Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-08-26
CHAPTER XVIII.

nuTueT.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Fol murder? The very word para
lyzed me; and l looked at the man in
utter CONSERVATION.
"Oh, Hugh!" cried Annie, wildly.
what is it? What have you done?'
Without answering her, l looked wild
ly the men,; then, acting on a mad i'm
pulse and quite without reflection, 1 rush
ed to the door. In a moment the men
threw themselves upon me, and there
was 4 brief but fierce struggle; but my
strength was of no avail, and in a couple
of minutes 1 was overpowered and hand
culfed. The man who had first address
ed me, looked at me with a grim smile.
You're a bold chap" he said; ''but
it's no use. You'd have done much
better to have come along quietly. Now
lookee here. I've got to tell you that
whatever you say, from this moment for
ward, will be used in evidence against
you"
For heavens sake, explain!" 1 an
swered. What does it all mean? Who
is murderedT
How innocent we are! You'll be tell
ing us next that your name amt Hugh
Trelawney, late overseer of the st. Cur
lott mine"
"Trelawney Is my name, but"
"Of course it is; Ind Trelawney's the
lame of the man we want-the name on
this here warrant. My duty is to appre-
bend you for the murder of Mr.. Ephraim
5. johnson, the new overseer, who took
your place"
"Johnson!-murdered" 1 cried. 1T is
impossiblev'
"Oh, 10, it amt" returned the imper-
turbable official. Deceased was found
at the foot of the cliffs, with his brains
knocked out, and bearing on his body
signs of violence; worse than that, he'd
been stabbed with a knife; and once
more, you're the party we want for hav-
ing done the job"
Utterly amazed and Mortified, I stag
gered and fell into a chair. AS for An
ME. she seemed completely petrifed. 1
can see her white face now-frozen, tear
less and aghast!
81 will go with you," I said, "but am
perfectly innocent. Until this moment, l
never even heard of this horrible affair.
l left st. Gurlott's two days ago."
Exactly" was the dry retort; you
hooked it the very night of the murder.
The body was found early on the morn
ing of the 23d, and the warrant was is
sued yesterday"
AS he spoke, l seemed to feel the net
closing round me. At first the very accu-
sation had seemed preposterous; now, 1
began to understand that my position
was one of extreme peril. If Johnson
had really been murdered, and on that
night, as now seemed clear, l could not
escape suspicion by a mere alibi. l re-
membered, with a thrill of horror, my
last meeting with the murdered man,
just before my departure, and my heart
sank within me.
l knew my own innocence-but who
was guilty? AS l asked myself the ques-
ton, l looked again at Annie, who was
still watching me intently; and in a mo-
ment, as if by an inspiration, / thought
of. her father! Had John Pendragon, in
a moment of madness, taken the life of
the man whom he suspected of causing
his daughters flight? The thought was
almost too horrible for belief-yet, alas!
1t was not unreasonable.
INOW, tHtl, dIt tOu Ttduy Sulu the
officer, placing his hand upon my shout.
der.
Hugh! dear Hugh! tell me yiu did not
do 1t! l cannot-cannot believe that you
are guilty!' cried Annie.
"When the time comes" said, SOL
EMMY, may you be as well able to an
swer for your deeds as | shall answer
for mine. The trouble began with you.
If murder has been done, it is your do
ing also-remember that!'
They were cruel words, and afterwards
| bitterly regretted them; but | was
thinking of her father, and remember
ing how bitter must be her blame, If,
by any possibility, he had been driven
into crime and violence as n consequence
of her conduct. Whether she understood
me or not, l canno tell; but, hiding her
face in her hands, she sank ON a couch,
Historically sobbing.
What followed seemed more like an ex-
traordinary dream han cruel waking re-
atty! | was led from the house, placed
in a cab, and driven away. That very
afternoon | left London by train, and late
that night was handed over, h~andcuffed
and helpless, to the authorities of Fal-
mouth Jail.
My suspense did not last long. The
very next day i was taken from the pris-
on, and placed in a dog-cart, with a po-
liceman at my side and another on the
seat beside the driver. An inquest on the
body of the murdered man was to take
place that day at 81. Gurlott's, and, of
course. my presence was necassarv.