Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-07-17
to Literature, Local and General News

police this time"
Infofmation Of what?"
"Why, of-the robbery; Of what he
says he saw" said Nell, fixing anxious
eyes OH her friend, and dropping her
voice.
Miss Bostal smiled in an amused
way.
Haven't you got over your dread OF
that yet? For my part, l shall be very
glad when something is known. My
father has been at the expense Of an
extra bolt on our back-door since this
scare has been about; and ! myself
can never sleep more than an hour
without jumping up with the fancy
that l hear burglar in the drawing,
room underneath"
But Nell said nothing. She remained
sitting in constrained almost awk.
ward attitude, crouching over the fire.
and throwing at her companion. from
time to time, gIances Iull or shy IN
ouiry and of unmistakable alarm.
Miss Bostal began to regard her pro-
ltSt WIN lVbNS, IL hOt VI SuSpiSioti, ut
least of pcrplcxity.
1t was plain that the old difficulty Of
maid and her lovers had begun to
cast the shadow of ostrangcmcnt be-
tween the friends.
There had been silence on both sides
for some minutes, when. at last, the
coloncrs knock was heard at the front
door. 1t had been his habit, until the
news of the robberics at the Blue Lion
WAS whispered about, to let himself
into his house by simply turning the
handle. But now. in common prudence.
they deemed it necessary to keep the
doors fastened from the inside.
With sigh of relief Miss Bostal
sprang up and hurried out to admit
her father.
"Why. papa, what makes you so
late? Nell has been with me, or l
should have felt quite nervous"
Tho colonel came in with much
quicker steps than usual, but he
stopped short on hearing the girls
name mentioned.
"Ncll" exclaimed he. And by his
manner Miss Theodore saw that some
thing unusual had occurred. Before,
however. she had time to ask any
questions, lie added, with slight toss
Of the head: "Oh, well, the girl must
hear it, Where is she?"
Nell had not moved from her seat by
the fire; but she held up her head,
listening. 1t was in this attitude that
Colonel Bostal discovered her when he
threw open the dining-room door and
entered, followed by his daughter.
"Wcll, papa, what is this wonderful
news" chlrpcd Miss Theodore. quite
anXoHs for little bit of gossip.
"Well it's something very serious.
very dreadful indeed. A man was
found lying by the side Of the road this
evening. Just outside Stroan, and 1t
seems it is Jcm Stickels."
Dear, dear, not intoxicated again, I
hope, after all his promises?' said
Miss Theodore, anxiously.
mo, poor fellow" answered her
father. grnvely. "IIc was dead"
Both his hearers uttered cries of as
tonishment and horror.
"But it's not possible! They must
have made mistake" urged Miss
Bostal. "Why, Nell and l were talk
ing to him little before seven O'Clock!
And he was then quite well, perfectly
recovered"
The colonel looked from one to the
other in surprise.
"You were talking to him! Where?"
AT Mrs. Mann's cottage. where he
lodges. He came to the uoor and
spoke to us himself. He was very
lsagreeable and rude to us, poor fel-
,ow." said Miss Theodore, who seemed
unable to grasp the fact that the man
who had been so very full of life and
its passions three hours before should
now be lying dead.
"Ah, well, then you will both have to
make your appearance as witnesses,
hats certain. For there will be an In.
quest held tomorrow"
"As witnesses? How dreadful! Be-
sides, what can we prove? lie was
quite well them
"That's what you will hive to prove.
And / hope you may succeed" said the
colonel, obviously. "For if you don't,
The young fellow that knocked him
down aud stunned him." Nell
looked up, pallid with fear--"this
King, will certainly be had up f0r
.nanslaughter"
Nell started up with heartbroken
cry.
"Oh, no. OH no! How can that be
possible? He had quite recovered
when we saw him; Miss Theodore tells
you SO; Mr.. and Mrs. Mann can prove
it, too. He spoke just as you do. He
looked just the same as ever. He
must have got tipsy afterward; every.
body knows he was always getting
tipsy. And he must have quarreled
with some man and been thrown
down. or else he must have fallen into
the ditch, and been suffocated, Or
Or"
81 don't think you ought to try to
throw fresh obloquy upon the dead"
said Miss Bostal, gravely. "He was
quite sober when we saw him, and it
must have been very little later when
he died"
"But if the fall in my uncle's garden
had killed him."
"The blow. you mean," interposed
Miss Bostal.
1T would have killed him at once"
protested Nell. "You can't be stunned
and recover entirely, and then die Of
the blow that stunned you an hour
afterward. Is that possible, colonel?"
81 have never heard of such case