Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 810 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

deed was done, and by putting the body on the rail he invited early discovery and his own ar- ** That’s all so,” the young man admitted, ‘** It puzzles me,” ; ‘*Isn’t ‘t just possible that he may be innocent, and that some ons else did the deed?” **T only wish it could be proven so, Mr. Wes- ton, but it looks to me like an impossible task, Everybody is against him, you see.” ** That is nothing. Ifany proof of his inno- cence could be showr, everybody would be as strongly for him, except perhaps his personal enemies, if he has any such,” ** Well, perbajs you are right.” ‘Tove you ever heard what the trouble was L. tween him and his father?” *N>, no? ing further than that Rob and hig step-mother could not get on well, and the old man had ‘t in for him on that account.” “ But, atthe timeof Rob's going away they are s°'d to bave bad a cuarrel.” * The same old sore, [ guess, mo; { do nots know of it,” They telked on, Willy drawing out all ho could get, in @ careful way, and in due time they came to the Jceno of the crime, Hera, as “illy had prophesied, was a zood crowd, half the mon cad boys of the village be- ing corgrega*od ‘ere, it a peared, all searching eagerly around ~-d all talking wisely. ‘Do you want to be seen?” asked Greanwood, as they peeped through the busbes, ‘* No, itisn’t worth while,” Billy answered. “(ve got alll could learn here, so we may as well walk back,” They turned, and as they did so Billy’s eye caught a bib of cloth on ono ef the bushes, If anything Greenwood, too, seemed to see it at the same in- stant, for he reached forth and took it, ‘* Hello!” he exclaimed, ‘here is something. It is a bit of a woman’s dress, and— By Harry! I recognize the stuff; it is like She dress Cariotta Gilburt wore when | saw her yesterday. What do you make of this, Mr. Weston? What ought we to do with it? I suppose [ll have t turn ‘6 over to the coroner, much as I[ hate to do that.” CHAPTER XII. THE INQUEST AND THE VERDIOT. ‘THE inquest was begun promptly at balf-past nine. An intelligent jury had ‘beon got together by the town constable, and they assembled in one of the great pariors of the manor-house, The room was well filied with the town’s good citizens, and the prisoner having been brought from the jail occupied a prominent seat, He was still in his tramp’s attire, He had washed and combed, however, and was by long odds the finest-looking man in the com- pany. He had dark curly hair, a graceful mus- tache, keen dark eyes and even teeth of purest white, He looked anything but a murderer, yet he was jiooked upon as such, ; The coroner began the business of the bour promptly at the time set, and the first witness called was Peter Goodluck. ** Mr. Goodluck,” the coroner asked, ‘do you recognize this prisoner as the man you Saw pass- ing your station late yesterday afternoon, in full disguise as a tramp?” ‘** I do not,” was the firm and prompt answer, ‘6 You do not?” és No, sir.’ ** But, last night at the time of the arrest you showed by your actions plainly enough that you did recognize bim,” ‘*T tell you now that I do not recognize bim, The tramp | saw bad busby hair and beard, for one thing, which this prisoner has not, sir.” It was plain that Daddy Goodluck meant to favor the prisoner if possible, ** Well, do you recognize this wig and beard as the one he had on?” holding up to view the disguise Robert bad worn, **T can’t say that [ do; the tramp did not stop and I only saw him as he passed,” ‘‘ Did that man carry a staff?” “+ Yes,” ‘‘ Ts this the one he carried?” “That is impossible for me to say; it looks like it.” ‘*Prisoner, you will please put on this dis- guise, take the staff, and stand up,” the coroner ordered. Robert Rohnwald complied, ‘* Now, Mr, Goodluck, is this the tramp you saw yesterday?” ‘*T can’t swear that it is, sir,” ‘* Does he Jook like the tramp you saw?” ** Yes,” very reluctantly, “That is what the gentlemen of the jury want to know. Now, sir, how long after the tramp Broadway Billy’s Wipe-Out, —— passed was it that Miss Carlotta Gilburt came to the station?” Broadway Billy gave a start of surprise, and the young lady and ber mother looked at each other in something of alurm., How had the coroner come by this knowledge of Miss Gilburt’s movements? Billy quickly reasoned it out. however. Dolph Greenwood had turned over to the coroner the bit of cloth be had found, and no doubt the coroner bad made inquiry and found some one who had seen the girt at the station. ‘* How do you know she was there?” asked the old agent, embarrassed. ‘That does not matter, long as I do know it,” the coroner rejoined, ‘‘ Please answer the question.” The poor old man looked at the young lady and then at the prisoner, belpiessly, and said: ‘‘It might have been twenty minutes aiter; I don’t know.” *“'W hat was her manner? be excited,” ** She had come close to bein’ run over, an’ she was pale and excited like, naturally.” ‘*Of course, Did she tell you which way she had come?” With another helpless look at the young lady and the prisoner the old man gave his answer. ‘‘ She said vche had come up through the glen,” That was all, and Dolph Greenwood was the next witness called to the stand. Needless to vive his testimony, question and answer, since it is already known to the reader, sum and substarce, The next one called was Carlotta Gilburt, She advanced pale and trembling, and took the witness chair, ‘* Miss Gilburt,” said the coroner, ‘‘ here is a iece of goods like the dress you wore yesterday. t was found ona bush near the trout pools where Gustay Rohnwald was murdered. Can you tell the jury bow it came there?” ‘Tt must have caught as 1 was passing along that way,” was the firm answer, though the girl was pale to the lips. ‘* But, it was inthe bushes, a'step away from the path,” said the coroner, ‘It may have blown there, sir.” ‘Wo; it was caught faston the very thorn that tore it from yourdress, Why had you stepped aside into the bushes?” ‘* | decline to answer that.” ** Did you see Gustav at that time?” ac Yes,” ** Did you see Robert?” **T decline to answer,” ** Did you overhear any high words?” ‘*T decline to answer,” ‘* Very well, ycur refussals only tell against the prisoner, Miss Gilburt,” He dismissed her, well knowing he could draw nothioy further from her, and called the most important witness of all, the prisoner himself, * Robert Rohnwald,” be asked, ‘‘ why did you come here in this outlandish disguise?” ‘*So that 1 might not be recognized, Mr, Par- kerburg,” was the firm answer, ‘‘I wanted to know bow matters stood here, andif I found them so thatit were better for me to goaway again and never return, I intended doing that, and no one would know that 1 bad been here,” ** What do you mean when ycu say you want- ed to learn how matters stood here?” ‘* Well, I had heard that my father was dead, and 1 wanted. to know how the property had been left, for one thing; but, and more impor- tant than that, to me, I wanted to learn wether Miss Gilburt had married my half-brother, or Was engaged to him. If I found either to be the case, then [ would go away for good and all and they would never know I had been near them,” ‘Why did you choose tocome as a tramp? Was there no otber ani more respectable dis- guise you could have assumed?” “1 thought by coming in this manner that no person could ever guess Who I was, knowing that I was not actor enough vocarry out the de- ception any other way, But, it ssems it wasa most unfortunate choice,” ‘** Did Gustay recognize you when you came along where he was fishing?” ‘*T stood and watched him at his sport for some moments, and when he made a catch my enthusiasm got the better of me and I applauded him, We exchanged some remarks, and be re- cognized my voice,” * What bappened then?” ‘When I was sure that he recognized me, I admitted my identity, and told him tbe object of my coming, and proposed that he be the one to give me the information I was seeking. I went down to where he stood, presently, and there we talked, He wasin an evil mood, and Did she appear to Dale 7 Pee 11 pretty soon he insulted me and I threatened hiny with my stick unless he took back his words, He took them back and offered an apology for them, and in a few minutes we parted, I going off into the wood, where I intended spending thee night.” ‘* And you mean to tell us you did not see hin» after that?” ‘*T did not gee him after that, sir; { left him there alive and well. And, another thing, [ took my staff with me, and bad it with me when Lt lay down in the wood tosleep, It seems it was found at the scene of the crime, I have nm knowledge how it came there,” The coroner looked at his jury. ‘‘ This is strange, very strange,” he remarked. ** How do you account for it, sir?’ **T don’t account for it,” was thereply. ‘* Al} I know is that I have told you the truth, and that I am innocent of the crime.” ‘* But, Robert, we bave examined, as you know, the tracks leading from the pool to the railroad bank, and they exactly fit- the boots. you wear, The inference is that the tracks are. yours,” ‘‘ They were not mino, sir.” ‘‘ How can you prove they were not made by” vou?” ‘*T do not know; Ido know that I am inno- cent of the terrible murder for which [ have been arrested.” ‘* But, all the circumstances are againat you, and it must be for the jury to decide in the mat- ter. If you are innocent, we only hope you cam establish it,” Some other witnesses were then called, and then it came Dr, Graves’s turn to testify. ‘‘Have you examined carefully the body of the dexc mau?” asked the coroner, ‘*T have, sir,” the answer, ** What do you find?” ‘That death was caused by a blow upon the head, and it is certain the man had been dead for some time when he was run over by the cars, That closed the corvner’s inquiries, and he proceeded to charge the jury according to the evidence they had heard, “Gentlemen of the jury,” said he, “it now remains for you to decide in the matter before us, You have heard the evidence jest given in your hearing. There does not seem to be much question as to the manner in which Gustav Rohnwald came to bis death, That is only too evident, It couldn’t be any more plainer, seems to me. He was murdered, and then his body was put on the railroad track to be run over by the cars. The question is, did Robert Rohnwald do the deed? He came here yesterday afternoon in disguise as a tramp.= He was heard having words with Gustav. The prisoner admits that he threatened him, This was no doubt what Miss Gilburt overheard, that. made her excited when she reached the station, Did that quarrel endin a murder? Think well of the evidence before you decide, ‘‘ Was there any motive for such a crime om the part of the prisoner? Let ussee, He'and Gustav had never been friends, Gustav had just come into all the property, and was in a fair way to win this lady whom they both loved, With Gustav removed, Robert would have everything hisown way. Did he do the deed? If so, why did he put the body on the track and so invite discovery? And, why did he remain so near at hand, and so invite arrest? Does it not look more reasonable that he would get: away from the scene of the crime as soon as possible, so as to prove he was not here at all at the time? These things are for you to consider in makivg up your verdick. We will now all retire and leave you to deliberate over the mat- ter, and when you are ready you can send for e. All left the room, then, save the jury; but they were not long in making up their minds and the coroner was recalled, and the verdict they gave was, that Gustav Rohnwald bad come to bis death atthe hands of some person, per- haps Robert Robuwald, who sbould be held for further examination, CHAPTER XIIL BILLY’S TEAM TAKE HOLD, AFTER the inquest was over, Broadway Billy remained for a little tine at the house, talking with Mrs, Rohnwald and her daughter, When he went from there it was to go to the jail, where he was promptly udmitted to the cell where the prisoner was confined. His name and profession were the ** Open Sesame.” ‘Mr, Roh»uwald,” he said in tone that so none else might hear, “I have come for a little talk with you regarding this matter with which you. comicboo : ; —! . ’ \ : Ss. a ' ae \ Ne Pil com :