Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-02-17
CHAPTER XIV.

Half an hour after George Bostock
announced his intention OF making a
confession, a little crowd had gathered
lin the ward where he lay, a scared
weird look in hfs eyes. his .bloodless lips
twitching convulsfyely, the hand over
which he held power flung outside the
coverlet, which it plucked in his
spasms of nervousness, HIS deathlike
face shining from perspiration in the
flare of the gas.
Seated at a table beside the bed was
George Coris, coming over the tesla
mentary declaration which had just
been made; a clerk, alert and shreWd,
standing just outside; a magistrate,
whose heavy countenanee was lighted
by grim surprise, beside him Mack
worth, for whom the solicitor had sent,
Keeping near the door, attentive, grave
and triumphant Headwfck not far re-
moved; the house surgeon and a sister
at the lower end of the room, watchful
and ready to give their services at this
fateful moment: the former absorbed
in an interest which was conferred in
scientific speculation, the latter scared
by the thought that the man h q
attended was a criminal, and awed by
the spectacle before her.
The silence, scarce broken by the
scratch of a pen, the occasional move
ment of feet, and the painful sound of
the patients labored breathing became
oppressive e, and the atmosphere which
the ventilator In the high, narrow win
dow did little to purity. grew heavy.
All present felt the strain and solicit
tude, the terror and tragedy of the
scene, and were awed by the almost
palpable presence of approaching
death. This man declared himself to
be the shedder Of human blood, and
now tardily removed the heavy blame
WHICH had fallen on an innocent
woman.
they heard George Coris raise his
clear, distinct voice, and addressing the
patient. say:
II will read to you the, confess
sion of murder you have made in the
presence of a magistrate and other witt
nesses here assembled"
George Bostock moved his head by
way OF response, his eyes fixing them
selves eagerly upon the solicitor, who,
after a seconds pause. took up the
document he had written and read it
aloud as follows:
Il, George Bostock, OF my own free
will, and in anticipation of my imme-
date death, do hereby maks confession
that on the night Of the 2lst of Sep
tember last, ! encountered the late Da-
yid DumbArton in the Hixton road near
HIS WlIc = DQuScs WI1eTeupOu u Qudffei
ensued between us which led to blows,
and ended by my infiicting a wound
upon him from which he died a few
minutes later in the presence OF his
wife, whose protection he sought.
And / furthermore declare that I,
without solicitation or aid, but In a
moment of passion committed this
'grievous crime, the blame OF which I
deeply deplote to have allowed to rest
upon n entirely Innocent or its guilt.
And in token or the truth Of these
statements, 7 take my oathsin the pres
ence OF witnesses, and subscribe my
name
The oath YES hurriedly taken and
then with feverish eagerness The held
out his hand for the pen with which
he hastily wrote his name. Then let
ting it droop from fingers, he, with
IN air OF intense relief. lay back upon
'&he pillow OF that narrow bed frorr
which he might rise no more, HIS face
enastiy, his eyes luminous. wild and
fixed upon space his mind needless OF
what went on around him, the appends
ing OF the witnesses signatures. the
dispersal OF the group which had wit