The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 61: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

58 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. “‘T objection, sir? None in the least.” Jem followed the magistrate into the room he had certainly been foolish to obtrude into overnight. The first object almost that met the eyes of Mr. Ormonde upon walking in, was, lying close to the foot of the bed. a long knife covered with blood. Mr. Ormonde turned to Jem, and showed it to him silently. The hostler looked at it, as any innocent man would at such an object, with a shudder. ‘* What do you say to that?” was the question of Mr. Or- monde, in a voice of calmness. ‘* What can I say ?” ** But how came it here ?” *‘As God hears me, sir, I cannot tell you. It appears as if within the last five minutes circumstances were accumulating to fix the guilt of this dreadful murder upon me. I can only say that Heaven knows [am as innocent as you are of it, sir. May God's vengeance for crime and impiety both strike me dead upon this spot, if I did the deed, or had any knowledge of its oing. There wasa bold sincerity about the manner of Jem, which staggered all who heard bim. Suddenly then Mr. Spurgin, the constable, cried out, as he held something in his hand,— “ Here’s a ring.” — Let me see it,” said Toggs, faintly. ‘‘Do you know it?” cried Mr. Ormonde, ‘* Yes, yes.” “‘'Whose was it ?” ‘‘The murdered traveler’s. Oh, Jem, Jem! Who'd have thought of this? I’d have trusted my life with you a dozen times over, if my pockets had had the waley o’ the national debt in “em.” ‘‘And so you might,” said Jem. ‘‘God only knows how these things came here, I am innocent.” Mr. Ormonde shook his head. ‘* I grieve very much,” he said, ‘that I cannot consistently with my duty, do otherwise than give you into custody.” ‘Were I you, sir,” said Jem, and he turned very pale as he spoke; ‘‘and were you me, I should do as you are now doing. Iam innocent, sir. God help me, for God knows I am innocent, and that i5 all I can say.” ‘“*Remember, no one asks you now to say anything, but all you do say will be sworn to by those who now hear you.” ‘* An innocent man need be afraid of nothing. I am willing to answer any question. J cannot invent a lie about how that knife came here, but on my soul I never had it in my band. I am willing now to lay my hand upon the heart of him who is cold and dead in the adjoining chamber but one, and call down pon my head Heaven’s most exemplary vengeance, if I raised and against him.” As he spoke, he rushed past Spurgin, who, in the vain effort he made to catch him, fell flat on his face. ‘This may be a plan of escape,” cried Mr, Ormonde, and he u & comicbooks. com