The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-08-12
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

On the tenth Of November you drove
to Griggsby. You arrived in Ashfield
soon after noon and put your horses
In the stable Of the Westminster ho-
tel. About four-thirty that afternoon
you came to this shop. You told your
stepson that you were Ill and wished
to lie down. He took you into the lit
tie Office built against the side of the
shop in the rear where there was
desk and lounge. You told Royce to
let you sleep and not to call you.
Then you closed the door and locked
It. A loaded revolver and some shells
to fit it lay on the desk. You had
often seen it lying there. You put
Royces rubbers in your coat pocket to
disguise your tracks. You knew that
Bumpy Brown wore pair Of the same
size. You took the revolver. You put
on Royce's overalls. At f1ve-twenty or
Whereabouts Royce had closed the shop
and gone upstairs where he lay read
ing paper. You put the revolver in
your pocket, opened the window and
climbed through it. You crossed the
bridge going west with a package I'M
der your arm walking fast. The pack
age contained a broad-brimmed hat
which you had borrowed from Algyre.
A man know saw you. You wore
cap on your head. You carried in
your pocket the rubbers, the revolver
and cartridges, light-colored SLOUGH
hat and a colored handkerchief.
you hurried up the road in the
darkness. You left the broad-brimmed
hat at some point not far from the
bridge in Amity Dam. You reached
your home about seven. You covered
your face with the handkerchief. You
put on the light-colored SLOUGH hat and
the rubbers. You raped at the door.
Your son opened 1t. You had expect
ed that your wife would be standing
before you. 1t was her habit to open
the door. She was the one you had
come to kill. You were facing not her
but your son. You had to see it
through now. You couldn't turn back.
You entered, limping like Bumpy
Brown, the boy fleeing before you.
You began to shoot. You wounded
your wife. You came close to her.
Your weapon was pointed at her face.
You did not shoot then. You were
still pulling on the trigger. You did
not know that you had to release the
trigger to cock the weapon. Therefore
your wife escaped. You had to kill
her father to get away.
"Now the rats began to gnaw. They
smelled blood. You fled in the dark
ness. You put on the broad-brimmed
hat. You were seen at different points
on the road hurrying through the
darkness. You tucked the handker-
chief and slouched hat into wall
hole. Opposite Browns cove you met
the crook Algyre. He had helped to
and cartridge from your hands. He
crossed the river and planted them on
Bumpy Brown. He was to get thou
sand dollars for helping you. He got
only half Of 1t because you were afraid
to draw so much money out Of the
bank at that time. I have Algyre's
confession in my pocket.
"You went on. You hid the broad
brimmed hat in hollow stump and
covered it with rotten wood. You put
a cap on your head. You reached the
Ashfield bridge about eight-thirty.
You threw the rubbers and overalls
into the west channel You entered
the open window Of Royce's office.
You unlocked the door and called him.
He let you out of the front entrance.
You crossed the east channel on your
way to the hotel. A little beyond the
bridge a man told you of the crime
which had been committed at your
house. You hurried to the stable and
got your horses. You told different
men around you that Bumpy Brown
must have done the shooting-that
you had put him off your place once
and that he had sworn to get even.
You drove rapidly up the road.
"Now, when you got home you did
your stricken wife as an honest man
would have done. You went straight
to the stable to see that the colts
were properly cared for. That one
circumstance was like milestone tied
to your neck. 1t set a man thinking
in your village, and his thinking has
helped me to surround you with a
chain of evidence that no power can
break. When you saw your danger
you tried to kill this boy and destroy
certain links in his possession. You
failed, and your failure pushed you a
mile nearer hell. You were getting
close to the red gates. The deep-laid,
cunning plot against Bumpy Brown
crumbled.
"You lived in growing, blistering
heat in that house of mourning with
your good wife and son whose faith In
you must have been like crown of
thorns. But the worst was to come.
Here was the girl who must have been
nearer to you than all else. Home and
son and wife and honor and good re-
pute were as chaff compared to her.
She was in sore trouble yet you dared
not lift hand to help her. My Cd
What a thumbscrew that must have