The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-26

The examination of Mr.. Dexter went
through a course pretty similar to that
which had been injured from the SER
geant
What is your name?'
MY name is Dexter am minister of
the gospel. L am pretty well known in
Kirkton as minister of Bethesda Chapel"
Have you examined his bag?" asked the
chairman, addressing the sergeant
No, the sergeant had not examined the
bag. 1t was hauled UP TO the bench there
fore and overhauled. Nothing, however.
was found except the minister's black suit
and soft black hat, his hair brush and
other small accessories of his humble toilet.
his Bible and two manuscript sermons.
Upon these last the clergyman bounced.
II thought" said he, with a smile, when
he glanced at them, that dissenters did
not allow written sermons?"
There is no rule" answered the min
lister, seriously. I'VE have them written or
unwritten, according to the subject or the
personal ability Of the preacher
There SENS to be no kind of rule, either,
about dress?" smiled the clergyman.
None whatever" said the minister, en-
phatically.
These questions" said the chairman,
impatiently, examining everything, sermons
and all, back into the bag "are beside the
point. Our business" he continued, wag-
ging his head to mark the Importance of
every word 'is not to determine whether
the prisoner is the man who committed the
murderous assault on Helen Waddy (she
may be dead now, but to say if he appears
to us to be the man the Kirkton police
have asked us to arrest" He looked at a
telegraph form that had been handed to
him by the sergeant, and read: ARREST
fat man, in straw hat, with black ribbon
and gray alpaca coat, on charge of assault;
may prove murder, of his wife, Helen Wad-
dy. Took single ticket, No. sos, to East
Breakstead, by 1920 train" "You SIR"
said the chairman, nodding at Mr.. Dex-
ter, "hold the ticket named. You travelled
by the train named and you exactly answer
the description given. We therefore au-
thorize the constables to conduct you back
to Kirkton. and hand you over to the po-
lice there"
But" cried the bewildered minister, 81
want to go to East Breakstead. The people
there are expecting me. Send me there
under any guard you please, and you will
discover am not the man you want"
THAT is impossible" said the chairman.
you must go back to Kirkton."
"And what is to become of the congret
CATION" demanded Mr. Dexter, that will
come to hear me Tomorrow"
'"They can go to church for once" said
the clergyman, lit will do them no harm,
if 1t be as you say
May God forgive you. sir" said the
minister, your unworthy jibe!''
"You must stand down, sir,' said the
chairman. And" he added, breaking from
his judicial temper. II may say you APP
pear to me to be practiced and incorrig-
ibie rogue, to seek to bamboozle US, sir,
with your cock-and-bull story about your
being a minister on your way to preach
the gospel. You dishonor the gospel, sir,
and the ministry by your ridiculous pre-
fences. Stand down.
Speeches. with anger, resentment and
evaporation, the minister was led away
in charge of the two constables. His I'M
| derstanding was sufficiently clear to show
| him that it would be of no advantage now
| TO disclose his knowledge of Waddy, even
| if he were inclined. But he was not in
clined. He was still suffused with the
fullest pity for Waddy. and he did not
shrink even from the thought that the
trembling white hand which he had grasped
in parting from Waddy was probably the
very hand that had committed the assault
upon Helen-an assault repented of, he
| was certain, soon done; for it must
have been but a momentary alteration
| from a long course of Christian patience
and forgiveness.
| BY the first possible train Mr.. Dexter
was conveyed back to Kirkton, where the
| police took him over from the Darnley
! constables and drove him directly to the
| hospital. There he was brought face to
face with Helen Waddy. who was propped
| up in bed wrapped about the neck and
chest with bandages. The minister looked
| with great interest at the woman whose
husband he was supposed to be. She was
undoubtedly good-looking. She had black
hair and large black eyes and an exceed
ingly healthy complexion.
Who's that?" she exclaimed, as soon as
the minister was set before her. That's
not my Waddy! Oh" she cried, and burst
| into weak tears, why don't you bring my
poor, dear Waddy to me? He'll be in such
a taking for what he's done to mel And ]
richly deserve it, that do. I've been bad
wicked wife to him. But never no more
Please God, if l get well again I'll be good
and loving wife to him. Oh, find my own
Waddy and bring him to ME, and I'll for
give him and he'll forgive me-
Then an unexpected thing happened
There was something of a hustle at the
door, and who should be led in and up tc
the bedside but the true Waddy.
obj cried Helen. Here's my Waddy al
| lastr'
She stretched out her arms to him. waddy
knelt sobbing at the bedside.
ooh, thank God Thank God" he cried
you amt dead, Nelly!''
"Oh. Waddy, my dear Waddy," the WON
an cried, weeping over him, stroking his
head and patting his heaving shoulders.
The minister and the rest withdrew from
| that intimate scene. The police were pro-
! fuse in their apologies to Mr.. Dexter for the
mistake they had made 1t was made plain
how the true Waddy had reappeared in the
nick of time. Travelling without a ticket he
| had been taken into custody, and the teIe.
gram demanding the arrest of a fat mar
being known all along the line he had beer
promptly sent back TO Kirkton-by the
same train, indeed, in which the minister
! had come. The police did their best TO undo
| their mistake. They sent on Mr.. Dexter tC
East Breakstead by the first-class express
so that after all, the expected congregation
did not go without his ministrations or
| Sunday.