Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1899 — AUNT HANNAH'S SECRET. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AUNT HANNAH'S SECRET.

By H. E. Scott

CHAPTER lll.—(Continued.) Quickly turning from the desk, Robert placed a hand on the shoulder of Uncle Duke, who knelt moaning at his old master's side. ; “Uncle Duke," he said, “you know where Detective Sellars lives on Princes street. Surely you do not believe me guilty of your master’s murder. Can you take Mr. Sellars this note? The assassin of your master must be brought to justice. Are you strong enough?” “Yes, yes. Mars Robert! God bless you, I can’t live long; but 1 can’t die till the murderer of ole master stands on the gallows, and Mars Lang is the man to bring him there.” The old man arose to his feet and hastened out the rear door of the hall as the front door opened. Hurried footsteps were heard, and Herman Craven, bareheaded and in his shirt sleeves, as when he bad left the house, rushed into the library, followed by Silas Cobb, the sheriff qf the connty, and two of his deputies, Lanning and Spears. Dr. Norcum and Coroner Field followed them, and behind came several of the neighbors, who bad been roused. “He has not fled!” cried Herman. “There, sheriff, there stands the murderer of my uncle, caught red-handed in the act!” A heart-rending moan burst from the breast of the banker’s daughter. “There is some mystery here,” she cried. “Though Robert was stauding over my father’s lifeless form with the bloody weapon in his hand that bereft him of life, when my cousin and I entered this room, yet do I feel assured that he is not guilty of my father’s murder. Oh, God! My own dear father murdered! It seems incredible, yet there lie his remains,” and poor Hattie burst into a fresh paroxysm of grief. Mrs. Merwin and Miss Steel, neighbors, accompanied by two other ladies, here entered the room, and the weeping girl was borne from the library. Dr. Norcum had advanced and was examining the body of the murdered man. “Spears, let no man leave the house,” said the sheriff. “I declare," he added, “this affair is terrible, and to think that you, Robert Campbell, should be charged with the murder.” “The charge of Herman Craven is utterly false, and he knows it to be so,” said Robert. “Surely, you, Sheriff Cobb, who have known me all my life, can scarce believe me guilty of the murder of the father of the young lady who will become my wife.” “Your wife!” exclaimed Herman. “The wife of her father’s murderer? Never! And believe me, neither bad my uncle lived, would bis daughter hare become your wife—that is, with his consflht; but ” Here the tall form of Lang Seliars, the great Southern detective, stood in the doorway. Like a flash his keen eye took in, not only every person, but every object that the room contained ere his deep voice broke upon the stillness that pervaded it. “Not since the murder at Mulberry,” he observed, “has there been as atrocious a crime committed in the old North State; nor did I believe that a scoundrel, with the malignity of Ward Lennox, yet cursed the commonwealth with his presence. I was clearly mistaken.” “Great work was that of yours on that case, Mr. Sellars,” said the doctor. “Gods! You rescued Herbert Russell, even from the gallows trap; and even then Ward cheated the gallows." “To dash his brains out at the abutment of Hilton bridge," said Sellars, "and sink beneath the turbid waters of the Cape Fear. But this is a bolder deed. A sailor’s knife—the blade thrust home to the victim’s heart. Have you taken any steps Sheriff Cobb?”

“I was aroused and summoned here by the murdered man’s nephew, who denounced Robert Campbell as the murderer. He assures me that he caught him red-handed in the act; but may I ask what brings you here, Lang Sellars?” _ “If Robert Campbell Is the murderer of our old friend here, then I am summoned by his murderer. In the Mulberry case, it was the murderer of Dr. Taylor who engaged my services to ferret out the criminal, and in the end I brought the crime home to his own door.” “I think there can be no doubt as to his guilt,” said Herman. “It conld have been no other than Robert Campbell,” and here Herman, uninterrupted by Robert, made a statement of the facts, as already related, in so far as his entrance into the room was concerned, aud as to what met his horrified gaze as he crossed the threshold. “You state that you entered the house at ten o’clock,” said the detective; “that you/ound your uncle in this room, and left him seated at his desk when you retired?” “Exactly, Mr. Sellars.” “Were those windows, opening on the lawn on the east side of the house, raised at that time, as they are now?” “They were, Mr. Sellars, to admit the air.” “One moment, gentlemen,” said Lang, as he stepped to the door. “Galban!” The black face of a powerfully built, hut deformed and curiously constructed negro appeared. "Look for footprints under the windows on the east side of the house,” said Sellars. “You have your dark lantern?” “Yes, Mars Lang,” aud the negro was ‘ ou retiwd it o'clock?" into Hiy slippers npil dfltihcd from my

“You believed his life was being assailed r “Far from it. I supposed one of his Scute attacks of rheumatism had seized \m.V “When you retired you left no one below with your uncle?” “No one. I think the servants, even, had retired." “Your uncle was expecting no one?” “Certainly not. He stated that he should soon retire." “Herman Craven,” said Robert, looking him full in the eyes, “did not your uncle inform you that he was expecting roe here after ten o’clock, and that I would bring with me money with which to take up a note of ten thousand dollars?” “He did not,” said Herman. “He informed me that he did, when he admitted me to the house. Did you not hear my summons at the door?” “Your summons? You made no summons.” “Did you not hear the door bell not five minutes before you descended the stairs?” “The door bell has not been sounded tonight.” “Mars Lang, I—l ” The voice was Hannah’s, but she halted as suddenly as she had commenced, and stood, an ashy pallor on her countenance, quaking as with fear. AJI eyes were at once fixed an the trembling negress. But one person in the room had caught the quick meaning glance that Herman Craven had cast in her direction, and noted that that glance had sealed the lips of the negress. “What were you about to say, Hannah?” "Nothing, Mars Lang, nothing,” and Hannah went weeping from the room. Robert Campbell now told of his call at the bank that afternoon, and related the subsequent events, as he had to Hattie. “Twelve thousand five hundred dollars is a considerable sum,” said Lang, “and this money—this bag of coin ?” "There is no evidence that he had a bag of coin in his possession,” said the sheriff. “Certainly not,” said Long; “but It is evident that this note was this day paid. If you are familiar with Alvin Deßosette’s signature, you will recognize it, here. You can establish the fact that you left the express office a few minutes before you entered this house, as you state, Robert?” “Certainly.”

“Mr. De Reset to, then, to-night had consented to the marriage of his daughter and yourself?" “He had, Mr. Sellars, and expressed much satisfaction at the prospect of our union.” “I know that statement to be false!” cried Herman, “for this very day at the bank my uncle said to me: ‘Herman, 1 am getting to be an old man. My fondest wish is that I may lire to see you and my loved daughter united.’ You may judge, gentlemen, if a few hours later he would have consented to his daughter's marriage with the wretch who has murdered him.” “Liar! Craven by name and nature, you know you lie!" cried Robert, and but for the strong arm of SeUars he would have felled him to the floor. “Perhaps,” said Herman, shrinking back, “you will deny'that Hattie fainted after we had entered this room, and I had denounced you as the murderer of my uncle. You would have slain me also, had I not hastened from the house with the cry of murder.” “You yourself best know the falsity of your charge,” replied Robert. “I only

pray that the perpetrator of this bloody deed may be brought to answer for his crime on the gallows, and I have an abiding faith in Mr. Sellart’ ability to solve this mysterious murder.” “Aud I,” said the doctor. “This bag of coin you state that you placed- ” “On the desk, before Mr. Deßoßette, when I left him to attend the door, Mr. Sellars.” “Well?" “When I returned to the room I found the banker gasping his last and the bag of coin gone.” “What evidence have you,” asked the sheriff, “that you had a bag of coin?" “Yes! Yes!” exclaimed Herman. “What evidence have you of that fact?” * “None," said Robert, “save my word and this cancelled note. As I have stated, there is evidence that I left the express office with a bag of coiu.” By directions of the coroner, the body of the banker had been borne to his chamber and laid on the bed. “The inquest will be held at ten o'clock to-morrow,” he said. “Until which time I shall hold Robert Campbell in custody,” said the sheriff. “I approve of your course," observed the detective. “Circumstances would indicate that he is the murderer.” “You, Mr. Sellars? You believe me guilty?” exclaimed Robert, for the first time alarmed. “I know a murder has been committed,” said Sellars. “If your statement is true, a robbery also. You are in the custody of the sheriff.”

“At leant I can give bond for my appearance to-morrow?" said Robert. “There is no bond admissible in this case, young man," observed the sheriff. “Come, you must accompany me. You roust forego your trip to Baltimore." “I had abaandoncd the idea of making it,” said Robert. "You can scarce believe me so heartless as to leave my affianced’s side in her affliction.” “You will be at no great distanoe’from Miss Deßosette while you are in my custody,” the sheriff said, as he linked arms with his prisoner. ' . ' * Robert cast one glanee at the detective; but in his stern face he read no hope, and moaning: *‘lfy love! my Hattie! My poor old mother and my sister,” with bowed head 1# accompanied the sheriff from the Sellars followed at the outer

"You round none, Lanning?” “I was not quite sure, sheriff; Yen see, there has been no rain recently, and it was hard to determine. I thought I would examine at daylight.” “It is useless,” said Sellars; “there are none there.” “Robert! Robert!” The cry came, from the white Ups of Hattie, who had descended the stairs. “Yes, darling; be brave, and have faith in the one who loves you, for until the inquest shall have been held, I am a prisoner in the hands of the sheriff. I am deemed the murderer of your dear father.” “It is false!” moaned Hattie, as she twined her arms about his neck. “God bless you, dear Hattie. Mr. Sellars——” The detective took her half-unconscious from his arms, and, with the words: “Do not wait for me, Sheriff Cobb; there are other links to this chain. We yet know, but that a murder has been committed; presumably yon have the criminal in custody. Calban, remain where you are. Ring the door bell if any one save Dr. Norcum and those who entered the house since you have been here pass out,” conveyed her Into the house and closed the door. As he turned from it with his senseless burden the agitated form of Hannah, the negress, confronted him. * ? “Mars Lang, I ” “Not a word, Hannah, not a word,” said SeUars, quickly, “not to a living soul. Do not leave the house. Never be alone. I know your secret. Silence, and wait!” (To be continued.)