The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-03-07


on them all, he was encouraged to
make an effort.
my friends" he began, in voice
trembling with emotion. 81 am not
guilty OF this crime. Why should
slay the poor old man, who has never
done me harm? 1t is true the knife
that killed him belongs to me: 1t is
useless to deny the fact, for 1t is well
known TO all OF you. But how it
came here is more than can say. 1t
was stolen from me some days ago,
and the man who stole 1t is the mur-
derer. The anklets | know nothing
of. will not say more. for how is 1t
possible for me to prove my innocence
to you? But you all know and re-
spect our ancient Caro- oath, and
will repeat it in your presence. 4"
Then, in deep, solemn tones, he re-
peated the well-known words: May
| be killed by wild elephant If what
have said is falsel"
AS Pembu concluded this simple,
manly speech a murmur of applause
arose from the assembled multitude,
and more than one voice was raised
on his behalf.
In spite of the terrible evidence
against him. there was now scarcely
man present who believed him
guilty OF the crime. more especially
amongst the elders, the men on whose
verdict his liberty. perhaps his life,
depended. With all the traditions of
their race still strong within them
these Garos of the older school dared
not ignore statement made on such
an oath, and were about to pro-
nounce in favor of the youth when.
at this critical moment, there was a
sudden movement in the crowd, and
q man, forcing his way through,
called out that he had some i'm
portant evidence to give.
He said that on the previous night,
as he was passing the old mans hut,
he had seen Pembu come quickly out
of it carrying something In his hand
"a knife, it looked like. Finding
himself discovered. he had run into
the jungle. Concluding his state
ment, the man swore to it on the
customary oath.
In moment the whole attitude of
the people changed as if by magic.
Here was conclusive evidence of
Pembu's guilt, aggravated hundred
fold in their eyes by his sworn denial
of the crime. Some suggested that
he should be stoned to death at once;
others, that he be bound and cast
into the jungle to be dealt with by
the beast whose vengeance he had so
audaciously invoked For q time it
seemed as if the last suggestion
would be carried out at once; indeed,
the headman and his colleagues
found some difficulty in preventing it,
However, the influence of the former
finally prevailed, and after promising
Che .nfuriated crowd that justice
would be done he gave orders for
Pembu TO be arrested.
The next morning, with his arms
tightly bound behind him, and es-
corted by gang of his fellow VII
layers, with the exultant Kishto at
their head, the unhappy Pembu was
sent into Tura, the headquarters of
the district, to stand his trial for the
murder.
The journey was a long and peril
Gus one, through dense jungle infest-
ed with wild elephants and danger
GUS beasts of every kind. For these
children of nature, however, as wild
| and savage as the beasts themselves,
these animals had no terrors. Fa-
millarity had bred, IL not contempt,
at least Indifference, and they gave
no thought to the dangers that sur
rounded them. Yet there was one
amongst them visibly less callous
than the rest. This man, when a
herd of elephants had once crossed
the path, had quailed and sought the
shelter of tree. His comrades, no.
ticing this, jeered at him, but little
| they guessed the real cause of his
alarm. The prisoner had noticed II
too, and recognized In the skulking
wretch the man who had sworn false
ly on the sacred oath; and a ray of
light shot through Pembu's clouded
brain as he remembered that this
was the friend of Kishto. whom he
had so severely chastised, and who
had sworn to be avenged.
All that had seemed a mystery was
made clear to him now. The stolen
knife and the anklets concealed
within his roof--all was explained /;
the whole affair was vile plot OF
Kishto's to bring about his ruin, But
what availed this discovery to him
now? How was he to prove his own
innocence, much less place the re-
sponsibility for the crime on those
he now knew were guilty of It? II
was true that he had heard that their
white rulers at Tura were both mercI-
full and Just, but would they believe
his unsupported word in the face OF
such evidence as would be brought
against him? No; it was impossible
that they could! Then his thoughts
turned to Michni, the brave, true
hearted girl, who had stood by him
Throughout. What would be her fate
once In the power OF his relentless
rival? The very thought of her po-
sition was agony TO him. and, yielding
to despair, he burst into a hood OF
tears.
travelling all day. the party arrived
by niEhtfall at small clearing In the
a