Hand and Ring

ing Coin

icking of

wicked thi

cb

d in the door-way of the court-house discussing in a friendly way the eccentricities of criminals as developed in the case then before the court.

t is only when a student, a doctor, a lawyer, determines to put aside from his path the secret stumbling-block to his desires or his ambition tha

th pack on his back, was just emerging from a grassy lane that

often escape the penalty of their crimes,” he added, watching, with a curious glance, the lowering brow and furtive l

een up to mischief,”

h was passed upon the last tramp who paid hi

. The regular burglar leads a dog’s life of it; and when you come to the murderer, how few escape suspicion if

etective work going on here,” remarked

are so clumsy — that is the word, clumsy. T

htly hump-backed man, who, from the looks of those about, was evidently a stranger in the place, shuf

confused, if not ultimately baffled. Look at that house yonder,” the stranger pursued, pointing to a plain dwelling on the opposite corner. “While we have been standing here, several persons of one kind or another, and among them a pretty rough-looking tramp, have gone into the side gate and so around to the kitchen door and back. I don’t know who lives there, but say it is a solitary old woman above keeping help, and that an hour from now some one, not finding her in the house, searches through the garden and comes upon her lying dead behind the wood-pile, struck down by her own axe. On whom are you going to lay your hand

seen to go into the yard were not only reputable men, but were willing to te

d stranger had alr

o the young man before alluded to. “You are an expert in these matters, or ought to

re was situated between two alley-ways in Harlem. It had an entrance back and an entrance front. Both were in constant use. The man was found behind his counter, having evidently been hit on the head by a slung-shot while reaching for a box of hosiery. But though a succession of people were constantly passing by both doors, there was for that very reason no one to tell which of all the men who were observed to enter the shop, came out again with blood upon his conscience. Nor were

ho knows both,” affirmed

an him

od

uttered caused a silence, during w

ounced, withdrawing, with a s

s own he passed down the little street that opened opposite to where they stood, and entered the unpretending cotta

d uttered an exclamation and pointed to the cottage into which they had just seen Mr. Orcutt disappear. Immediately all eyes l

feared, both gentlemen crossed the way and hurried down the street toward their fri

ce. “A strange and startling coincidence. Mrs. Clemmens has been struck on th

h other in a maze of surprise and horror easily

it. He must be found at once. I don’t believe in coincidences.” And he beckoned to the person they had called Byrd, who with very pardonable curiosity was hurrying their way

Mr. Ferris turned, found Mr. Orcutt still at his side, and drew him forw

rcutt’s hat, which lay on the centre-table where he had laid it on entering. Neat, without being prim, the entire aspect of the place was one of comfort, ease, and modest luxury. For, though the Widow Clemmens lived alone and without help, s

Orcutt, pointing to the

ded, one hand grasping her watch, which she had loosened from her belt, the other stretched toward a stick of firewood, that, from the mar

with a gesture, as if he would put the frightful object out of his sight. “What motive coul

minute, and then to see it exemplified in this dreadful way the next, is an experience of no common order. I own

tood with severe, set face, looking down at the outstretched form which, f

hough she was so very deaf I often advised her to.” And he allowed his eyes to run over the wide stretch of low, uncultivated ground bef

with snake grass. A man could make his way, however, between the hillocks into those woods

latter — “nothing, I t

is time had sufficiently overcome his emotion to lift the head of

oth cried, bou

lowly laboring chest. “The villain, whoever he was, did not

h a blow as that must have destroyed her facul

be taken care of now,” cried Mr. Fe

r him,” signi

idow was carried into her room, which was on the same floor, and a brother practitioner sent for, who took his place at her head and waited for any sign of returning consciousness. The crowd, remanded to the yard, spent their time alternately in furtive questionings of each other

imepiece which occupied that corner of the room in which she had been found. “She had not even finished her task,” he next remarked, “for the clock is still ten minutes slow, while her watch is just right, as you will see by comparing it with your own. She was attacked from behind, and to all appearances unexpectedly. Had she turned, her forehead would have been struck, while, as all can see, it is the back of her head that has suffered, and that from a right-hand blow. Her deafness was undoubtedly the c

a thief that

e stick was taken from that pile laid ready on the hearth,” he went on. “Odd, significantly odd, that in all its essential details thi

an and the assailant,” sugg

what you have told me. But let us see what the

mur of the impatient crowd without, stood waiting in silent patience for an

at once w

the constable or succeed in laying

ad been brought from New York for purposes connected with the case then before

nt is on his track, and will report to you in an hour. The tramp whom you saw slinking out of this street

ther indifferent face. “And what makes you think it is the tramp who is the guilty one in this case

elf-control that was not without its effect upon the sensible man he was addressing. “If you will tell me how, where, and under what circumstances this poor murdered woman was found, perhaps I shall be better

which did the execution lies over there; it is a stick of firewood, as you see, and was caught up from that pile on the hearth. Now recall what that humpback said about choosing a thoroughfare for a murder (and th

ment coloring his cheek, “if you have reason to think this woman had been l

ng in the kitchen, where it had b

an who delivered this stroke. To lay that woman low at the foot of this clock would require the presence of the assail

d, in a breath, both his hearers, som

y the door. I notic

he testiness of an irritable man who sees hims

every moment of the time. It is but a step from the court-house here; he might well hav

not see fit t

stomer,” he remarked, in what wa

pile of loose change that was yet lyi

have been excited by any sudden anger, for the whole position of her body when found proves that she had not even turned to face the intruder, much les

ure, disclosed to view the pile of

nal experience that we were talking about this morning,” he remarked. “Perhaps the fellow was frightened and lost his head,

o was a quick man, and who, once settled in a

the irritating interruption, “I still think that the tramp, rather

o both gentlemen, he drew ba

covered from his mome

nt we have received this morning to a belief in clairvoyance.” And with less irony an

mon-sense undoubtedly agre