The Argosy — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

The Mystery of Allan Grale. 253 an open verdict could be returned. Suspicion might lie more or less on Edgar Vivian, but there was no evidence, as yet, brought forward against him. ‘They carried in the following verdict : “We find that the deceased is Allan Grale ; and that he met his death by violence at the hands of some person or persons un- known.” “That will do, gentlemen,” said the coroner, briskly. “If any more evidence should turn up, as perhaps it may, further proceedings can then be taken.” The court broke up, and the audience poured out of the close room into the summer sunshine. Mr. Grale hurried off to Moorland House, accompanied by a strange gentleman who had been present and was understood to be his lawyer, and by Dr. Palmer. But one curious incident came out at the inquest, which has not been yet told. In the right-hand trouser pocket of the dead man, amidst the two or three shillings lying there, was found the spade guinea lost by General Vivian. This was an extraordinary thing, quite unexplainable. Had the guinea fallen accidentally from the General’s watch chain on the road, and had Allan Grale picked it up? If so, why did he not restore it to the family ? Had he forgotten to do so, and been murdered before he remembered it ? “T never thought it was so bad as this,” cried the poor stricken- down father as he entered his house with the lawyer and Dr. Palmer, and they shut themselves into a room together. ‘ What has he done, my poor boy, that he should be barbarously murdered ?” It was a question that could not be answered. Another question, lying in abeyance and doubt, was with what instrument had the fatal injury been inflicted? A little conversation had taken place upon this point in the inquest room ; and it was now especially exercising the mind of Dr. Palmer. He was asking himself whether it could have been the watch- maker's hammer. - The probability was, he thought, that the small parcel which Allan had carried out with him on that afternoon, intending to take it to Charles Carr, must have contained that mysterious hammer. Had the unfortunate young man had it still in his possession in the evening, and had it been used against him? He mentioned this to Mr. Grale. The lawyer said something about further investigation into the crime, and a trial, but he was interrupted by Mr. Grale. ‘TI don’t want a trial,” cried the fierce old man, with flashing eyes. “Let the man escape. But let him understand that we know he is a murderer. That can be done in a thousand ways against which he will not dare to contend.” “T think the people to-day made him conscious of their feeling on the matter,” observed the lawyer, who had completely adopted the GOMMIGINOOKSH