back to her cheeks, and she
no longer refused to see her friends
But she grew quiet and staid as yeaI
after year went by without a sign from
Raschal; and the people talked about
J the voices heard at night in the Quito
house, and every New Years Eve along
the river side there rang a muffled cry
which chilled the blood In the veins OF
/ the hearers and hurried them away
/ from the haunted stream. Time never
hushed these cries; years never wiped
away the imprint Of the scarlet hand
beside the door, nor turned the love OF
the beautiful MOnita into anothe,
course.
| It was Christmastide, and as they
! fled into the open door of San Fernan
do a man waiting beside 1t stepped for
ward at the approach Of Juan Tascs
and said:
| "You aro Sheriff TascaY"
Yes
You are wanted at once to take the
deposition of a dying man."
THAT is not my business" begas
Tasca.
mo matter" urged the latter; 'hs
says you are the only friend Rascha
Quito had, and"
II will come" cried Tasca, growing
white at the sudden thought Of Rascha
within reach, living!
He hurried the man on his way till
he paused at the door Of a ranchman'i
house on the outskirts Of the town
Fritz Van Meister. a man Of unsocia
habits. but not lacking friends.
"Here?' cried Tasca, as he followed
his guide into the house.
"Yes, here
Che man ushered him into Van Meis
ter's room and pointed to the form upon
the bed.
The shock Of seeing the unexpected
rendered Tasca dumb.
u an dying" pfoansd Van Me:Ster
"1 must confess. The priest has shrived
me-but you are Raschars friend-I
murdered his old uncle. He does not
know It,"
"Whatr' yelled Tasca, with q tiger.
like jump toward the bed.
The dying man covered.
"Yes, killed him, but 1 never mean,
to. He owed me money and refused tc
pay it. That night he was alone.
threatened him-I struck him-and-hs
fell dead at my feet. You know how ]
crushed him. took all the money !
found-not much, for he had hidden his
wealth well. When 1 got out into the
fresh air I grew weak to think what
| had done. 1 leaned against the wall
to keep from falling. I heard the
sound of Raschars voice humming Q
love song-I hear 1t now-also old
QuitO's cry when he fell. I ran down
stairs and hid in their shadow as Ras-
chal passed me and went up. I heard
him cry out:
Nobody will believe l did not do 1t.
They will hang me without shrift. oh,
Monita, must l leave your
II heard no more. Those words
steadied my brain. l went home no
longer fearing the brand Of the MUIR
derer. safe to live on with my family.
Now" he ended, spent with the exer.
ton of his recital, 81 am ready to die"
Tasca looked at the men who hHd
followed him into the room.