That Mainwaring Affair

five years of age, with an honest face, but one indicative of a fiery temper. Her testimony was brief, but given wi

I had too much to do that day to be loitering round in the halls, leaning on a broom-handle, and li

of have any bearing on what has si

Mainwaring was making; and as how them that got little was angry that they

nts gain any knowl

y, sir, except as I knows

two and three, she was aroused by a sound like the closing of an outside door, but on going to on

oachman at that ti

at the house and jabbering to himself like an idiot, and I was minded to

ectly sober,

y thinking, he's that daft that he's no

iven?" asked the coroner, when she had told of

as soon as ever I hea

the library

ervants, sir. I met Mr. W

meet any

She didn't see me; but she was telling him to get ready quick to go s

d, with the other servants, to the scene of the murder, and in his imperfect English, accompanied by e

, except that Sarah Whitely, Miss Carleton's maid, stated, in addition, that she had seen Mr. Walter LaGrange leave his mother's room in great has

he was still active, and the shrewd old face showed both humor and pathos as he proceeded with his story. He had been a slave in his younger days, and still designated his late employer by the old term "

been employed at Fair Oaks f

ese y'er grounds; an' mars'r Mainwaring, he t'oug

grounds as usual Wed

was a pow'ful lot to do a-gittin' ready for de bi

of the strangers w

me heah in de mawnin'. De Inglish gentlemens, dey had been a-walkin' in de grounds and jes' done gone roun' de corner oh de house to go to mars'r Mainwaring's liberry, when dis man he comes up de av'nue in a kerridge, an' de fust ting I heah 'im a-cussin' de driver. Den he gets out and looks roun' kind o' quick, jes' like de possum in de kohn, as ef he was 'fraid somebody done see

the man, Uncle Mose?

r Mainwaring an' de folks had gone out ridin', an' I was roun' kind o' permiscuous like, an' I see anoder kerridge way down de av'nue by de front gate, an' I waited, 'spectin' mayb

l like the first man?

ase he had on cull'ed glasses. Mebbe his eyes was pow'ful weak, er mebbe he didn't want nobody to see 'em; but I 'spicioned dem glasses d'rectly, sah, an' I watched 'im. He goes down to de kerr

?" interrupte

l, sah, I didn' see no moah ob 'im den; but dat ebenin' I'd ben a-workin' roun' de house, sprinklin' de grass and

Uncle Mose?" the co

"my mem'ry is a little derelictious on dat

the same two men you had

ll, sah, I t'inks it a berry cur'is sarcumstance, an' I was jes' comm' to de preclushun dat I'd mention it to some ob de fambly, when de fust man, he come to de dooh wid de housekeeper. I was in de shadder and dey didn' see me, but I heah 'im say, kind o' soft like, 'Remember, my deah lady, dis is a biz'ness contract; I does my part, an' I 'spects my pay.' An' she says, 'Oh, yes, yoh s

Mr. Mainwaring's deat

, he done to

ated that you told hi

dere was to be such big doings dat day, an' I was gwine to de tool-house foh sump'

an Walter

an was gwine dat ahly, an' he say mars'r Mainwaring ben killed, an'

ow when he

ong, an' den he went away agin an

ad been dismissed the

st heard of Mr. Mainwaring's death from th

s'pose I got mixed. I remember talking wi

interview with Walter

ade no

ou not men

in insolent tones; "you said n

ence having any bearing on the situation. You m

usual, and Mr. LaGrange came in in a big hurry and ordered me to saddle his horse as

time wa

past seven,

state hi

, s

id he r

he stables about half an hour after, and then '

ers seen on the place that day. He had returned about half-past ten that evening, and remembered seeing Mr. Mainwaring and his guests seated on the veranda, but he had gone directly to his room without meeting any one. Th

ly object in com

nted me to do an

e the nature o

ly to deli

wh

while his mother frowned, the first sign of emot

deliver t

s,

ers, you went to the city on y

es,

sful in finding

e witness answ

in the city aside from m

mother's visible signs of displeasure, W

ngrily. "It's no affair of mine anyway; I had nothing to do with it, nor I won't be mixed up in it;

the witness answered sullenly and

side as the senior member of a well-known firm of jewellers stepped forward; the same g

elieve you are able to furnish some testim

p, musical tones, "I think possibly I can render

gnize the young gentleman who

ir of eyeglasses and gazing steadily at Walte

uainted with the late Hu

imately acquai

the Mainwaring jewels which are n

uncomfortable and his

fe keeping during their owner's absence from home; and I have also

ow please state when, and under what cir

d the report of the murder of Hugh Mainwaring, which I had heard but a short time before, although then I knew nothing of the robbery. Naturally, my suspicions were awakened. I questioned the young man closely, however, and he stated that his home was at Fair Oaks, and that his mother was a distant relative of Mr. Mainwaring's; that the jewels were hers, and she wished to dispose of them for ready cash to meet an emergency. His story was so plausible that I thought possibly my suspicions had been somewhat hasty and premature. Still, I declined to purchase the jewels; and

t, producing a package from an inne

"Here they are, and here is a copy of the list of which I spoke. By comparing these gems with t

t's silence, broken by subdued exclamations of admiration

s no doubt that these are a part of the collection. I see you hav

ied out, you would see that, with the exception of a few very small pieces, these

nge was ne

eference to the testimony just

Mr. Whitney are in ignorance, and thus have spared you the infinite pains you have taken to make public the straits to which I was reduced, because of my position here, when

manner in which you claim to have been treated would bestow upon he

they were the poorest which he possessed. Besides, there were times when I could persuade

rced to raise by the sale of the

wa

contract with him, made a few hours

in which Hugh Mainwaring had defrauded others, I engaged Mr. Hobson as my attorney, as he, better than any one else, knew the facts in the case. When I learned yesterday morning of my husband's death, I real

ure for you your right

entirely to his

the appearance of M

a witness to our contract. I knew that he was present, but he

t, then, was

wa

eding day, laying particular stress upon the alleged interview between Hugh Mainwa

he relations existing between Mr. Mainwarin

xcept that I believe Mr. Mainwaring accorded me more than usual consideration, and I, while duly

y unpleasant words

what

ew with Mr. Mainwaring

irel

o the effect that your voice was heard and recognized in an

it is false, and w

he statement of the witnes

s something concerning which I have no knowledge whatever; but I do deny that she heard my voice,

e at which you we

erview with Mr. Mainwaring coul

ime did yo

re of the lapse of time, until I was aroused by what I thought was a stealthy step outside. I then became conscious, for the first time, that I was very weary, both physically and mentally, and I also discover

veal any discrepancy in his st

ce. Mr. Thornton testified to his incidental meeting with Hobson and to the reputation

s, though it is not expected they will be able to furnis

eleven o'clock when she reached her room, but added that she did not retire immediately, as her cousin, Miss Thornton, had come in, and they had chatted toget

as this?" inqui

e, as it was twenty-five minutes after twelve when my cousin

r not he left his room w

as novel to me, I extinguished the light in my room and sat down by the open window to enjoy it. I heard Mr. Scott stepping quietly about his room for a few moments; then all was still. I sat for some time admiring the scenery, until I w

general opinion had turned somewhat in favor of the young secretary, b

nifested when the coroner nodded to Mr. Whitney, who, in turn, beckoned to some one in the hall. In response the butl

on," announce

man, advancing with a cringing ga

preliminaries, "I understand you were somewh

mphasis on the word used by Dr. Westlake. "Indeed, I might say, without exaggeration, that I

last see Mr.

speak with him for ful

ded with, him, howe

s showed n

England. I have neither heard from him nor

m, regardless of whether

or three weeks. I have occas

ng see you at any

he did not r

lled at Fair Oaks, Wednesday

id n

man who accompanied you when you

er, and rather good looking, on the whole. But I am not good on details, such as complexion

was hi

but I have no idea as to his real name. He is a very eccentric character

k and in your em

mploy, he transacts certain business for me, but he does i

s he at

no ide

at night, or did he remain wi

om whence he came to see me, when he went away, or in what direction he went. He was in h

on dark glass

at the hotel, and for a few moments in this hous

any you from the h

met here by p

pect to see you

e; "but I have no idea when that will be. He has other commissions to execute; he is in t

money from Mr. Mainwaring by threatening to disclose facts

ainwaring, before leaving England, had voluntarily bound himself to pay me a certain sum upon the condition that I would not reveal certain transactions of considerably more than questionable character. I kept my part of the contract, but he failed in his. I wrote him, therefore, t

ever married?" the co

generally considered

ver any priv

lady herself, sir; that should be sufficient. I cannot reveal a

s jury retired to the room in the rear of the library. Very few left the house, for all felt that lit

statements he did make had an iota of truth in it. By the way, Mr. Scott, it's a very fortunate thing that you've got the proofs you have. It would be a risky pi

convince Ralph Mainw

e would hold on to his opi

e would grasp any money

hitney was engaged in conve

t place, there was no motive, there could be none; then, again, I believe he is altoget

, I'm heartily glad if there is nothing

so far as this matter is concerned; I don't say yet that he is or isn't; but I do say that to defame a man's character afte

ves about that," laughed Mr. Thornton. "He probably sowed his wild oats with the r

ner's jury filed into the room. There was instant silence, and a moment later the verdict had been announced. It was

to his death by the discharge of a revolver in t