Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1899-06-23
CHAPTER I.


since the quiet. hundrum little village
Of sledgemere became famous for q
brfsf period. on account OF the COM
mission OF dreadful crime.
6ledgemere IL an out-of-the-way
spot In SUSSEX. having to this day nc
railway station within nine miles, and
boasting only two gentIemen's resi-
dences and = vicarage.
Fur nearly thirty years the parson
had preached, and his parishioners
had listened. There had been SQUAD
bIes between the Vicar and the Squire
about chancel rights. There had been
good seasons and bad: nine-day scan
dsls had been cherished and nursed;
but never before had the sober. slow
going people OF the village been so ut
teriy startled from their dreamy. ev-
ery-day existence AZ they were on that
memorable morning OF the lith OF
July. 49,.
About half = milo from the Squire's
house and on the opposite side OF the
village there WAS pretty old man
sion called Froylcs. which had been
occupied for considerable time by an
elderly bachelor named Hughes. Very
little was known OF him. although
when he first came into the neighbor-
hood he brought with him introduce
lions to the Squire. from whom he
rented the house. Considering that he
lived almost entirely alone. he kept up
. somewhat large establishment
Occasionally an elderly maIden-lady
named Mia Pyecroft. who was sup
posed to be his niece. came and paid
him = three or four months visit; but
the old man was OF such retiring habits
that he could not endure for any
length Of time any lntereference In
his ways cf lIfe So Miss Pyecroft's
Visits Invariably terminated in
stormy eruption on his part. caused by
some fancIed liberty he imagined her
70 have taken In the ordering OF the
household. or by some grumbling on
the part OF the servants, who by no
means relished her trespasslng upon
their preserves.
Mr.. Hughes spent his time chiefly
among his books and coins. OF both OF
which he prided himself upon having
4 large and valuable collection.
His household consisted chiefly OF
butler. a footman. 4 cook, and two
besides two out-of-door
men. tho coachman and gardener. In
euch dull spot II was no easy task to |
get Indoor men-seryants to remain.
The master OF tho house very /
seldom entertained, and even deplored
having to preside At the two or three
annual dinner parties. ut which the
Squire. the Vicar and the local doctor.
accompanied by their respective wives.
were his chief and generally his only
guests. These dinners were indeed but
How Affairs. for the only post-prandlal
1iversion ever offered was an inspec-
Itoa u Mr.. Hughes coins. which were
easplayod In their glass cases al
MOUND the drawingroom. After the
lnoArturs o. tho guests. these treas-
~ we're re-dsposited In the great
'Aksa cabinets In the library. to lie by
NTH the next festive occasion. Among
hem were many valuable antique gold
nd silver pieces. and II was a common .
smark OF the SQuIre's. when he dined
( Froylcs. that he would not like to ,
ssp 80 much bullion In his house. for
ar Of waking up some fine morning ,
nd finding his throat cutl Habit.
owsver. had become second nature !
nd the possession OF these coins
aused Mr. Hughes no anxiety.
They were not things people could /
teal. he always declared. as tho real r
Aius consisted In their antiquity. and 3
would be hard matter to dispose OF Z
lem.
"But you might melt them down." s
10 Squire suggested. A
Melt your grandmother down." n
y. Hughes had replied irritably. as a
he very motion OF melting down q
lch treasures for the sake OF paitry
'oss we're offensive to him. =,
u IL necessary. In order to follow Il
10 revelations contained In these n
lges, to be particular as to the de- IN
ripticn OF the inmates OF Mr. Hugh h,
establishment az the time the mar
tive commences. q,
The cock. Mrs. Young. was an elder :,
woman. who had been I'VE years In n,
r present situation. The two maids. \.
rah and Anne Dodson, were .,
,tsrs. both young women. and ma :.
~ Il NJ village of Sledgemere. =,
v bootnan. Edward Bartlett. was 4 :,
utA a nineteen. and had lately been -
Gags1 vdtA IN excellent two ysars' "
aractse from HI former master. The ~
tier. william Luke. was \ man NJ -