Year: 1872

S''sf - SiOutuiN, uppSaASt NiiN
window, and, with but an instant's pause,
giided into the room 1t was Annie
Crouch; but those who did not know
her very intimately would never have
supposed it the same face that had look
ed in there half an hour before.


"Gentlemen, for the love of the good
Lord, tell me why is this" The voice
was cracked and broken, like that of an
old woman. Even Mr. Fleet, the man
whom the prisoner, in his frenzy, had at
tempted to kill hut y few moments back,
was visibly touched


Young lady, it is an ugly story" he
said, taking her. hand But you must
not. give way. Perhaps there may be
some mistake. The body of a man has
been found, supposed to be that of DR.
Herndpn; and as he evidently died by
violence, and your brother was the last
person seen with him, the law you know.
requires that he should be examined"


Then you dare to come here; as the
accredited agents OF a farce called Laao,
that will not protect honorable people
from insult!'' she cried, with flashing
eyes And you accuse my brother of a
murder!'


"The law frequently holds man ac
cused, until he prove himself excused y
was the reply. but, my dear young
lady, this is no fit scene for one of your
years and sex. See, too, your sister is
recov ering, and needs all your attention,
for she fell like one dead, on our en-
trance" Minnie had indeed risen up,
m gaming as if her heart were broken
Annie flew to her and clasped her in her
arms.


"Come, darling Minnie" she murmur
ed, "we will not stay where these rude
men are. Let us retire to our room, and
Tom will be back at least tomorrow,
will you not, Tom?'' But Tom answer
ed never word While Minnie escap,
ing from her, rushed up to her brother
and throwing herself at his feet, clasped
him about the knees, and lifted her tear
less face piteously to his


"Tom, darling, darling Tom," she
cried out, "my heart is breaking: Tel
me that you did not kill him. Tell me
before you 60, that his blood is not OF
my brothers hands, and l promise yor
to bear up and watch for your return"


"See! murmured the prisoner, with
white, trembling lips. even my sister
believes me guilty. and conspires tc
prove it! Poor child! she is about tc
faint again. No, no, Minnie, my hand;
are free from but he did not finish
for Ned Kean had caught her in hi;
arms, as she fell, and whispering hur
riedly to Mr.. Matthews, beckoned An
ME TO follow him, while he took her into
their parlor, and laid her on one of the
sofas. The two remaining men led thei
prisoner quickly out before the Others
could have time to return, and thus Ton
Crouch was conveyed to the county Jail


While Ned Kean went out to summon
some suitable assistance to the two un
fortunate girls, Annie again restored he
sister to consciousness by chatting he,
hands and administering cordials.


Have they taken him awaJ?" wa
her first whispered question, and Annie
with bowed head answered in the af1ir
native. She could not however be in
duced to retire until she bad weariet
her listeners with question after ques
ton upon every point of the evidence
the strongest of which we're in mere,
concealed from her for the time, whel
she was carried up to her bed too ill tt
remain out of it moment longer
These two young creatures were neve
seen out after that, and the house hat
the appearance of being shut up, 70
every one but very few old and trie,
friends, avoided it as if they too wer
afraid of being murdered within it
walls. DR.. Finch went in and out o
intervals, and reported Minnie in a SLOW
fever.


Tom Crouch vas not destined to lin
ger any great while in prison. 1h
quarterly term Of the Court coming o.
just then, he was indicted by the Gran
Jury on the charge of murder, and i'm
mediately after brought to trial. Th
evidence as already stated, was discuss
ed by powerful counsel. The conduc
tors of the train going down at on
O'Clock, and the one going up at fou
we're called in by the defence, but test
fed that no passenger had been takel
on either OF them at the neighborin!
depot on the night stated. DIR. Hern
don had not left the city by any publ
conveyance. Mrs. Crew, the house
keeper stated that he had certainly no
come in the house, as she always 60
UP to open the door for him, and non
of his baggage. lad been sent for, ye
he had disappeared on the followin!
morning, and as the prosecuting attor
ney stated pointedly, had neither beel
seen nor heard of until his hody hat
been accidentally found in such a posi-
ton in the pit that he must have assum
ed it voluntarily, or been placed there
when he was no longer capable of at
ton, by the hands of his murderer
There was pistol shot in his breast
which in the absence of any weapon o.
or near the deceased plainly testi6e
that it was not suicide. He had bee
killed. and afterwards put there. 1t hat
been already proved in evidence tha
the shot had proceeded from pistol il
the possession of the prisoner. Th
two men had been killed who alon
could have given testimony that tn
deceased had never left the mine aliv
after going down with the prisoner, ar
one might have teeG induced TO take
seat with them, they could now neve
know who. 1t was too plain that it ha
not been tue deceased who had alread
been murdered in the darkness of tn
subterranean caverns. The prisoner
visit to the pit before any one was asst
the next morning was easily accounte
for in the face of the cock and bu
story of crazy message to an i'll cor
ditioned miner. He had gone to scree
the body more eflectually from obsel
vation. If there could be single hop
for the prisoner it would spring fror
the death of The two men, Crump an
White whose testimony alone was wal
ting in the prosecution to show tbs
Dr HnrndOn had not left the mine wit