The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-06-10

asking Brood a single question, al.
though he knew him to be a witness
to the shooting.
Yvonne saw the reporters and later
on an inspector of police. Ranjab told
his unhappy story. He had taken the
weapon from a hook on the wall for
the purpose Of cleaning It. It had been
hanging there for years, and all the
time there had been a single cartridge
left in the cylinder unknown to any.
one. He had started to remove the
cylinder as he left the room. All these
years the hammer had been raised;
death had been hanging over them all
the time that the pistol occupied fits in.
secure position on the wall. Somehow,
he could not tell how the hammer fell
as he tugged at the cylinder. No one
could have known that the revolver
was loaded. That was all that he
could say, except to declare that II his
masters son died he would end his
own miserable, valueless life.
His story was supported by the dec.
larations Of Mrs. Brood, who, while
completely generating her husbands
servant, had but little to say in expla.
nation Of the affair. She kept her wits
about her. Most people would have
made the mistake Of saying too much.
She professed to know nothing except
that they were discussing young Mr..
Brood's contemplated trip abroad and
that her husband had given orders to
his servant to pack a revolver In his
sons travelling bag when the time
came for his departure. She had paid
but little attention to the Hindu's
movements. All she could say was
that it was an accident-a horrible,
blighting accident. For the present, 1t
would not be possible for anyone to
see the heart-broken father. Doubt
less, later on, he would be in the mood
to discuss the dreadful catastrophe,
but not now, etc., etc. He was crushed
with the horror of the thing that had
happened.
The house was in state Of subdued
excitement. Servants spoke in whis-
pers and tip-toed through the halls.
Nurses and other doctors came. Two
old men, shaking as with palsy, roamed
about the place, intent only on worm
ing their way into the presence of
their friend and supporter to offer con.
ISOLATION and encouragement to him Ia
his hour of tribulation. They shud.
dered as they looked into each others
faces, and they shook their heads
without speaking, for their minds were
filed with doubt. They did not QueS-
ton the truth Of the story as told, but
they had their own opinions. IN sup.
port to the theory that they did not
believe there was anything accidental
in the shooting of Frederic 1t is only
necessary to speak of their extraordi-
nary attitude toward Ranjab. They
shook hands with him and told him
that Allah would reward him! Later
on, after they had had time to think 1t
all out for themselves-being some
what slow of comprehension-they
sought out James Brood and offered to
accept all the blame for having loaded
the revolver without consulting him,
their object having been to destroy a
cat that infested the alley hard by.
They felt that 1t was absolutely neces.
sary to account for the presence OF
the unexploded cartridge.
Brood, coming between them, laid
his hands on their shoulders, shaking
his head as he spoke to them gently.
Thank you, old pals. l understand
what it is you are trying to do. It's no
use. l fired the shot. 1t isn't neces-
sary to say anything more to you, I'm
sure, except that, as God is my wit
ness, l did not intend the bullet for