The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-01-13
TheGuiltyMan
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
By M. QUAD

was not a tramp. but l had to be-
come the next thing to one in sense.
With my having been Ill and out of
work for months, with my being penni-
less and seedy and discouraged, with
my asking for a meal here and a bed
there as l tramped the highways be-
tween London and Liverpool. no one
could be blamed for sizing me up as a
professional" and treating me accord
ingly.
One night. In the county Of War
wick. came upon a farmer who had
neither wife nor children, but was
living alone on his small holding. His
name was Holborne, and. though gruff
at first. he finally gave me a hearty
supper and the privilege of passing
the night in his barn. When supper
was finished and he had heard my
| story, he offered me a pipe. and we
sat at his door and smoked and chat
ted for an hour. 1t was agreed that |
| should turn to next morning and work
| with him in his fields for half month.
While we were chatting. a neighboring
| farmer named Saunders came up and
halted for five minutes, and two others
passed on the highway and saluted
/ Holborne with good evening. 1t was
| 10 o'clock before | went to the barn.
and. being tired and sleepy, ] was soon
in dreamland. How long | had slept
/ when | was awakened by the sound of
| voices in anger. ! could not say, but |
heard what seemed to be a quarrel be-
tween Holborne and another man. The
voice of the other was high pitched
and had a catch In It. 1t was not
stammer, but sort of gasp as II
catching his breath | was not fully
aroused. nor did the quarrel continue
long.
1t was sunrise next morning when
woke and turned out. The house was
only about five rods away, and after
looking about to see II Holborne were
in sight l moved along to the house.
His dead body was on the grass before
the open door. He had been struck on
the head with a club and killed by n
single blow. I was upset by the dis
cOvery. as you may believe. After
touching his face and finding 1t cold |
started off on the run for the nearest
farmhouse. half mile away. The
farmer was milking his COW, and his
wife was preparing breakfast. but they
returned with me Mt once, and other
neighbors were called, and a boy was
, | copf of m tho paoract nolico ctatiap
' / told my story to the people, and all
believed me. as why should they not
when Saunders was among them? And
yet when the police came their very
first move was to arrest me as the
murderer. A tramp had passed the
night in the barn. OF course the tramp
had murdered the farmer.
II you agree that the police were
asses you will agree that the Others
: were fools. No sooner was l charged
with the murder than all turned
: against me. Saunders suddenly re
membered that our conversation was
heated as he came up. The two who
passed by thought they heard me use
threatening language. A farmer whom
/ had not seen at all the evening be
fore claimed to have come near enough
, to the house to have heard me ash
Holborne for the loan Of e. was an
gered, but not frightened. asked til,
police to investigate my bed on tn,
straw. and they found II st'll warm.
asked them to look through the house
and they found nothing disturbed.
asked them to note that the body was
cold, and the doctor who was sum
moned said that life had been extinct
for seven or eight hours.
was examined by a magistrate
who said ! would no doubt get my
just deserts, and the police made nc
move whatever to find another party
Even the jailer and the turnkeys
chuckled over the hanging that must
result told of having heard the
quarrel. but they said lied. told
of the arrangements made to go tc
work for Holborne in the morning
but they smiled in derision.
| was almost ready for the assizes
and the hanging when person, whose
identity do not know to this day and
who must have been moved by spirh
of fairness. sent me lawyer and gave
the lawyer money to work with. Presto
change. Why. a born fool could have
I picked up the threads Of the case and
cleared me. Within six hours after ]
had told the lawyer Of the quarrel and
the man with the catch in his voice
they had the murderer spotted. His
name was Jamison. and the quarrel
was over the lease OF the farm. and
the club with which he had delivered
the blow. having lost his temper, but
not meaning to kill. was found In his
house. More than that, he broke down
and made a full confession. and when
the assizes came on he stood I'm the
dock in my place. Nevertheless, In
setting me at liberty the Judge did IT
grudgingly and with a warning that