Year: 1868

share of curiosity. The wife was tall and
slightly made, light-haired, blue-eyed. She
was evidently not in strong health, for she
walked slowly, always leaning on her hus-
bands arm, and looked, unless when turn
ing to him or to the child, languid and de-
jected. He was strongly built, active
man, with set, resolute face, and dark,
quick, watchful eyes. The child | hardly
noticed so minutely, but l was even then
judge enough of babies to pronounce it a
little more than year old.


Regularly as the mornings came-it
was bright June weather-he took her and
the child slowly up the hill to the top of
the cliff, to spot overlooking the sea, and
there they spent the forenoon, he reading
or playing with the child, whilst she lay
asleep, or at least at rest, amongst shawls
and cushions. These he took up each
morning strapped behind him like KNAPP
sack, to leave his arm free to carry the
child. 1t was evident that he had brought
her down to our breezy coast for air and
sunshine, and more than few amongst
us, though they spoke to no one, were be-
ginning to watch with something of
friendly interest for the signs in her Of re.
turning strength. IA


"Now comes the sad part of my story.


"When they had been here about three
weeks they went one morning as usual to
their camping-ground on the heath In
about half an hour the husband returned,
looked in at the cottage for monet (his
movements on that morning were after
wards diligently traced), and went on to
the postoffice. He was seen shortly after
returning up the path to rejoin his wife,
reading his letters as he went, walking
slowly and stopping often. He was then
lost sight of for an interval of less than
half an hour. At the end of that time he
walked burriedly into the cottage, carry
ing what looked like his customary load
of shawls and cushions, mounted quickly
to his bedroom, issued thence Immediately
in search of the nursemaid, and told her
in few words that she must pack her
box at once, and be ready to start home
by the midday coach; that she was to get
the house ready, and he would be there
the next day with his wife and child. Her
box was ready and standing in the hall,
and with it small portmanteau, which he
had packed in the meantime for her to
take with her. He went for porter, hur-
ried him back, helped him with his weight,
and the three were at the garden gate.


"The piteous scene which followed was
described to me by ole Mr.. Parkes, whom
the hustle had brought ont to the door.
The wife, looking scared and anxious,
reached the gate as they were leaving it.
Before she could speak the husband reeled
back as if he had been heavily struck, Gov
cred his face with his hands, and uttered
a moan of pain. The next instant he had
recovered himself, caught his wife as she
was falling, and carried her swiftly up the
garden, and so to her room, the others
looking on in mute wonder. A cry for
water reused them. He took it at the
door from their hands, shut himself into
the room, and all was again silent An
hour passed A small crowd gathered
round the gate, and was again dispersed.
1t satisfied them that a lady had tainted,
but was better. But the mind of the old
custom-house officer was not so smoothly
satisfied. He had noticed that the child
was not amongst them, that's a sudden fight
with packages had been tried for, and that
the failure of this design had been heavy
discontinue to one at least Of the party.
To talk it over with the head constable
seemed to him his instant duty, and he
slipped quietly out by the back-door and
did it. You can almost guess what fol-
lowed The husband was soon summoned
from his room, and in a few minutes ap-
peared, pale but selfcontrolled. He gave
up his keys, and turned to the window.
while the portmanteau was opened. In it
was found the child, dead, and horribly
battered in the head and face: and Of
course the father without more delay than
was needful was arrested on the coroners
warrant.


4" 1t is long since all this happened, but
l believe recollect the minutest incidents.
Not only were they discussed and sifted
again and again amongst us wherever two
men met, but was on the jury, and was
therefore called upon to give the closest
attention to.every fragment of evidence.


:" At the inquest the poor wife's deposi-
ton was read, as they dared not move her.
1t was short and simple statement. Be-
fore her husband left her to go for his let
ters, he had tethered the child to her waist
band by the two straps, by which he was
used to carry up the shawls. This precau-
ton he had thought necessary, because
she often would fall asleep up there in the
morning, either from weakness, or from
the effect of the opiates which she was
constantly taking at this time, and he
feared that the child, who was just able to
crawl, might possibly stray to the edge OF
the cliff. She had fallen asleep, for how
long she could not say, had found the
child gone when she awoke, and the strap
united from her band, but saw at once
pinned to her shawl paper with a few
words written by her husband in pencil,
saying that he had taken the child home,
and would return for her Immediately.
After waiting for some little time she be-
gan to feel anxious lest the child should
be ill, and walked down by herself to the
cottage.


"The husband was of course examined
in person. He was submissive and yet
naughty in manner, alternately deferen-
tial and contemptuous He looked, how
ever, haggard and weak, like man just
shaking off fever He had self-con-
sistent story to offer, which he told in a
low voice, with hands clenched, and eyes
that never once moved. He had found, he
said, when he reached his wife, the strap
severed, and his own knife lying open on
the turf yard or more off After hasty
look round he went at once to the edge of
the cliff, and scrambled down by rough
on the rocks below, which he thought
mangled as we saw it. For few minutes he
was paralyzed, but, reused by the need for
instant action, seized it and rushed back up
the Cliff. As he reached the top, he paused
for one horrible moment, unnerved by the
terror of the thought that his wife might
die If her eyes should open on SO fearful a
sight A thought came suddenly TO aid.


Creeping stealthily towards her, he saw
that he could trust to the soundness of her
sleep; in few seconds he had written
AZ Har xl. 4