Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ognized it as the coat worn by Arthur Gren- ville, and, from Beal, I learned that a terrible tragedy had taken place. ‘“He was off shore fishing in his small boat, and at sunset saw a horseman ride out upon the cliff, and he recognized Arthur Grenville, who seemed to be gazing seaward, as though in search of a sail. ‘‘A moment, he said, that Arthur remained there, and then he saw him fall from his horse, and the report of a rifle reached his ears. ‘‘ He was so surprised at what he beheld that he remained motionless, and then by the light of the rising moon, he saw a tall form run out upon the cliff, from the pine thicket, and bend over the body of Arthur Grenville. ‘‘A moment he remained thus, and then he arose, bearing the body in his arms, and hurled it from the cliff into the sea. ‘‘ For awhile he stood after the deed, and then walked rapidly bac kto the pine thicket, and Beal —_ beheld him dash away upon a white orse ‘“‘Then the fisherman remained inactive no longer, and hastily rowed shoreward, and searched for the y, but without success, and going upon the cliff he found the coat, hat and oots of Arthur Grenville, for such I recognized them to be. ‘‘From this description of the murderer, ‘a very tall man, riding a white horse,” I felt that it must be Lance Grenville, for you know I had on Ves, pentaentadl ickly realized es, your forebodings were quickly realized. What did you then do, Rosal?” There was a strange calmness in the manner and tone of the woman, and Rosal Abercrombie doubted if she had loved Arthur Grenville as well as he had believed, or his brother at all. ‘“‘T felt it my duty to cause the arrest of Lance Grenville, and I sought the sheriff, while Beal went after several of the planters, and we met at the residence of the Grenvilles, and, to add to our suspicions, learned that Lance just left home for an indefinite period, going by the mar- ket lugger to New Orleans. OW hile several of the party remained at the mansion, to acquaint the poor mother with the sad tidings, we dashed down to the pier, and captured the murderer, but not until he had knocked the sheriff down, and roughly handled me. ‘‘Poor Mrs. Grenville! How terrible must have been her sorrow!” . “Her sorrows were soon at an end; she died from the shock, as you know she had heart-dis- se. Helen Brainard started, and her form trem- bled violently, for she had dearly loved the no- ay old lady to whose son she been betroth- ed. After a long silence, which Rosal Abercrombie would not interrupt, Helen asked: ‘‘ And Launcelot Grenville is in prison now?” ** Yes, he is in the e jail, doubly ironed.” ‘‘ When will he be tried?” “*Tn two weeks.”’ ‘There isno proof that Lance Grenville is the murderer.” ‘““-Yes, he was seen by Beal, and—” ‘*‘ How far off was Beal?” “Well, say two hundred yards from the shore.” ‘‘ Did he say that it was Lance Grenville did the deed?” ‘““‘What a Yankee you are for questions Helen! He said it was a very large man, an that he rode away ona white horse, after throw- ing the body into the sea.” e body was never found, was it?” “No: it drifted out with the tide, and the a for miles, has been searched in vain for t ‘‘The description of the murderer answers to Lance Grenville, certainly; stillit may not have been, and a court will ask many questions before he is condemned on that evidence.” ‘““You need offer no excuse for the man you love, Helen, for—” 4 Silence, sir! I tell pon that better evidence must be found to hang ce Grenville, and Ro- sal Abercrombie, you must find it!” ‘* Great God!” The man was on his feet inaninstant; but the maiden was perfectly serene, a strange smile upon nena a stranger look in her eyes. “In s name what do you mean, Helen Brainard?” ‘“‘ Just what I say, sir; you must find evidence that will hang Lance Grenville for the murder of his brother Arthur.” ‘‘T thought you loved Lance Grenville!” gasp- ed the man, inquirin gly: ti “T thought so, too; it was a fascination, an in- fatuation. “ And Arthur Grenville?” “Was may Sem, last and only love.” The maiden spoke with painful earnestness, and looked the man before her squarely in the face. “You have just found this out?” ‘Yes, when he is dead, and his brother is his murderer.” And you wish now to have Lance Gren- ilie—” “ Aung !” 7a me eee re ewe fee ee a LC LL ry — ct Merle, The Mutineer. bloodless; the man was fairly frighten ‘** Rosal Abercrombie, I hate Lance Grenville as fervently as I loved his brother, and I am re- vengeful, and he must die, and you must supply the evidence necessary to condemn him.” **T know not how.” ‘‘T will show you. Go into that arbor, look behind the door, and then tell me what you dis- cover.” The man quietly obeyed, and returning, said in a whisper: ** It is Lance Grenville’s rifle.” ‘‘ Yes; he left it here one week ago to-day— can it not be made use of?” sé How ”” “* See if it is loaded.” ‘Tt is not,” said Rosal, after an examination. “Tt was fired last a week ago, then cannot an expert tell by examination if a firearm has just been discharged, or—” ‘Yes, I understand; tell me vow plan,” said the man, an evil look creeping into his eyes. ‘‘ Tf you found the rifle near the White Cliffs —hidden in the fine straw, and—” ‘‘Helen Brainard, you are a very devil for lotting! This evidence will be sufficient to "75 him,” “ t may, and it may not; there must be more. ‘*How and when can I get it?” ‘*See the prosecuting attorney, and tell him that, in my pret, I said to you that my testi- mouy would hang Lance Grenville, if I gave ‘* Your testimony?” ‘Yes; one week ago Lance Grenville stood where you do now, and said to me that which I will make known before a court, if I am called as a witness.” *‘ You shall be there; against Lance is fearful.” ‘*T hate as I love—with my whole soul; now take the rifle and go.” ‘‘And my reward#—for I do this for you alone, Helen.” “The day that Lance Grenville is sentenced to be hung, I will pledge myself to become your wife, upon any day after one year from Arthur Grenville’s death that you will name.” ‘‘By Heaven! do you mean it?” and a look of triumph shot into the eyes of the man. ‘‘T do, and with me you will get back this, your old home, and the bones of your ancestors, which you sold to my father.” The sneer in the words caused Rosal Aber- crombie to turn deadly pale; but he said, as calmly as he could: ‘* You will love me then, Helen?” ‘‘No; thatis not in my compact with you—I loved Arthur Grenville living, and I love his memory now; I will hate you, but I will be vet Bough [ t with I nough; [ am content with my com ‘ will indeed be envied, for the world wat oat see that my bride is in the image of an angel, and not behold that she has the heart of a devil.” ‘“True, but you will know me as I am—as I know you, Rosal Abercrombie, Good-evening sir,” and the revenge-crazed woman swept haughtily from the arbor, while Rosal Aber- crombie took up the tell-tale rifle, muttering to oleae beauty, I will be ged ‘* Ay, my beauty, i reven on you, too, for casting me aside for Arthur Grenville. Yes, I will gain my beautiful wife, and her masewsyp dower, and once again have back the ome of my forefathers. ‘‘ Ha! ha! ha! Helen Brainard, two can play at the game of revenge, as you shall know. CHAPTER X. GUILTY! THE morning, upon which the trial of Lance Grenville, for the murder of his brother, com- menced, broke bright and balmy, and the little village in which was the court-house and jail, was crowded overwhelmingly, as early as sun- At the appointed hour, the prisoner and his counsel came into the court-house, the judge took his —_ jury of twelve men was im- panneled, and the trial began, The fisherman, Henry Beal, was the first call- ed, and he told his story in a straight way, as it is already known to the reader, and never swerved from it, when under the cross-examin- ation of the defendant’s lawyers. Then came = Wc cota cere and deeply pain ave i — friend, Lanes Grenville; but he was forced to peer out, and tell how he had met Beal, the herman, and had gy secag' Lance Grenville of being the murderer, from the fact that it was a large man who did the deed, and was mount- ed upon a white horse; also, he said, he had dis- covered that the prisoner loved the lady to whom his brother was engaged. Then he told how he had visited the scene of the murder a week after, and the sunlight shin- ing on a bright ng ee had caught his eye, and, ushing aside the fine straw, he bad found the but your revenge e as death, his ise Lance Grenville. The prisoner's face here flushed, but he made ' rifle that all knew as belonging to’ mm eo The eyes fairly blazed now, and the ag were | no other sign that he heard the testimony t him; he was calm to indifference, and his face wore the same somber look that it always had resting upon it, except when in con- versation. The rifle was exhibited in court, and many recognized it as the weapon of the prisoner. Several other witnesses were then brought for- ward, who testified to the flight of Lance Gren- ville the night of the murder, and his resistance to the sheriff, and his attack on Rosal Aber- crombie, for the acts of the prisoner on that oc- casion, were now, under the charge inst him, interpreted as an attempt to beat off his captors. Then the last witness came to the stand—a woman. It was Helen Brainard, leaning on the arm of her father. She was in deep mourning, and when she threw back her vail, her face was as white as marble, and all pitied her. In a slow tone, yet fearfully distinct in utter- ance, she answered the questions put to her by the attorneys: ‘* ‘You knew the prisoner well?’ ** I did.” ‘Were you betrothed to his brother, Arthur Grenville?’ sé I was.” - 4. the prisoner ever tell you that he loved you?” ** He did.” ** When?’ ‘* The day of the murder.” ‘‘Did he make any threats against his bro- ther?” ‘* He did not.” ‘I have been told that in your grief you made | use of this expression: __“*Lance Grenville is guilty, for he asked me if his brother were dead would I become his wife.’ Did you say this?” ‘“*T fear I did, in my great grief at what had occurred.” ‘Did he ask you ‘if his brother were dead would you become his wife?” sé Yes. ” The answer came faintly, yet was heard by all. Still Lance Grenville made no sign that he heard; his stern face hid every emotion he felt, for he mourned a brother, whom it was said his hand had slain; he mourned for his poor dead mother; had lost forever the woman of his love, and the gallows loomed up baldly before him. It was a terrible strain upon him—yet he showed no sign that he suffered. The attorneys defending the prisoner seemed now to lose hope; but they struggled for his life nobly, and the case was given over to the jury. Without leaving their seats they returned the verdict: ** Guilty!” Still no change in that marble face, until the words of the judge in bis sentence—‘*‘ hung by the neck until dead—dead—dead!” Then a flush, as though of shame, crossed brow and cheeks, and the doomed man was led away—led back to his lonely cell to await his death upon the gallows. Slowly the days dragged their weary length along to the condemned man; but he had no hope in life, and he longed that the end might come; in the grave he would find rest, and then, some day in the far future, it would be found that he had been falsely accused; that he was not the Cain-accursed man a jury of his peers had pronounced him. At length the day of execution rolled around, and between pity, morbid curiosity and idle- ness, hundreds were present to behold the sick- ening spectacle of a man hung like a dog by the neck, by his Christian fellow-men—to see blood washed away with more blood; to behold a legal murder, called eg pe and winked at by society and the chure ? whose prayers waft the silent criminal into “eternal joy beyond the grave. God in Heaven! where is the difference, ee Nhs ig iy kill a fellow-being by gling with a rope, quietly, calmly, cruelly condemn him to die, or one «AB in the frenzy of passion, for hate, or for wrongs done him, or even for gold and gain, kills another? I ask where is the difference—which the greater sin? The question is punishment! With blanched face, but fearless mien and steady tread, Launcelot Grenville ascended the gallows to meet his doom, gazed upon by the gaping crowd. aving back the minister who approached him, as t ong it were mockery to hold prayer there, and for him, a Cain-accursed man, he motioned to the sheriff that he was ready, and calmly faced his silent and attentive audience. The fatal noose was adjusted by the willing sheriff, who had not forgotten that blow in the face, given him the night of the arrest, and the words of doom were nearly spoken, when the clatter of hoofs was heard, and a horseman dashed up like the wind, the crowd moving right and left to let him pass, eager for news, eager for still greater excitement, and wonder ing; some were hoping. <€om open to all lovers of capital IOO S (E (E() ge