The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-12-12
P VI.

CHAPTER VI.
Roger, an old family servant, to whom
the detective was well known, opened the
door, and as he saw the tall form of Sci
lars before him, the exclamation: THANK
Godp' fell from his lips.
"Your mistress and her daughter know
of the murder, and that Robert is held in
custody Of the sheriff.
"Yes, Mars Lang, yes; Sheriff Cobb
brought Mars Robert here, before he take
him to Jail. There was a scene, Mars
Lang, a scene. and my old mistress and
Miss Jennie is distracted. Dat boy amt
no murderer, Mars Lang. l trot him on
my knee when he was a chile, and l
oughter know. Rascality don't run in de
Campbell blood, Mars Lang"
Tell the ladies l am here, Roger. and
ask them"
At this moment the sitting room door
opened and Jennie Campbell stepped into
the hall, with a handkerchief to her eyes.
What is it, Roger?' she asked.
Zone who has called to bid you Danish
all fear as to any peril your brother may
be in because Of this sad case" said the
detective, as he advanced towards her.
Lang Sellars."
"Ohl" cried Jennie. The great detec-
tive. But-but Robert said that even you
believed him guilty of that terrible crime
that you remarked that Sheriff Cobb
had a%pprehended the guilty man. Sure
~, surely, sir"
at is sometimes necessary, Miss Jennie,
to divert suspicion from the perpetrators
of crime, in order that they may deem
themselves secure, and in their fancied Sc
curity to let them rest until they are
thoroughly entangled in the network Of
their own crime, and a chain of evidence
be woven about them that will leave no
doubt as to their guilt when they are ar
raigned before a bar of justice. Such a
case is this. So, though seemingly 1 ac-
q~uiesced in Sheriff Cobb's opinion and ap-
proved of your brothers apprehension, 1
assure you that even then / was fully
aware that he had an innocent man in
custody. Robert Campbell was not the
murderer Of Alvin DeRosette."
"Bless you, sirl Bless you! You as
surance viii give my mother comfort that
the words of no other could. Not but
that she knows Robert to be innocent, but
that YOU, a man whose fame as a d~etecter
of crime, and who, it is said. reads mems
lives, their motives and their thoughts, in
their eyes and features, as we ordinary
people would in a printed book. have pro-
nounced him innocent. Please come to
my mother, sir"
~You iatter me, Miss Campbell" said
the detective, as he followed her.
) Il can scarce speak unmerited words of
aattery, sir, Of the man who saved the
5 life of Herbert Russell"
{ The mother of Robert Campbell sat
bowed in grief in a rocker near a table in
the center of the room-the most bitter
e grief she had ever known, for her loved
son lay incarcerated in Wilmington jail
and the foul crime of murder was charg-
ed against him.
Mother exclaimed her daughter
q "here is one who will drive away your
. agonizing fears, one who will assure you
of my brothers innocence
IF l could have the assurance of one
I man alone in all this broad land" said tbs
widow. that he believed my son limo
a cent of a foul crime of which l know hin
!, to be not the perpetrator, my heart woulC
; be eomforted. Blu alas, he also has con
demned my boy. You know of whom
speak, daughter-the great Southern de
tective.'
Madam said Sellars, deeply moved
she whom you indicate, from motive
d now known to your daughter, or partly Sc
it is true, did seemingly approve Of tn
d apprehension of your son, but let me as
Il sure you that in his heart there rests no
It a single doubt Of your sons innocence. L
4 assure you of that fact, and in a measur
relieve you Of anxiety, he is here"
II At the first sound of the detective
d voice Mrs. Campbell had raised her teal
q stained eyes TO his face, and now a dee
lie sob burst from her breast, INT for a mt
n ment she seemed choking with emotion
then recovering in a degree her composur'
,e she extended one hand to the detective.
h The Lord be praised!' she exclaimed
$ LANG Sellars. With him assured Of m
lie boys innocence, with Robert under hi
lg protecting care, all is well. My daughte
e. we have nothing to fear. We will banis
bt our tears and means. God bless you, sir
Go be ~continuedl