Year: 1873

Clara p rejoined her uncle, emphatically,
much to her surprise. 81 once entertained
very favorable opinion of Edward Per-
ham, but it has materially changed"


Then, as if in reply to an inquiring look
of his niece, he went on to say:


"When was jammed in the wreck of
the cars called upon young man sitting
at the foot of a tree for assistance, but he
took no notice of me. Presently the yonng
man Peabody came along, and, espying
me, came to my aid. Partly disabled him
self, he found that he could not effect my
release. He appealed also to the young
man for help, instead of rendering which,
he started to move off, pretending to be
lame. Peabody followed him, and forced
him reluctantly to return with him. 1t
was then first discovered that this young
man, who seemed to lack the common feel
ings of humanity, was Edward Perham."


"Why, did he not know you, uncle p''
asked Clara.


"No, my child, neither would you have
recognized me, my features were SO dis
guised by the blood from the wound in my
forehead, and SCOT and dirt"


"But why did you not make yourself
known?"


"It was my first impulse, but was So
disguised with the spirit he manifested
that refrained; besides, before was
fairly extricated, he took himself of. His:
contemplate conduct brought out in.
stronger light the noble actions Of Peabody,
Although suffering from severe wound,
he behaved heroically from the first occur
renee of the disaster; and from the time
he fell in with me until we parted, he did.
not for moment relax in his attentions TO-
me. am glad, my child" concluded Mr..
Winthrop, "to know that you have not
placed your affections on one so utterly un-.
worthy OF them as Edward Perham,"


Some two or three weeks after the con-
versation between Clara and her uncle,
Perham returned to the city, On the day
of his return he had read in the papers an
account of the waylaying of Peabody, and
the robbery of his watch. Smarting under
the peremptory refusal of his suit by Clara,
received but short time before, and be-
lieving, from what he had observed in the
cars, and from Clara's subsequent defence
of him, that Peabody stood high in her
favor, he thought that now was the oppor-
tunity to prove that his suspicious were
well founded. He thought, moreover, if
he could bring about Peabody's conviction
for robbing her uncle, the modification it
would occasion her would be some slight
revenge for Clara's rejection of him. With
out consulting Mr.. Winthrop in the matter
he had lodged the information and request
with the chief of police already alluded to.


In the afternoon of the day of his arrest
Henry appeared in Justice court, to an
swer to the charge preferred against him.
AS MIR. Perham took the stand, Henry was
surprised to find that his former fellow
passenger in the cars was his accuser.--
Could it be that Miss Weston also believed
him guilty? The possibility that such
might be the case panied him not a little.
This being but preliminary examina-
ton, the full merits of the case were not
entered into, the main object being to elicit
evidence sufficient to hold the accused for
future trial.


Mr.. Perham's statement was, that to the
best of his belief the watch belonged to
Mr.. Charles Winthrop; that it was in his
possession at the time Of the railroad disas-
ter, but when he was brought home the
watch was not to be found; that the day
after the accident he saw the watch In the
possession of the accsued, which watch
was now on his honor's desk. The chief
of police stated that the prisoners account
of the watch being in his possession was,
that it was given to him soon after the &C
cident occurred; that the donor Of IL was
perfect stranger to him--that he did not
even know his name.


Robberies of the unfortunate victims Of
railroad disasters had become of such fire.
quency that the public mind was keenly
excited on the subject Strenuous efforts
had been made to secure some one impli-
Gated in the crime, that an example might
be made Of him to deter others from such
heinous acts. An arrest on charge OF
this kind was sufficient to create preju-
dice against the accused, and there were
but few, If any, then present in the court
room who were not perfectly satisfied OF
Henry's guilt. b re


Peabody had let matters take their
course e-asking no questions, making lore
mark, his silence telling against him---un-