The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-08-29
CHAPTER xxx.
THE WORLD is so LARGE.

A@N oANAD AZ w H"
AS for the man who a made the
extraordinary assertion, he seemed
quite unconscious of the eeffct which
it had produced; as If the fact that the
supposed heir to IN earldom, being ac-
tually the son of q Chaplain bricklayer
was one that found its natural place in
everyday life.
He a his cap in his hand-a shah
by, gray tweed cap-and he was twirl-
ing it between his fingers round and
round with al irritatingly nervous ges-
ture. His eyes now and again were fur
lively raised at the coroner as if he
We're wondering anXiously what pun
hmen would be meted out to him for
having created so much connection and
then with equal furtiveness he dropped
them again. His shoulders We're bowed
and his knees parted from
each other, thus giving him more han
ever the appearance Of a beetle.
Of course the coroner had to recover
his official manner as quickly as pos
sible. But even to him the statement
had come as a surprise. He had only
known very vaguely that a witness had
come forward at the eleventh hour,
having only just had time to commune
cate with the police before the opening
of the inquest.
In view of the Importance of the
evidence, the witness was called as
soon as possible; what he had to say
~ - ''hhy oiiSSS an RAoAS Stib
of the inquiry; he had, it seems,
brought others with him-members OF
his own family among them-in order
that they might ~corroborate the truth
of what he said.
Quite a minute or so had elapsed in
the meanwhile; Their at last was the
coroner able to resume with at least a
semblance of official indifference:
Now" he said. "let the jury under
stand a little more clearly what you
said just now"
What 1 said?" rejoined the man,
vaguely.
Yes, what you said. Let us under
stand it clearly. You went to the NOR
tuary this morning n say the body
Of the deceased?"
And you state here on oath that in
the deceased you recognized your own
SOM"
I'll swear to i'm replied the witness
simply. Ask is mother, there!"
And with a long, thin finger. gener-
the woman in seedy black hat and
shabby tweed jacket, who sat quite
close to Luke de Mountford.
Never mind about his mother just
~admonished the coroner. I'VE
want your statement first. You realize
that you are on oath?"
yes. sir. I've sworn my bible OATH
And you understand the Importance
Of an OATH"
Yes, sir"
and you swear that the body of the
murdered man whom you saw in the
mortuary chamber this morning is that
of your SON."
II swear to that, sir"
l believe that had the coroner and
jury and practically every man there
present, dared to put their thoughts
into words at that moment, the ejacu-
lation: We'll! l am blowed!" or Tn
DID," as the caSe might be-would
have been generally heard throughout
the room. The women, on the other
think
Now resumed the coroner, tell the
jury, please, when O first identified
the deceased as your
This morning. sir"
I'm the mortuary chamber"
yes, cir"
You had not seen the body before? 2"
No, sir"
Did you know that other witnesses
have sworn that the body is that of a
gentleman called Philip de Mountford ?"
Yes. sir. 1 knew that"
Then do you NEAR to assert that
those other witnesses have sworn false
oaths 2"
On, no, SIR" rejoined James Baker,
with an apologize smile of self-dep-
recation, Il wouldn't say such a thing,
sir"
We'll. then?"
They was mistaken. sir, that's all.
Paul was that clever, sir; ask is moth
er there"
And nee more the lear and grimy
finger pointed to the seedy looking ma
iron, who nodded a melancholy head.
half In pride, half in regret,
Clever. did you say?" asked the cor
oner, more briskly now. At last he
hello a thread in this extraordinary