Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-05-31

being uncommon, as you know, and
Robertson-well, he did what almost
any other English judge would have
done under the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
scamp his deserts and sentenced him to
death.
"Now this occurred only a few hours
before he was murdered, and you will
at once suspect some hidden connection
between the two events. And you are
right, In passing sentence Of death
upon the brutal native he virtually
passed sentence upon himself.
Robertson had in his service at the
time, among other servants, a butler
who was related to the man he had just
condemned. Whether he was aware of
the exact relationship existing between
the two I don't know, but am inclined
to think not. AS a matter Of fact, when
Robertson sat down to dinner that
night, after sentencing the native to
death, he was waited upon by the con
vict's own brother.
"You observed a rifle on the dining
room wall, | have no doubt, just oppo-
site your place at table. 1t was from
that rifle the fatal shot was fired.
"Not while Robertson was at dinner,
though. The butler was too willy for
that. He bided his time until his mas
ter had seated himself in his usual place
here on the veranda, taken his coffee
and smoked his cheroot, Then, when
these had begun to make him drowsy,
the fellow took the rifle from the wall
it was always kept loaded-and crept
through the bedrooms to the far end OF
the veranda, where. as you see, the
shadow lies SO deep,
"Sitting as we are now, you observe
that the steps between the far end OF
the veranda and the jalousies with the
hole in it are concealed by the row OF
pillars, and you will readily understand
how a barefooted native might CREEP
along those steps under cover of the pill
lars and apply his eye to the hole with,
out being either seen or heard. Well,
that is just what the butler did. Only
he did something more.
"After applying his eye to the hole
he noiselessly inserted the muzzle Of
the rifle in the aperture, took deliberate
aim at his masters heart and fired
Poor Robertsonl He never knew wha'
hurt him."
Stanfield ceased speaking, and a pain
full silence fell upon US both. Tht
movement of a lizard in the jalousie'
through which the shot had been free
sent a thrill of horror through my
nerves. fancied l could hear the but
ler's stealthy footsteps and see the
CLEAN of the rife barrel in the moon
light. So awfully real was my concep
ton of the whole scene that at last, il
sheer desperation. 1 spoke and so broke
the spell.
Hadn't Robertson a wife? l have az
idea that l once met her in Madras.
"He had, and speaking of her re
minds me that my story is still unfin
ished. In fact, the most remarkable
part of it is yet to come.
"About a year before her husband'I
death Mrs. Robertson, it seems, wen
home to England for her health, ant
when I last saw Robertson alive-tht
night he had the strange premonition,
you remember-he was daily expecting
her back. Well, it is a singular coinci
dence, but perfectly true, that thu
steamer she was a passenger by entered
Bombay harbor on the very evening
and at the very hour when Robertson
was shot.
Mrs. Robertson had gathered al
her traps together, intending to disem
bark that night, and as o as sh'
heard the anchor dropped she left tn
cabin to 60 on deck. In her hand sh'
carried a small travelling clock, and JUS
as she reached the foot Of the companion
stairs she glanced at it and saw tina
the hour was exactly s o'clock. At tn
same moment an indescribable terro
seized her. She looked up quickly, ant
there on the steps above her stood he
husband.
She sprang up the steps to meet him
hut he suddenly and mysteriously dis
appeared. At the top Of the steps sh
nam against the purser.
"'There's no hurry, madam salt
he, the tenders not alongside yet
""But my husbandr cried Mrs. r
i saw him here just now, How did h
come aboard?'
"sMadam, replied the purser, 'yo'
must he mistaken. Not a living sou
has boarded the ship tonight.
"And he was right, for if Mrs. R
saw anything, as she declares she did
it must have been the spirit Of her dy
ing husband"
"Let us 60 in" said !, rising hastily
"This night air has given me a chill.
New York journal.