Year: 1877

aud then his assassin had strangled
him, as was evident from the marks
OF the dead mans throat. His desk
had been rifled, but it was not known
that any money, or anything of value
had been taken, as nobody was cog
infant of Mr.. Green's private affairs.
When Mrs. Rand heard the story of
the crime, her mysterious guest ofthe
morning arose TO her mind, and she
could not help assOciating him with
the murder of Mr.. Green. The fact
of his digging in the field behind her
house suggested the probability of his
having hidden away Plunder. All
the evening these things dwelt in her
thoughts, and she was once on the
point of communicating the whole
story to the police. She hesitated,
however, to do so from the dread of
being mixed up in the dreadful affair,
and finally resolved to keep the visit
of the man and all connected with it a
secret.


The officers Of the law had mean
while secured the neighborhood TO
discover the murderer, and in Sunder-
land, the town to which Mrs. Rand
had gone with her unwelcnme compan
ion, it was Rscertained that on the
morning after the murder, a man and
woman had been seen to enter thetown
together, and soon afterward separate
A farm laborer residing in Harrington,
a village halfway between Houghton
and Sunderland, swore to having
seen the same man and woman pass
ing through the place at about seven
o'clok on the morning of the day in
question.


Finally, tollgate-keeper identified
the woman as Mrs. Rand, and the
authorities visited her house, to make
Inquiries. In her fear, she denied
having been with the man, but IN
such a way as to excite suspicion that
she was lying. Her house was
searched, and under the bed in her
own room was found the clothing
worn by her strange visitor, which he
had exchanged for a suit of her hus-
bands. The clothes were coarse and
patched, and such as might have been
worn by lighterman or river laborer.
In the pocket of the jacket was found
a bundle of letters. These proved to
be of the greatest possible value, for
they were addressed to the murdered
man, Mr.. Green, and were from q
younger brother, asking for loans of
money, and promising amendment of
life. This discovery left no doubt in
the minds of the authorities that the
wearer of these clothes was the as
sassin of Mr. Green.


When Mrs. Rand learned that they
had found the clothes, and that they
contained letters evidently stolen from
Mr.. Green, she was in a dreadful state
of excitement, and begged to be al





she told of the man visit, as is already
narrated, and of his having been seen
digging in the field. She pointed out
the spot as nearly asshe could, and af-
ter short search, a newly-disturbed
mound was found. 1t was dug up,
and tin box containing several hun
dred pounds was discovered. Papers
in it showed that it was the property
of Mr.. Green. Renewed search was
made for the man, but all to no pur-
pose. Mrs. Rand was arrested, and
was finally held to await the action of
the grand jury, as accessory after the
fact. She was tried, and thanks to
her previous good character, was ac-
quilted.


In the meantime, the dead Mr..
Green's younger brother had taken
possession of the Hall, as next of kin.
He had not been at the family seat for
twenty years, having, when a mere
youth, seduced his own cousin, and
been driven forth to live the life of a
vagabond. Nothing had been heard
of him for years. and it was generally
believed that he was dead, until the
letters found in the clothes discovered
in Mrs. Rand's house, showed by their
date, that he was alive, and in Eng
land. Then new Squire lived a seclud-
ed life and became remarkable for his
abstemiousness.


The cousin whom he had wronged
was living In retirement, on pension
granted by the deceased Squire, and
his successor, six months after taking
possession of the estate, sought to rem
edy the evil he had wrought, by pri-
vately marrying the ow mature wom-
an, and installing her mistress of the
Hall. The new couple lived in the
greatest harmony, and within a !
twelve month of their their marriage.
an heir was born. They kept no COM
pany, and seldom went beyond the |
precinct of their own domain.


In the second year of their married |
life. they drove into Sunderland, and |
returning the same night, an acci-
dent happened to the carriage just as
they were entering Houghton, and
they had to wait until another vehic-
lie was sent for, to convey them home.
The villagers were drawn from their
houses by the exciting event, and
among them was Mrs. Rand. The
moment she beheld Squire Green she
exclaimed


GOOD Lord there is the man that
saw digging in the field, and that
came into my house and made me get
lis break fast, and then swapped bis
clothes for my husbands


These words were overheard by one
Makepesce, a village Constable, and
epeated next day to the rector, who
vas magistrate. So much Importance
vas attached to them. that Mrs. Rand