Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-09-06
quite sure"
quite sure"
Il am telling you all know" said
Nell. simply.

Nell. simply.
She herself saw that no concealment
Vas possible any longer. And surely
if Miss Bostal were really found gull.
~ OF such unlikely crimes she must
have been mad when she committed
them.
When did The idea that Miss EoStal
committed the thefts come into your
mind for the first time
Even now the remembrance of the
terrible sensation she had experienced
on that memorable occasion caused Il
frown of pain and distress to contract
Nells pretty features.
"Jem St;cke.s-the fishermen who
She stopped.
Who was murdered. Yes yes"
He told me he-had seen the ;hie.-."
'Yes. Tha; came out 1T the Inquest
Well?"
He told me that the thief was Miss
Bostal: that he had seen her come out
of the inn on the night that an attempt
was made to rob Mr.. Hemming"
when did he tell you ths:''
why did you not say this at the in
quest? Why did you let it be thought
lie ucant he had seen you%
II was in great difficulty. I diG1
know what to think. even then. I
had always thought Miss Theodore so
good. and besides she had been so kind
TO me. that I didn't know what to be-
lieve myself. 1t was all so dreadful.
and asked myself what she could do
such things for. Besides. her manner
when I told he- Jam St;ckels had
threatened to tell the police was so
cool. She didn't seem to be il the
least concerned about x. How ooul!
suppose it was because she meant 10
get him out of the way? Oh. l can't
believe it even now. can't. | can'c.
Why should she do it, unless she w:s
mad? And there never seemed - De 6
trace of madness about her l always
thought she was very c.eTe-."
Sir Neville smiled little at hcr IL
genuousness. Nell herself nigh; no:
be very clever. but assuredly she was
n loyal-hearted friend. to bear the Oh
loquy which the affair had cast upon
her. without thought of clearing her.
self by betraying her friend.
But this was not. of course. the off,
cial view, which was the view he was
bound to take. He cOuehed severely.
and gave her 4 keen look.
Don't you think" he said. ''iha; you
We're bound. in the interests of justjc"
to be more frark?"
"Oh. sir. does one help the interests
of justice against ones friends:''
''One ough; to- was the promp; TO-
ply.
And then. too. nobody asked r."
any questions implying any doubts o.
her. They took it for granted that
was the thief. the jury did. and every
body. You remember ;hat. dcn't your
Yes. Sir Neville did remember that.
And looking at The candid and sweet
face in front of him he wondered how
his brother magistrates had been such
asses. and he forge. thar he had been
one of those asses himself.
WELL" he said, in Il more pompoI.
manner than ever. you really CAV
your evidence 50 very badly. with such
an apparent absence of straightfo--
wardness. tina. there YVES some excuse
for their mistake"
1T was because was so miserable,
sir. more miserable than anybody be-
cause il sort o, way knew ihn
truth
You should have let the jury know
Il. too"
''Sir. ii it had been o-'y the thefts I
would have done So" answered she.
earnestly. II was N 80 much trouble
with M suspicious that l had asked
one OF my frienGs"-ha- blush be-
iraycd ae--"to come ana see me. that
I might asl; his advice about Il. BIT
before I had time TO tel! him w:laS
was afraid of the murder happened.
And then didn't dare"
We'll. we'll. it was great pity"
said Sir Neville. You would have
saved yourself lot of misery. and it
would have done the lady no harp. cs
nation. Il You please. as to the a.Cht
o. the murder. Did you. or did you
not, hear any enc go ont of the house
or come in. when You had come back
with Miss Bostal from your visit to
Jcm Sticke:s at his lod.ings?''
did hear something falt"r"d
Neil
What was it?''
almost as soon as Miss Bostal left
nc in the kitchen ] heard the back
door open and shut
"Ah! Did you go 10 see who it was
bat had opened The door?"
NO"
Il suppose you had some idea in
four mind about the sounds. What
was it:''