The Land Claim — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

THE OTHER SHOT. 33 had excitement enough for one day; and what's the use of spoiling his sleep, since he can sleep?” “J heard a great deal about Newcome’s daughter, in the village. Is she such a wonderful girl as the people make her out ?” . “Tf you mean is she very intelligent and pretty for her station and parentage, yes. And very gentle and affectionate too, I should say. I wonder where she learned her ladylike ways.” 7 at's what the Fairview people talk about. The Judge’s wife is very much taken with her, and is sorry she let the constable’s wife carry her off.” “She has fallen into good hands, I think; but the poor girl was terribly broken down by her misfortunes. I hap- pened to see her in the morning before we met her father, and she was as rosy and smiling as a young thing could be. But, after the mental struggle she had to go through with, and a couple of fainting-fits, she was very much changed.” “ Her father must be a cruel and cowardly wretch, accord- ing to all accounts. Do you suppose there can be any doubt f its being he who shot the Doctor? I heard one man sug- t that there was room for doubt in the case, notwithstand- ing the strong testimony against him.” “Well, of course, every thing admits of doubt which is not proven; but I don’t know what stronger cireumstantial evidence could be brought to convict a man. Why, Doc hadn’t an enemy in the whole world that I ever heard of He was so generous with men, and so gentle with women, that I often envied him his power to attract everybody to him. This is the onlygtrouble of any sort I ever knew him to get into—this fatal claim-quarrel.” “Yes, ail that makes it seem S0 much worse, that he was killed by malice—if killed by malice he was. But suppose, as that man said, the other shot might have killed him, and killed him accidentally ?” “In that case do you suppose any man would be so base” as to conceal the circumstances, and let another man bear the accusation of willful murder? It is not probable, in the least ; and if nothing better than such a supposition comes to aid him, Newcome will surely be convicted.” CommiclooOoksSaconn