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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Blyth Standard, 1900-02-15, Page 74� a whAr wns nes �oTiv� z (A STORY OF MYSTERY.) Butt Mr's. Crawl was glaring too vie !peaty at Mr: Crawl to reply. fie un- daestood the message as if ft were prit►ted. It ran: Yat have broken rate of my bastrglassae. You have amntht• laced three-penes..o' n week's school fees for half the family." Peter wiah- id oho would turn the lightning upon DOOM, a conductor down whom it woaid run Ituniuoueby. Ile stooped deur and ploked up the pleees as care. M7 as it they wen" cutteige from ' the Koh -t -noon. Thee tete lightning rd Itermlewly over hie heart and towards Cantereot. hat db I wean 4" Aire. Crawl soh• red, as tt there had h: aft no interval. "1 mean that 1t would be a good thing It yw had been murdered " "What artbeautlfut Ideas you have, to he noes 1" murmured Denzil. "Yee; but -they'd be useful," said tura, Crowl, who had not lived with peter all theee veers for a otbieg. "And, 11 you haven't been murder. ed &flat have you been doing I" "My dear, my dear," put un Crowd, depreeattngly, looking up from his eliiadrupedal postion like a sad dog, 'yea are tuft Cantercot'e keeper." "Oh, ain't I t" flashed his spouse. "Wiho sloe keeps bim I should like to know 1" Pater went on picking up the pieces of the Kob-t-noor. "I have dao secrete from Mrs. Crawl," Danalt explained courleous- 1 , "1 have been working day and ht bringing out n new paper. vea't bad n wink for three bte looked up at h a bloodshot aye. with respectful interest. "The capitalist met me is the strep!—.a old trend of mine—I was sweelo ed at the recontre and told ti1Aa the Ides I'd been brooding over fir'AOMtba and he promised to etund all the racket." "What sort of a paper t" said Pater. "Qsn you saki To what do you teak Pse been devoting my daysand nights but to the cultivation of the Beautitut 1" "la that' what the paper will be devoted to f" "Yes. To the Beautiful." "I know," snorted Mrs. Growl, "with portraits of actresses." "Ifortraits f Ob, no I" said Densil, at would be to the True. Not tk+e Deentitul•" "%Uri what's the name of the pa- par1" edged Crowd. "Ali, that'. a secret, &^.ter. hike Boot, 1 prefer t.o remain. anony- OSS A" "Just l Ju your Fads. L'm ottly n int man, and I want to know where i tun of anonymity comets in 4 if l had say gifts, I should like to get the credit. It's o. right and nat- ata1 feeling, to my thinking." "Unnatural, Peter ; unnatural. Wire ell bora anonymous, and I et fir Utakhtg close to Nature, ideougb that I dimemiaate the Beau - t letter. come during my ab• Crowd Y" "Na" Nis aoappetf. "But a gent Grodhnan called. Hua said you ada't been to see hen for some tine, algid looked annoyed to hear you'd d')s- rd. How much have you let bin i" The mat's in my debt," said Dan- stl,,oplipted, "1 wrote a hook for him e 'a taken ail the credit for it, tW rognel ply name doesn't oppeur ossa ie the • preface. What's that tioket you're looking so lovingly at Ritter P TIat'. for to-tight—the unveil - i g of Ooeetant'e portrait. Gladstone spaake. Awful demand for places." "t.fde4etone,!" sneered Dlenali. "Who wants to hear Gladstone? A man ik devoted hie Ute to pulling clown 9111ara of ohurch and state." n who's devoted his whole lite ping up the crumbling tads 01 aid monarchy. But, for ail tlhe man has his gilts, and rut n' to (tear Mut: ` wouldn't go out of my way an tgak to hear him," said Denzil ; and went up to his room ; and when. Mrs. Ctowl sent him up a cap of nice strong tp,pt tes4ttne, the brat; who bore, ht toU*d him lylatg dreieed on the bedf tleetMtg nebeamtlfulty. The evening wore on. It was fine, frosty weatiber. The WLlteehnPCl road swarmed wiith noisy Bte, as though It were a Saturday ptght. The ours Bared in the sky like the lights of e01esilel npetermomgers. Rverynbody eros en the alert for the advent of Mr. 04dstone. He must eerely come through.tha road on hie Journey frdtn the west Bow -wards. But nobody saw him oa his carriage, exept those about tit@ hail. Probably lie went by .tram tttckt of the way. Ho would have otdd In an open carriage, o' ]to g hbv heart out of the window of,, a eloped. d'If he )tad only been a Berman pima, or a cannibal king,". tato wl bttteely, its be plodded towards t ` club, "we eltould • have disgubied e End to bunting and blue fire, But hope it's a compliment, He knowe r London, and It's no use trying to • h the facts from him. They mutt have queer notions. of cltlee, tlhose menarche. They must fancy everybody Ipvap in a nutter of flags and walks *Heat under triumphal arches, like as lie were to stitch allose In my Sunday clothes•" By a defiance of clranology Crows had them on today, and they seemed to acoentaate the simile, "And why shouldn't life be fuller of ,the Deautltu)?" "aid Denzil. The paoet had brushed the reluctant mud off ]da garments to the extent it was willing toga, and lead washed his face, but hie e e were aril1 bloodshot from the cul- 4Mn of the Beantifui. Dlenzil wa-y aedompanyibg Crowd to the door of the clubott of good fellowehip. Denell w'ae hgmaell accompanied by Grodman, (bough less obtrusively. Least obtrus- ively war he acoompanled by Itis usual 1lootlasd Yard ebadowe, Wimp's atgents. Thet'e was a surging nonde- �t Crowd about the club, and the , and the doorkeeper', and tho inwards oduld with difficulty keep but of the tide of tete tiekettnse, t i gh whiob the current of the priv- lrad equal difficulty is perme- a d °`t', The streets all around were til with pbople longing for n wee of Gladstone. Mortlake drote 'n a hansom, hitt head a set( -eon - tum of popularity, away- + bowing to right and left,'and idali the pelt-vp enthusiasm. i, good-bye, Cantelrcot, ' slid +N P11 gee you to tete door, Pete(•. " fought their way shoulder Now that frodmau had found 1)en- .Bttie ware not' going to loge him egaln. He had only fotnd him by aceideut, fop� he was himself bound to the un- vd1 ceremony, to which Ife had bleu invited In view of his known'le- votlon to the task of unveiling the He spoke to one of the about, who raid, "Ay, ay, led he was prepared to tollow tf netotlary, and to give up of Mariag Gladutoue for " I�A i en sinter thrill, Tete nrrcet must be delayaed no longer. Butt Denzil keeemed as if he were going fu un the heels of Crow!. Tole would suit Grodman better. He could then have the . tw0 pleasures. But Denill wtw ibleped half -way through the door. "Ticket, Sir 1" Bege(i drew himself up to hie full ttei$kt, "Presto," be said, meleeticaliy. All the stetter and gratdeurs of the Fourth Estate were concentrated In that haughty monosyllable. Heaven Itself to full of Journallete who Imve overawed Eft. Pater. But the door• keeper was a veritable dragon. "What paper, air ?" "New Pork Herald," said Densil eltarply. He del not rellsh hie word being dletrurted. "New York Herald," Bald one of the byetending stewards, scarce catch - in the rounds. "Pam him In." And in tee twinklitg of an eye, i eptll had 'eagerly ellpt inside. But during the brief altercation, Wimp had come up Even he could mot make his tate quite Impassive, and there was a suppressed intensity la the eyes and a quiver about the mouth. Ile went in on Denzii's heels, blocking up the doorway with Grad- man. Tho two men were 00 full of thheir coming coups Hutt they etrug. geed fur some seconds, side by aide, before they recognised each other. Theft they stook htutde beartlly. "That waw Cantercot juet went in, wasn't It, Urodmne?" sulu Whmp. "I didn't notice," Bald Grodmne, In tones of utter indifference. At bottom Wimp was terribly ex• cited. He felt that Ills coup was go. leg to bo executed under very ren- oational circunustancee, Everytbttig would combine to turlt the eyes of the countr,t' upon !dm—nay, of the world, for haul mot the Big Buw Mys- tery been din essed In every language under the sun ? In these electric times the criminal achieves a ooemopotltan reputation. It is a pre liege lteshutres ,vith few other arttete, This time Wimp would he one of filen. And he felt deservedly sp. If the criminal had been cunning to the polar u( genius le planpiug the murder, gee had been acute to the pueat of dlvhmtlon in detecting it. Never before lied he piece together eo broken a clmhl. He could not resist the unique opportunity of settlug a rein �at:onal schema io a een;atkonu; frame work. Tile dramat� instinct ryas strong in ltitn ; he felt 11 a it pity• wr gid tubo lune constructed n strung' inctulranutttc plat, and has the Drury Lane stage suddenly offered him to pr4e0lt it on. It would be fully to lefty Irmself the texury, though the presence of Mr. Gladstone and the !mitre of the ceremony ehoul.l per - imps here g.vou hint pause. Yet, on tlae other• hand, these were the very ;actors of the tempiuton. Wimp went u and took a Beat behind Denzil. All the torte were numbered, so that everyloly might have the eatiefto.lon of occupying romebo.ly elee'e. Denzil war 1u the special reserved pluces in the front mw Aust by the central gangway ; Crow) w,te aqueetzed lute n 'orner behind a pillar near Ute wick of the hall. Gro.ltuan had loon bon• oeee! w til a swat on the platform, wheel was accessible by steps on the right awl left, tut h'e kept Ide eye on !M'ag'i. Tire picture of the poor ileal - 'et lung on the wall behind Grodmau'e Ilea.I, covered by its curtail of brown holland. There was n sutelued buzz of excitement about the hall, witiclt ywelird into cheers every now and again ns sone gentleman known to Fame or Bow took Ids place upon the platform. It was occupied by several lout M. I 's, cf vary ng teethes, a num• •er of other Parltammltary satellites oI the great man, three or four ltbor leaders, a peer or two of philanthropic eretene'ons, a sprinkling of Toynbee and Oxford HaI men, the president and other honorary officiate, some of the family and friende of the deueaeed, 'together with the Inevitable percent• leg of persons who hed no claim to he there rave cheek. Gladstone was late --later than Mortlake, who was -hietore'1 to tke echo when le arrived, wme one etertitg "For He's tt .folly Goad Fellow," as If it wore a po!ltlnel meeting. Gladstone came in Just In +:me to acknowledge the compliment. The t:o'se of the song, trolled out from iron lungs, hnd drowned the hunwh], heralding the old man's advent, The convivial chorus went to, lake's head, as if champagne had y pre. vetted it. File eyes rew motet�ud d . g kat Ifs saw himself ewtmmtng to the tntl- lennn:um on waves of enthusingm. Ah, how it a brottcr-totters should be ro• warded for their trust in hlut I tt'ith Itis usual courtesy and conhl- eratiot, Mr, Gladstone Imd refttred to perform the actual unve ling of Arthur Coustaat's portent. "That:' he said .0 ltle po:ttcard, "w{U fall most appro• pr:ately to Mr. Mortlnka a gentlenman who Iter, I am given to understand, leoyee the personal fr!endehlp of tlhe late Mr. Constant, and bas coop:rated w.tll Iilm in various schemes for the organization of skilled and unekl:lod Ineseo of labor, as well as for the dlf• fus'on of Letter ldeale—heals of telt• culture and selt•restralnt—among the workingmen of Bow, who hate leen :estunate, so far as 1 cru perceive, ut the px)3seea!on (Ii In one case unhappily only temporary pxossess'.on) of two such men of utndoubted ability and honesty to direct their diieted counaels and to lead them along a road, which, though i cannot plevige myeelf to approve of it hi all Ito turninge and windinge,44 yet not untittedt to bring them Nome - what nearer to ale to which there are few of us but would extend rmme meager° of hope .that the working classes of tris greet empire may It due corse, yet w:tlt no unnecessary delay, be enabled to arrive." ' Mr. Gladetone'e ep"eclt wns nn ex- pane:ort of Ids postcard, a uctukted by cheers. The only new thing in it wee the greooful and touching way in which he revealed what had been a secret up t'.11 then—that the portrait hal been palnteca and presented to the liow Break o', Day Club, by Luiy Brent, who In til a fulness of true wool I have been Arthur C'onstant's wife. It was a painting for wlhic_hh the head ret to her while alive, and she had 'titled yet pampered her grief by working (lard at it slnce ills death. The feat added the Inst touch o? pathoeto the occasion. Crawl's face wile hidden be- hind Isle red handkerchief ; even the fire of excitement i i Wimp's eye was quenched for a moment by a teardrop, as he thought of Mrs. WIMP and Wit• (red. As for Grodman, thele was almost a Inmp In his tirr0 t. 1)'. ell Cpntereot war the only unmoved tnan i t the room. He thought the episode quite too beautiful, And was already weaving 1t into rhyme, At the conclusion of hie speech Mr. 'Giadstone culled upon Torn Mortlake to unveil the portrait. Tom rose, pale aril excited. His hand faltered ns he witbi etnetlon, rWi Olt the motion nn ef Lee, Brent that had mrlved him to hue depth"? The brown holland fell sway—the dead Stood revealed as he had been in life, Every feature, inted by the hand of Love, was Ins inet with vital- ity ; the lbw, earnest face, the sad, kingly eyes, the noble brow seetaing ati a -throb with the thought of Humanity. A thrill ran througgh the room—there wax a low, uadetlneble murmur. 0, the pethoe and tide tra- gely of It ! Every eye wns fixal, misty w'.tl emotion, upon the dead man in the ;Menne and the living man who stood, pole and agitated, sed visibly tumble to commenee Ide speech, at the side of the eanvae, lluddenly a hand was laid opOn the labor lender's shoul- der, and there rang through the hall In Wimp's clear, deelstire tens the words : "Tom Mortlake, I arrest yon for the murder of Arthur Constant l" CHAMFER IX. For a moment there woe nn acute, terrible ellen*. Mortlake'a face was that of a corpse ; the face of the dead man at his elde was (luelted with the li ee of ills, To the overetrung nervee of the onlookers, the brooding eyee of the picture seemed sad and stern with menace, and charged with thn lightnings of doom, It was a horrible contrast. For Wimp, alone, the painted face had fuller, more tragical, meaninge. The audience seemed turned to stone. Thiey sat or stood—ln every variety of attitude—frown, rigid. ArthnrCon- dtnnt'e picture dominated the scene, the only living tldng In a hall of the dead. But only :cr a moment. Mortlake shtook off the detective'e bond. "Hoye P' he orled, In ascents of in- finite indignattou, "this le a pollee eon- 'piraey." tie words relaxed the tension. Tete stony figures were agitated. A dull excited hubbub answered him. Tte little cobbler darted from behind hte pillar, and leapt np on a betroh. The cords of hla brow tt-ere swollen with excitement. He seemned a 'giant over- shadowing the hall. vBoyet 1' he roared, In Ills beet Vlc- toria Park voice, "Listen to me. This charge is a foul and damnable Ile." Bravo I" "Hear, hear !" "Hooray!" "It le I" was roared back at Idm front all parte of the room. Everybody rose and stood in tentative attitudes, ex- alted to the last degree. "Breve !" Peter roared on, "you all know ms. I'm a plaln ntan, and I want to know if It's likely a man would murder hie beet friend." "No," In a mighty volume of sound. Wimp had scarcely calculated up - an Mortlake'. popularity. He stood nn the platform, pale and anxious as Ide prisoner. And if he i ld, why i l:'n't they prove It the first time?" "Hear, hear !" i "And If they want to arreet him, why couldn't they leave it till the ceremony was over ? Tom Mortinke's not the roan to run away:' "Tom Mortlake! Tom Mortlake! Three cheers for Tom Mortlake! Hip, hip, hip, hooray !" Three groane for the poolice 1" "Hoot Oo! Ooo!" Wimp's melodrama was not going well. He felt like the author to whose, ours la borne tete ominous sibilance of the pit. Ife almost wished he had not followed the curtain -raiser with its own etrongcr drtunn.. 4ncourctousty the police, scattered abut the hall, drew together. The people on the plat• form kttew not what to do. They he'd all neon and stood `in a densely -packed mass, Evert M;r. Glailstonees speech failed ham in circumstances se novel. Tho groans died away; the eheerefor Morll�ke rose and swelled and fell ❑ni rote again, Sticks and umbrellas were Fanged and rattled, bandker- ch;efs were waved, the thcauier deep- ens). r'he motley crowd still surging about this halt took up the remora, and for h.uadrecke of yards around peo- ple were gaatg binek to the ince out of mere irresponsible enthusiasm. At list Tum waved his liana—1 he thunder dwindled, d ed. The prteoaner wag mas- ter of the ehuat:oit, 'Graiman stood on the platform, grasping the back n! he chair, u m'nlr- loue mock`.ttg mephiatophellan glitter abate lk'.s oyes, h n lips wreathed into a halt ez'le. There was nb hurry far him to get Desai! Canteroot arrested now, ,Wump heel made an egregileus, a ooloeeal btumier. In Grodman'a heart there was a great glad calm no of a man who has etraine,i his sinews to win bn a femolom matdh, eel leas heard the jtl'ge's word. He felt almost kind- ly+ to Dens'.l now,. Tom M•orlltke spoke. Iea fere was rel and atony. Hie tall tigu,re wns drawn up haughtily to tits full height. He puelhee the black mane back tremm b:!e forehead with n charaoterdetie gesture. The fevered audience hung upon h•:a I:pe—Jthe men at the haek leaned eagerly forward—the re.port- ere were breathless with fear )tut they ehatid masa a word, Wbat would the great labor leader have to say at th::e supreme moment t "Ke. Cbsieinan ani gentlemen. It is to me a melanrboly pleasure to have been honored with the task of unveid- istg tonight this portrait of a grea) benefactor to Dow anti a true friend to the labortag claetes. Except that he hotmreri me wilth h'.e friendship while living, am1 that the aspirations elf my ifs heave, its my email anil ret- trieted way, been identical with hie, there is little reason/ wiry this honor- able duty shdmld have fallen upon me, Gentlemen, I trust that we shall all fiuel an 1phring influence in oar heerte aria Io tble tic(ble work of art •,wrought, as Mr. Gladstone has told us, by the hate] of orte who loved him." The s'poaker pauau1 a moment, his law v:�bratrt tomes falteringg into al. leama. "If we humble -working men. t$ Bow oar never hoe to exert in- di•vtduelly a lithe • of the beitefic nt influence weel.ied by Arthur Constant, in is tet pesthole for each of us to walk tum the light he bas ki;nllled.ln our M:dsl—a ppeertpetual lamp of self- +mortflee nrdl brotherhood," That wee ell. The room rang worth cheers. Tom Mer.l:uke rearmed his seat. To Wimp the made audactity verged 0n the sublime ; to Densil on the beaut:fal. Again there was a (breathless bush. Mr. Glad - stone's mobile face was working with excitement. No Seelt extraordin- ary scene Itnd occurred In tide whole of hie extrsordlnary experience. He soered about to rise. ee cheering l+uheldei to n painful stillness. Wimp cut the situation by laying Ids hand again upon Tom'e shoulder. "Conner quietly with me," lie eaI1. The worda were almost a whisper, but In the supreme thence thee travelled to the ends of the hall "fkon't you go, Tom !" The trumpet tones were Peter's. The call thrilled an &nbwering chord of defiance In every breast, and a low, omtnovs murmur Swept through the hall. Tom rose, and there was silence again. "Boyle," he saki, "let me go. Don't make any noise about it. 1 shall be with you again to -morrow:" But the blood of the Break o' Day boyo was at fever heat. A hurtling mass of men etrnggloi eoufneedty from 1! it scats. In a monont, all was chaos. Tom did not move. Half•a-doseh men, headed by Peter, screed the plat- form. Wimp was thrown to one aide, and the Invaders formed a ring round Tome ehalr. The Plntlone people scampered like mtoe from the centre. Some huddled together In tho comvuw, °there supped out at the rear. Tho Oomrolttee congratulated tbenuelves en havta$ had the rink-dettah to eat• elude ladtii. Mt. Gladrttondt Satellites! faot that he war the acoefotel iaber hurried the old man oft and into lair I ondtdate for an eaat•end ronstltu- oatrluge ; though the fight promised , eney, Tleir Majesties, Victor! t and to beaoms Homeric. Grodman stood at ( the Law, were represented by Mr. the side of the platform secretly more Robert Nptgot, Q. C, amused than ever, concerning himself Mr. N t, Q. C., in presenting hie no nmre with Denzil Cantereet, who case, raid: "I proose to sleow that wee ulready strengthening Ids nerves the prtoner murdered hie friend anti at tho bar upstalre. The police about tellowdodger, Mr. Arthur 'Ceutant, the hall blew their whistles, and In ooid blood, and with the ttmst policemen camte. running In trout out, oaretul premeditation; premeilta- ptde aid tlen neigltbor1iood. An Irish tion ro etudled, ie to leave the cir- AL P. on the platform was waving Ids eu ietaacee of tote death au. Impene gingham like a ehiilelub in MLceer ex•, treble mystery for weeks to all the cttemont, forgetting file new-found re- world, though fortunately without al- epeetability and drea+uing himself tegether bsitltng the almost rupee aleck seleol nybrook Fair. Iilm u eon- humatn ingenuity of Air. Edwnrd liotantliai* oormtable floored with 0 Wimp, of the ficottand Sara Deter• th'uncheon: But a shower of lista fell tive Department. 1 propxwe to show of the zealot's face, and le tottar,+t,i tduat the motives of tete prleoter were back bleeding. Then the storm broke in Jealousy and revenge ; Jealousy not - ail its fury. The typpor air wad black only of hls friend's euporter Influence with staves stjeka and umbrellas, over the workin. men he himself as- mingied with the` pallid halletanee of Aired to lead, but the more eotnmi.i- kttoby Beta Yee" end groans and hoots place anlmo•ity engentlered by the and battleserles plent W grotleequn t et.urbing element of a woman hay. chorus, like one of Dvorak'e weird, iia- Ing eelatlone to both. IL before my bolteal movements, Mortlake stood lm- ease Ja complete, It will b:' my pain. passive, with nrme folded, making no (ul duty to slew that the murdered further effort, and tete battle raged Mall was not the sattit t e world hen round him ns the water 'twirls round agree,) to tmtttt li i I titan not shrink some steadfast rook. A poesy of police front unveiling thte truer picture, to from the back fought their way stead- W1e Interests of j}ua�tt',,oe, whieh can- tly toward/ him, and clmrgml up the not say all stet durum even of the heights. of the platfor+n steps, only to dead. I ptwpae to show that the be sent tumbling backwards, ae their murder wns aummttted by tie prie• leader waft hurled at them like rr, bat- oner shortly before hatl'l Ost six on tering ram. Upon the top of the heap ton to mn1nu, n( l)eoember Sub and fell he, surmounting the etratn, of po- Wnnt the prlaoaLer having, w{th the ra ilcemen. But others clambered upon markubie ingetwdty w tloh hn has tatemh tl enlading the platform. shown throughout. attempted to pre• A moment more and Mortlake would Imre un alilbi by feL iiiug to leave have been taken, aft:r being well I.undot lel tie ftret trntn to I.Ive'r• ehnken. Theft the miracle happened. plot, returned hunts, got !n with its Ae when of old a reputable gods res latchkey though the secret dloor, ex maohlnn saw her favorite hero in whiddh he hie lett rut Elm latch, ua- dira peril, steakzhtwaY etre drew lacked Jae victim's beitraoun with a diown a cloud front the Metalal stories key obtain li ptuaseesei, out the of Jupiter and enveloped her fondling sloephyr men's throat, pocketed lite it kiully night, so that his advereary seats, tended flue diner' again, and strove. wfti the darkness, sa did gave tt the eppenranoe of beteg bolt• Crawl, tote earning cellist, the Hauch• ed, went down',talre, unelipped the dnrieq, teeny Uri eneatre L.le friends bolt of the big tock, closed the door safety. He turned oft tone guts at the �lintl him, ami got to Euston In ung tine for the second teals for L1ver- Mi Arctic night—unprecedented by pool. The fa; helped leis prooeedinge twilight—fell, +uud there ddawned the throughout." Such was In stun the Sabbath of the witelies. The dark• thteory of the proseoutton. The pale tree could ixe felt—and it left blood defiant figure in tote dank wined per - and brutaes behietd it. When the lights oeptlbly under Darty of it. were turned en again, Mortlake was Dfre. Drabdump was the first wit- goue. But several of the rlotere were few celled for the proeeeatlon. She arrested. triumph antiy, was quite used to legal inquleitiveures And tilraug.h all, and over ail, the hY this time, but did not aple-M In face of the dead man who had eogght .1'o0d eplrite. to bring Peace rut earth, broo:led. " On the night of Ik c. 3rd you grave • • • • • • the prieoner a letter 1' Crowl sat meekly wttiuz hie Supp er " Yee, Your ludehip." of bread and clioav', with Idls head " liow did ho behave when ho red bendungged, while Denzil Canteroot .t?" told h.lm the story of how he had res• " He turned very pale and excited. cued Tom Mortlake. Ho had been He went up to the poor gentleman'ts among the first to scale the height, •nom, and Pne afraid lie gtutrrelled ani had never boded front Tom's side w.th him, He might have left las lain or from the forefront of the battle ,tours peaceful.". (Amuusement.) till he had seen ben eetely outside ail " What happened then?" Leto a by -street. "Mr. Mortlake went out In a pas "I am en glad that you eaw he got son, and Came in again in alxmt lel away safely," said [:row!, "I waea't .tour." quite eure he would. lie told yon tie one K„'nt awry av „Yes; Iwmt I wisiu some cowardly Liverpool very early tar test morn• fad hadn't turned off the gas. I like ng?” 0140 to see thrift they are .oaten." •• So, your hnlsiip, he scald he was "But It memed—eiteler," fettered go'num to pet -import." (3aneatlon.) e lex Crow•!, tyint tine did else get up tit t t "Easter l" entltNdl Denzil, to klalr a norninlg?" deep draught "f bitter. "Really, " Hali-past elx." Peter, I'm sorry to find y'ou always "That le not your ueual thee?' will take su('h low views, It stay br '• No, I al.waye get up at six." meter, but lt'e elmbhy. It shocks ire's '• flow do you account for the extra e°next of to Ihetutltul." deepness?" C'rowl ate ltd bread and cheese '" Wefortnnes will happen." shamefully "It wasn't thedalI foggy weather?' "Tial what wns the ries of Ipreaking " No, my lad, else I should never get your ]head to save him?" said Mrs up early." (Laughter.! Crawl wit) an unioteoloue pan. " He You drink sotuething before going muvt 6e utugltt." to 1•ed?" "Alt, I don't tee how trite useful doss •• I Ilke my cup o' tits. I take it conte in, n�poow,'eaidPetertliouglttfuliy. strong, wttttout sugar, II a)ways "But I didn't think of that itt the at'adlap w nerves." tltnd " He swallowed hie water quickly and " (toile eo. Where wrr.c you when it went the wring wtty and added to filo pt•iwner told you , wan gong W lily confusion, It oleo began to dawn Pevaatort?" upon him that ie'niight be rolled vital, Y my tyo ht rho kitchen:' to account. Let It be said at once " 11'itat slmnl+i yet any of akesonor that Ile waem't. Ido htul takelt tat eremitic' something bo St to make yen prouuictezut a part. deep late?„ Meentine Mrs. Wimp was bathing lYituces (startlmt)-He ought to be Mr. Wimp's eye, and rubbing him +lot. generally with arnica. Wimp's melo- He m'glut have done It withou draua had been, Indeed, a sight for vonr notirtng ht, I suppose?" the gods. Only, virtue wits vanquished „ 11 Its was rle,eI enough to murder and vice trhtmpluiet. The villain had the poor g entlelnnu, he was clever Waled, and without striking a blow. '.s ougu to try ani po:to.1 mc. " Cti<tP'PER X. Too .lodge—The wtneee ht her re- uses must confine heraelt to th'e eve !There was matter anti to spare fou lenge. the pipers the text duly. The atck- Mr. Spigot, Q. C.—I Inuet submit to Log ceremony—Mr. Gladstone's' speech •;mar lorestdp that it is a very logical —the ameatlonnal arrest—theca weak utswer, and exactly illustrates the of themselves have made excellent u,t+cr.hp"ndenre of the probabltl!1 e theism for reports anhti leaders. But Now, Alrs. 1)rabtlump, lot us know the p�reonalty of the man arrested, what happened when you awoke at atld the Bug Bow blyatary Hattie— mil -pest mix the next morning." as it came to be called—gave addition- Therrapon etre. Drandunp recap'ta al pquat;uy to the paragrapphs and the late! the evldwte3 (with new rodund' poster*. The behavtor el Mortlake put titc±ee, but elight variations) glveat by the last touch to piaturesluenees ')er ut the legueet. Ilow elle became of the poeit:oat ft the hall w en ;iterated—Low aha found the street - the 1 gets went and walks • r `our locket) by the beg lock—how she 0ot:ced and unmolest thro sorest Grobnnn, and got 11110 toburet ne po opeq the door—Low they found the ads of pai:oemen to ody—nll'this with which rho puhllc wee elmoat tooexc!,ted `tr7 was Iread,y (ani:Ilne ad nauseam wme tide of his demandf to cxt(7Ptet1 front her nf•esh.' But to do him juatiee, " Look at this key (key passed to wltnees). Do you recognize It?" o et i t ? It's the "Yex;howdidy ug key of my flret-floor front, 1 am sure 1 left It sticking In the door." Did you know a Mimi Dymond?" "Yee, Mr. Mortlake's sweetheart. But I knew lee would never 'marry her, poor thing." (Sensation.) e "Wily not 7" "He n na getting too grand' for stet " (Amneement.) "You don't mean anything more titan that ?" "I don't know ; she only came to my place once or twice. TJte last time 1 tet eyes on her must have been ht October." "How did she appear ?" "She was very miserable, but she wouldn't let you see It" (Laughter.) "Holy has the prisoner behaved sinoe the murder ?" "He always seemel very glum and sorry for It." Croce -examined ; "Did not the Pr1e- oner once occupy the bedroom of Mr. Constant, and give it up to hitt+, so that Mr. Constant telght have the two roomo on the same floor?" "Yes, but he didn't pay as mush." "And, while occupying the front bedroom, did not the prisoner once lose hie key and have atother trade'!" "He did; ile wall very careless." "Do you know' what the prisoner and Mr. Constant spoke about on the night of December ani?" "No ; I couldn't hens." "Then Itow did you know they were quarrelling'.'" "They were tnikin' so loud.' Bir Charles Brown -Harland, Q. C. (sharply) : "But I'm talking loudly to You now. Should you say I was guar• relllag P" It takes two to make a quarrel." (Laughter.) "Was prisoner the fort of man who, In your opinion, would commit a mur- der ?" No, T never should ha' guessed tt teas Idm." 'He always struck you as a thorough gentleman?" "No, my lutl. 1 knew Ife was only a comp.' "leu say tie prisoner lee seemed drpremed since the murder. Might not that hare been due to the disappear• ance of hie sweetheart 1" "No, he'd more likely le glad to get rld of peer." . v Then he wouldn't be ,�alous If Mr, Constant took her off his hands?' (deneatlon.) "Men are dog-In•the-•ma "Never mind about men, Ws, Drab dacha Had the prime' towed to le - dent no- ted. official yielded as soon as he understood the situation It seems inconceivable that he did ttbt vlulate some red -tape r_- gulation in so doing. To some this self-eurreteler was 1snp'.d prom: of in- nocenee; to others it was the damniag token of despairing guilt. The morning papers were pleasant reediatg for Grodman, who chuckled es continuously over leis morning egg as it he he'd laid it. Jana was nlaru- el for the sanity of her saturnine master. A. her husband would have said, Grodfnaa'a grins were not Beau- tiful. But he made rno effort to sup- pregs them. Not only had Wimp p r- ppeetrated a grotesque blunder, but the jounaalista to a man were down on iia great sensation tabliau, though their denunctutfona did not appear .n the dramatic columns. The Liberal paper* sale that he het endangered Mr. Gladstone's lite; the Conserva- tive that be had unloosed the raging (itemises of Bow blackgu•trdlem, .11111 sset to motion forces which might have tasty swelled to a riot, tavolllng sev- ere destruct:on of property. But "Tom Motlake," was, after all, the thought swamp:.ng every other. It war, hn n Sense, a triumph for the man. 'But Wimp'e turn came when M,ert- lake, who reserved hie defence, wee brolgbt up before a magistrate, and be force of the new evidence fully committed for to at on the charge of murderialg .Arthur Constant. Then men'a thoughts centred again on the Mystery, end the solution of the in- explicable problem agitated matdtind from China to Peru. in Oho middle of February, the great trial befell. 1t was another of the op- portund.tiies which the Chancellor of that Exche uer neglects. So stirring a drama might have easily cleared its expenees—deepile the length of the east, the salaries of the stare, ane the rent of the hoose—in mere ad- vance booking. For it was a drama which (by the rights of Magna Cbarte) could not be repented; n drama which ladles of fashion would have given' their earring], to wit- ness, even with 1110 central figure not n woman. And there was a woman in It nephew-, to )n,1,n' bi the lift., that umtl transpired at the magisterial examination and the fact that the reentry was placarded wlth bills of- fering a reward for Information ebn- (ernin; a Miss Jessie Dymond. Mort- lake wan defended by Sir Charles Brown•Harland, Q. C., retailed nt the expense of the Mortlake Defence Fund (subscriptions' to whiclh comic also from Australia and tie Cont(• neat)/ artd set on ills mettle by the ears for Mile' Dymond 4" "It warn' _ "Hs didn't seem to think of her, prisoner pro • my lad, When 1te sot a letter In her rdnu rho o4Ml Imndwritleg asrong ills heap Ile aper eatersly 1 used to throw 11 arida till led torn 0tan the others" Be•ownelarlund, Q C, (with a tri- umphant ring In 1111 voles)—!'hank you, etre. hrabdump. You muuy sit down. lepigot, Q• C.—One moment, Mtte. Dratxlump. You ray the prieonor had teemed to mare for Mise Dymond. lflgltt not this have been in coneenteenue et h1e sutmeetiug for swim time tltnt site hail relations with Mr. Cuuetata? The Judge—That is not a fair ques- tion. Nplgtpt, Q. C„—That wit tkt, thank yet, Mre. Igrabdump. BBrown-Harland, Q. (.—No ; one ques- ton more, Mrs. Ikabdump. (ltd you ever see anything—say when idler Dy- mond come to your ItomMe—to make you nuepec,t anything betwe n Mr. temente fed the prtso00r's ewel'b' heart 1 !Silo did' meet Idm °nese whim Mr. Mortlake was out." (Senttation.) "Where did rhe meet hint'" "In the paeretge. Ile was going out whet' elle knocked, and hue opened the door." (Amuscm tut.) "Yon didn't (tear whet they said?" "I ain't n eavetdropper. They spate friendly and went away together" Mr. George tirodman watt r•.tlied, and repeated his evidence at tout inquest. Crd'N-exemdnel, his testifitri to the warm friendship between Mr. Con- retant and the premier. 1ie knew very little about Mier Dymond, having learcely seen leer. Prisoner had never sleeken, to him 'Mach about her. He i llould not think oho was mach in prleetwee tltotughtr. Naturally, the prisoner hila been ttaproese l by glut death of his friend. Bsslt e , ho eau overworked. Wttneltg thoaght htghb' of Atortlake'e chercwter. It was Incred- ible that Constant Imd tial' Imeeoper relations of any kind with hie friend's prondsed wife. Grodman's evtdenee nude n very favorable inhprevelon on the jury ; the prta°tter looked hie grat- itude; and the proaquutlon felt sorry It. had been negeveary to call tile wit - nrme. Ingpector Howlett and Sergeant Runnynmede luta alto to repent their evidence. Io,. noblt+sot, pwlice-aur- geon, likewise ro-teeuleeed its evidence lav to the nature of the wound, a.ud the epproxlmate lour of dente. nut tide timer he was much more wave telt' examined. lie would not bled himself down to state the time wltldn an (tour dr two. He thought llfc( Imd been ex- tinct two or three Notre when he, ar- rIved, ro that the deist lied b"491 eonr- mitted between eeveu and eight. l'nder gentle pro-snn'1 front tit,• or4("'11ina eo reel, hendncI'te•I that it mieht bov- •ibl,v have been betwe n sir and when, (i'o"o-exntuin,•l, h.'• reit,.rat�• 1 liiti Im- presslon bt favor of the b+ter hour. ,Hiipplo It,) to rs et 6l''0 0 from madi- etal expert:: prutrv.l to Meetly tend tot• certe!e ne if tie court Itad oonfhtel Itrelt to the origbnal witness. It eeem- od to be generally ngrrel that the data for deteratlning the time of deatlf of anybody were too complex said variable to adanit of very precise Inference; r!gor mtrtts and otter symptoms setting it within very wide limtte and differing largely fn dit'- ferent pentons. All atzreee that death from 'tech a cat must have bcen practh'atlly tnstantaneoue, and the theory of eutebo was reJ cued by all. Aa a whole, the medical evidence tended to fix the time of death, with a ht tt degree of probability, be twaeat the home of six aal halt -poet eight. The efforts of the prosecution were bona upirn throwing back tie time of deaf 1 to ria early ae peayi. bre after about half -past five. The de. femx spent all its etretgth upon pet. *410,1 the experts to tide coneluelon that deatlf could tldt bare been earlier titan seven. Evidently the prrxrecutlon Wast gointg to figeht ban! for the h,v• pxrthests that Mortlake had commit• ted the crime In the Interval be- tween the Itret entd mmonul trains for Liverpool ; wh`le the tie:enoe was tvotocetttrattng itself on an alibi. show. lavg that the twit -em it had traveled lu the eeeoud trait, which left Eteston Station at a quarter prat eetmt, so that there could have be'eu no pot• able tine+ for the passage between Bow and Euston. It wtw an q,Icititg et.mggto. AN yet the c reme t' - :memed equelly matched. The e had gone na much for ao &gal prlsouer, But everybody knew worm, lay behind. "Call tdwitrd Wimp." The story Edward Wlmp )tad to hell begttrt tamely enough with thr.oe- threahed•out facts, But at last the new facts clime. "1t consequence of eueplctoi- that hed formed to your mita you took up your quarters, 0ly;uioed, in the late lir. Constant's rceutte 7" "I 41151 ; at the twuumctceruent of the year. My euspiclate leu! gradually gathered age nst the eccupties of No. 1L Glover street, rad I resolved to quash or coniirnt these sueplcioty nee for nil" Wilt you tell the Jury what fol- lowed ?" Whenever the prisoner was away for the nit;ht 1 (marched hie room. I found the key of Mr. Con shrift's bed- room burled deeply' In the aide of prke ier'e leather Nota. 1 found what 1 Imat;une to be the letter Ife received tun December 3rtd, I n the pages of a Bradshaw'// lying • under the store ams. Thee were two razors about." Mr, Spigot, Q. C., said : "Ton key has already been identified by Mre. Drubdump. Tho letter 1 mew propo e t) read " It was undated, anti rap as follows: Dear Tont,—Tit's Se to bid you fare- well. It Is It t for 0a a11. 1 am going . 1011•: way, Uttlrest. Do not seek to find tar, for It will be useless. Think of me a.e one swallowed up by the wa• ter,+, notd txe matured that It le oaIy to eeare you ehamne and humiliation !n the future that I tear myself from you and all the sweetness of: life. Darling, there is no other way., I feel you could never marry me now. !(have halt It for menthe. Dear Tom, you will undat'ritand, what I metan. We muse look facts in the faoe. 1 hope you will always be friends with Mr. Constant. Good -byte dear. God blase you ! May yon always be happy, and fined ea wor- thier wife than 1. 1'grhaps wl$fl yell ars great, and rich, and tnmeuv, ae you deserve, you will sometimes think not unkindly of one who, however faulty and unworthy of you, will at leaet love you till the end. Yours till deatlf, JelueIA, By the time thle letter was finished numerous+ old gentlemen, with tvlge or without, were observed to be pottering their glaeeeo. Mr. Wimp's examination wait resumed. "After making these discoveries what did you do 7" "I made lnquirlgs about likhei Dy- mondt and found Mr. ('orotat(t ,head vlaltei her Mice or twine, In the even, lag. I Imagined throe would be some traces of, a peounlary connection. I was allowed by the family to Inspect Mr. Constant's ehequo•book, and found I{le expreselona "1 ,I1:hke had been a paid cldpque made out for 125 do strong and bitter. The prosecution the name n lihte Dymond. By lnqulry also produced a poster nnnouncinng at the bank, I fond it had been that the prieone'r would preside at a cashed on Nov. 12th of Inst year. I then npplied f,r :1 warrant agaLaax the prisoner." Cross-examined ; ''Do you suggest that the prisoner opened Air. ('on- etant'e bedroom with tlto key you found 7" Certainly " Brown -Harland, Q. C, (eareneticnlly) —And pocked the door from wltldn with it 00 leaving ? "Certainly," "W111 yon have the goodneaa 10 ex- pheln how the Islet wale done 7" ed tutted beat kicked from the nett[e when they foetid the key inside. The key would, ote tide theory, be on the floor, er the) outside locking could not bav'o been effected If it Marl been in the lock. TJza first persona to eater the room would n at- urnlly believe it had been tU e town In the telemeug of the door r It might have been lefty sticking very loo,'ely tneide the dock so as not i Interfere) with the tert4ng of tate tate aide key, In which ease It would etlao prohuthly have been thrown 114 , the ground." 'Indeed. Very legentau. And can you alto explain how the prl0* r (meld have bolted the door within from the outsldgj' "I can. (Renewed sensaton.) Tbwq lid only onn way in whleh lb was page etble—and that was, of i puree, a mere' conjurer's illolon. To vase a looked door to appear bolted leo, It would only be neneseary for the person on the Inti° of the door to wrest eke etnple eontayning the bolt from the wociwork. The bolt to Mr. Cott• etant's betisoom worked perpendtou• tarty, When the staple was torn oft, It would elmply remain at rest on the pin of the bolt, Instead of sap• porting It or keeping it fixed, A person bureting open the door end fleeing the staple rooting on the pin and torn n.way from the lintel Of the door, would, of course, imagloe he had torn it away, never dream - Ing the wresting off had beets done beforehand." (Applause la onsrt, which wail Instantly checked b the ushers.) The counsel for the dSsoet telt ie had) bean entrapped 1n at- tentpting to hed "eremitic with the redoubtable detective. Grodman seenmel green with envy. It was the ate thing lee had not thought of, Mre. Drabdunup, Drodman, Iuopeo- tor Howlett, and Sergeant Runny- mede were recalled end re-examtned by the embarrassed Slr Charles Brown -Harland as to the exsot oumdition of the look and the bolt aid the position of the key. It turn- ed out ar Wimp had suggested; re preporeesaed were the witness,' with the conviction that the door was locked and bolted from the tuelde when, it was burst open that they were a Itttle hney about the exact detalle. The damage hail been repaired, too that It was all a ques- tion of precle° part observation. Tete inspector aund the eerg(eant testified tliat the key wan In til° lock when they saw' It. though Is,th the tnor- tle❑ and the to tt were broken, They were mot ',ripen'', to may that wimp'. theory was Impossible: they wod,1 e'en admit It tuns quits par °til° that the staple o1 the bolt had beim torn off beforehand, KM. Drabduuip could give no olear se' count of such petty tach to view of her imuediate engrossing Inter- est In the horrible sight of tie corpse. Grtahame nlone was poel- tine that the key was Ln the dope when Ile buret It open. No, (e did rot remember picking It up from the floor and putting It in. And he w•tw certain that the staple of the bolt was not broker:, from the re- eirtanee he experienced In trying to shtake the upper pane!" of the door. By the l'rueecutbn — Don't you think, from the comparative ease with which 111 door yielded to yonn onslaught, that it Is highly probable that the plat of Ne belt was not lu a firmly (Ixed etuple, but Ln one alreuty detached from the woad• work of the lintel?" " The door did not yield s0 easily." " Itut you must be a Hercules," " Not quite; tl?e bolt wan old and the woodlwork euumbling; the look was new and shoddy. Dut 1 have always been m strong man." " Very well, Mr. Grormun. I hoppss you will never appear at the muslu• Ilttlle," (Laughter.) Jessie Bytaond'e landlady was the next settuses for the prosecution, Nilo corroborated Wimp's state. menus nr to ' Constant's noes• tlbuul' vlette, and narrated how the girl haci been enlisted by the dead titlauthropiat as a collaborator in come of hue enterprises. But the moat telling portion of her evidence Was lite story of how, late at night, rift Det. 3rd, the prieouer called upon her and enquire:I wildly about the where• nhoue( 0f ills sweetheart. He scald bo had Juet received it mysterloue letter from Mien Dymond, eaylug rite eras gone. See (the Inudlady),replied that nue could have told him that weeks ago, as ler ungrateful lodger was gone now some three weeks without lowing a hint behind her. In answer to hie most ungeutlentauly raging and roving, rho told hen 11 rerveit bim right, ae due should leave looked atter her better, and not kept away so lotg. See remhtdetf ]dm that there were ae good fish (t4{ the sea as elbr came out, and a giritlt Jesste'e attract Cats need not puna *ray (as she had seemed to ton pining away) fur lack of appreciation. He then called her:a t d left i e elle o v bur ut I r, and h pod ne er to see lie tats again, though elle We.e not ft rprieed to ret It in the (leek. Mr. Fitej Imes Montgomery, a bank clerk, remembered eashing thechegub produced, He parteulariy remenlber- ed it, because he paid tete money to a very pretty girl. S'ee took the entire amount In gold. .Lt this polut the case war ndjourneI. Denzil Cantoreot was the first trit- nese canoe for the proeeeut!on un the reetmpt'.ot of the trial. I'rosaed ae to whether he had told Mr. Wimp that le had overheard the prisoner denounce tug Mr. Constant, lie could not ray. Ile Imd not netunily heard the prison• er'a denunclatloue; he .mlgbt have given Mr. R'imp a false impression, but thea Mr. Wimp was so prosaically literal. ;Li welter,' Mr. Crowd had told itim something of the kind, Crow• examined, he nal:l Jaesie Dymond Was a rare spirit and she always reminded hon d Joan of Are. Mr. Crawl, being called. Was et- tremely agitated. He refused to'tako the oath, and informed lite courtthat the Bible was a fad, He could not swear by anythingg so sett-eontradie• tory. He would affirm. He could not deny—though he looked like wlahing to —that the prisoner had at first betas rattler mistrustful of Mr. Constant, buut he tune i'ertatn that the feeling Imd quickly worn of. Yea, he was it great friend of the prisoner, tent 1e didn't see why that should invalidate lir testimony, e�(ally as he imd not taken an oath. Certainly thy, prisoner seemed rather depressed when he enw him on Bank Holiday, but it wns overwork on behalf of the people and for the demolition of tie fids. Sneered other tam'ilnrs of th•e prison- er gave more or Veen reluctant teeti- Irony an to hila sometime prejudice a abut the amateur revel latorleader. great recti a m( clerks don Drr. 4th. Ile lad not Lurned up at this meet• tag nor eent any expolanatton. Finally, there wag the evidence of tide detectives who originally arrested him at Liver- pool do•ka In view of bis suspleloue demeanor. This completed.thse ease for the prosecution, (To be Contktued.) (t more prot ins have been Med alpi nst the election of member( of the Madtobe Legislature, three 1ty esti MST.