Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-09
THE HAND UNDER THE SEAT.


We're the assailant where was his vic
tim? If the victim, where was the
assailant? Could it be that the latter
had by any means taken the former
with him? rather fancied it possible.
1t might turn out that the tattooed
man had killed his victim, thrown him
from the train. jumped after him, and
disposed Of the body in some way,
reckoning that the crime could not be
discovered except by accident, and not
until he was without the reach of the
law.
AS soon as it was light we were on
the supposed tracks. We followed
them across a field to where they
stopped before q gate in hedge.
There were no other tracks; no trace
of any body could we find. But we
did discover a new jack-knife, which
might, however, have belonged to any
one.
Here we were entirely at fault. In
the hope of discovering something that
might lead to establishing the identity
of the supposed victim,I had inquiries
made in London of all the diamond
merchants and big jewelers.. But none
had sent any one travelling with val
uables, and advices from Amsterdam
informed me that no messenger was
expected there with stones or gems
from London.
l was sorely puzzled, and hardly
knew what to do or to think, when I
received telegram from Scotland
Yard saying that Robert Ryan, who
had broken Jail few days before,
was described as having an anchor
tattooed on the wrist of his left hand.
Here was a clue indeed! We We're no
longer hunting a mere hand, but a
man. / had not been advised until
that moment that Ryan, who had
been an officer in the navy, but was
sentenced to four years for forgery,
had escaped from prison. But l knew
a lot about him, and this knowledge
suggested to me that he would seek
his erstwhile sweetheart the moment
he felt he could safely do so. But the
same knowledge of him precluded me
from thinking that he could have COM
mitted a murder for mere gain, uDless
good gracious, the whole case seemed
to be clear as day to me! The mere
name cleared the whole mystery.
Robert Ryan had always protested
his innocence of the charge of forgery.
But the evidence was dead against
him. / had seen him in custody on one
occasion, though it was not my case,
and he had darkly limited that cousin
of his had worked up the whole charge
against him to separate him from his
fiance, whom the cousin loved and he
said to me that when he had regained
liberty he would be able to prove that
he was the victim of jealousy, and
that he had suffered for another's
crime.
The story, though could not believe
it, interested me so much that / was
led into making few private inquiries
as to who the cousin could be; and,
finally. l decided that the only person
possible was Herbert Ryan. And now
it rushed across my mind that the two
Kyans might be the persons of the
mystery; Robert, the hand under the
seat; and Herbert, the writer Of the
message. Possibly. Herbert had not
recognized the hand, and honestly be-
lieved the hiding man had designs upon
property he carried. Or he may have
recognized the hand, and feared the
anger of his cousin. In any case,
Roberts belief that his cousin had put
him in prison was ample motive for his
seeking to murder Herbert.
wired up my suspicious to the yard,
and set out for the place where l be-
lieved Robert Ryan's sweetheart was
staying, for l had reason to know the
charge against him had not changed
her. as l have explained.
! reached the house in the afternoon,
and was informed that the young lady,
Miss Duncan, was out. l mentioned
a time when l would return to see
Miss Duncan, and went away. But
did not go far.
Making sure that no one was watch
ing. l crept round the walls of the gar
den which surrounded the house, and
listened for the sound of any voices.
But could hear no one-no sound but
the distant sea beating upon the beach.
thought l might as well have look
at the stretch of blue waters to while
away the time before going back to see
Miss Duncan. So wandered over the
| downs towards the edge of the steep
| cliffs. AS l stood on the edge of the
cliff 1 caught sight of two lonely
figures slowly walking on my left.
| One was that of woman, the other
| was that of a tall man.
Fancying l could guess who they
We're, and noticing they were coming
in my direction, l threw myself down
lest they should see me silhouetted
against the sky. l watched them draw
nearer. Then they turned and dretraced
their steps. Once l saw the woman
throw out her hand impetuously to
the man, who seized it and pressed it
| Ia.