St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-07-19

the house.
"Gnce they stopped, and the old
man with bent Drows, seemed to be
saying something unpleasant, but a
reply from the other seemed to stop
him suddenly, and they moved on.
The door closed on them, and that
was the last seen of Jacob Garland.
1.-THE next morning Bronxville re-
ce1ved shock, and severe one. At
about seven in the morning the door
of Jacob Garland's house was sud-
denly thrown open, and Luenshy, her
eyes protruding, hurried to the sher-
IFS house. She found that official
engaged in the simple but useful
occupation of chopping wood in the
backyard, but her news brought his
work to sudden end, and hastily
DOMINIC his coat to emphasize his
official status, as it was not a gar
ment he usually wore, he accompan-
led Luenshy on her return to the
Garland home. From her excited
words he gathered the following
facts:
"The stranger who had arrived the
Gay before was distant relative of
Jacob Garland's, she understood, but
belonged to a branch of the family
with which he had quarreled. He
had supped with Garland and his
wife, and then the two men had re-
paired to room used by the old man
as a den, where he shut himself up
at times, and was not disturbed ex-
cept for meals.
"That evening the door closed on
the two and the smell of tobacco
made itself apparent later. Garland
did not smoke, so it was evident that
the relative was making himself as
comfortable as circumstances would
permit.
"Mrs. Garland and Luenshy retired
at their usual hour, and at that time
voices were still to be heard in the
room and apparently in amicable
conversation. The next morning
Luenshy was aroused by her mis-
tress, who said that the old man
had not slept in his bed. Together
the two women went down stairs, and
finding the door of the room closed,
knocked timidly at first, then loudly,
but without response. Summoning
up courage, they opened the door,
and there in the dim light, sat Jacob
Garland dead, stone dead, with one
hand on the table, the other hanging
by his side.
mo marks of violence were on the
body, but on the table were two
tumblers which smelled of whisky,
the only difference being that the
one next to Garland had, with its
smell of spirit, another odor Of some
foreign substance.
"This was the first real case of
mystery which had occurred since
Sheriff McGowan's Inauguration into
Office, SO he proceeded with as much
state and dignity as he could sum-
mon upon such short notice. AS few
people lived in that part of the town,
no one had noticed the hurried de-
parture of the colored woman, nor
did they meet anyone upon their re-
turn. "
CLOSING the door after him and
turning the key solemnly-a quite
unnecessary precaution, as no one
would have thought of entering the
asked to be shown into
the room where the body was. The
hall into which the front door led
ran the entire length of the house,
and contained the stairs, a hat rack,
on which hung a dilapidated coat and
hat, Garland's outdoor apparel, two
plain chairs, q long sofa and small |
mirror.
ION either side of the hall doors !
led to four rooms, and it was to the |
first on the left that Luenshy ush-
cred MCGOWAN. There sat Jacob
Garland. eyes staring, jaw dropped,
one hand on the table, the other by
his side. A small hide-covered trunk
was on the table, of the kind used
in the eighteenth century, highly
studded with brass nails, the lid
open, the contents gone. On a slip
Of paper in front of the trunk, pinned
to the table with small, beautiful
" made and highly-engraved dagger
we're the following words in clear,
bold hand:
""The contents of this trunk will
be returned to the person from
whom they were taken by force, and
10 whom they rightfully belong. The
instrument used at the time is re-
turned. AS no one except Jacob
Garland and the persons concerned
know to whom the contents belong,
md as Jacob Garland is dead, there
will be no use in attempting to trace
II discover the whereabouts Ct that
owner or of the avenger Of the
wrong
Beyond this there was no trace of
my description which would lead to
ven following the perpetrator. Not
mark was on the floor Of house,
table or ground. The latter was
lard and the horses feet had evil
lently been covered. He had gone
more mysteriously than he had come.
lis name had not been mentioned by
he had simply referred to
i'm as Henry and Mrs. Garland had
Inferred from something that had
'een dropped in conversation that
le belonged to the branch of the
amily with which Jacob Garland
ad quarreled.
"Jacob Garland was buried in the
Id graveyard back of the house. j
he matter drifted and passed out
t mems minds. Mrs. Garland, TAX 1
ng Luenshy with her, moved away, {