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f
^ *
THE
SWAMP OF DEATH:
OR,
THE BEN WELL MURDER.
i« >
s*i«Sii»»W«a«*--;..
■*,
^'-IM
,.'.;-.^ Ww.^ i:Mi;MvM.MWn,
itcunaaMiSSSK/T'i.^fi..
MM
^im^s..^
THE
h
OF DEATH
OR,
>.
THE BENWELL MURDER.
f V0nt0 :
BOSE PUBLU. ING COMPANY,
*lr
V,|il
'■•■1
7 ±(y01lCL
A?
*
Ottered according to Act of Parlia«„nt -/• n 3 ' " "
eigkt hundred and nLfy SyZS^T'''' '" ^f^y-^one thousand
^artmento/AgriZHur,^ ' ^°"' ^"^"^""'^ Company. «/ th.
one thousand
PANY, at t^
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Rex BiRCHALt anp His Fkiends ''*'"»•
CHAPTER II.
' My Father's Name was Benwell '
18
CHAPTER III.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
33
CHAPTER IV.
Walter Cufford's Difficulties
29
CHAPTER V.
BiRCHALL TO THE RescUE
30
CHAPTER Vr.
An Estrangembnt .
42
CHAPTER VII.
Walter Clifford's Temptation
■ 46
CHAPTER Till.
A Startling Messiob
49
CHAPTER IX.
Walter Repudiated by His Father
54
CHAPTER X.
Batter Cut the Countrv and E.Mm„.., ,. n.„,„,
*.. .
VI
CONTENTS,
CHAPTER Xr.
A Broken Enqaoement '*?!
•••••....#.., 01
CHAPTER XII.
SdUKKSItT AND BiBCHALI,
CHAPTER XIII.
An Unpleasant HombCojiing yi
CHAPTER XIV.
Mistaken Identity that Worked Both Ways 77
' CHAPTER XV.
Treadi.vo the Downward Path
PART II.
CHAPTER L
Vodno Benwell Encounters Miss Somerset 87
CHAPTER II.
A Joyful Shock that Killed
CHAPTER IIL
A Dawning Love.
CHAPTER IV.
Bright Meteors Flash Across a Canadian Sky... 96
CHAPTER V.
Back Aqain in London.
[At Ne
77
■ On th«
82
■ Back I
■ WoRKII
87
■The Fii
90
■Thi Bo
94
■The Ar]
96
1 In Priso
102
1 Found Q
CHAPTER VI.
Frederick Benwkll Entrusted with a Commission 106 | And Last
CHAPTER VI L
Preparations for Departure .,,,,, no
B
CONTENTS.
Til
, 61
71
82
90
• ••••';.<• tf 4
PART IIL
CHAPTER I.
fEx YoYAOM >A01
114
CHAPTER II.
[At Nbw Yohk and Buffalo..
CHAPTER III.
77 ^On thr Road to the Swamp of Death.
CHAPTER IV.
[Back From the Swamp of Death..
[Working out the Plot.
CHAPTER V.
-_ CHAPTER VI.
°i BThe Finding of the Body
CHAPTER VIL
[The Body Tdentif[ed by Bi j^li...
CHAPTER VI i I.
JThe Arrest and Committal for Trial .
W ■ In Pbison and on Trial
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
- 102 ■ PouHD Guilty and Condemned to Die
ON 105 ■ Akd Last.
CHAPTER XI.
fi
>«•«« •>.. 110
118
121
1
126
130
:.
\
i
136
1
140
154
183
137
HIS HONOR JUDGF MoMAHON.
"fe-
THE
SWAMP OF DEATH;
OR,
THE BENWELL MURDER.
CHAPTER T,
REX BIRCHALL AND HIS FRIENDS.
t isn t twelve o'clock yet and I've lost forty pounds I iit
lown again and have another try, for luck '
• Mo, Hex my boy. I for one can't, possibly. I said
Id play till eleven-thirty and then leave, /told you
ii^;^^''"''''' ^"^^^^ -^ ^^---y - «ta/on
The speaker, a tall, muscular young Encriishman wi^h
a drooping sandy mustache and close croVpeTreddil
brown hair aro3e from his seat beside a g?een-(i)ver^^^^
table, at which he and three others had been Xvmr
(cards, and stretching his long arms away above hfsS
•Sd rlfr^T' -\T^h «^- i^^dolenVmotl'
)hem on. ^""^ ^^''^ ^^^^^^rately put
Let the engagement go, Charteris,' said Philip Dudley
f ni k^ii' "^r' "" '\ ""'' =3tuuu, iOuKing reluctant to leave
till holding the pack of cards, shuffling them absentlyTn
10
THE SWAMP OF TftATE.
^>
H
i I
V
J.^
his long, slender, white hands. ' Those crushes at the
Arnolds' are horrible bores, and though Sir Godfrey made
a point of our going he'd never miss us. Sit down
again, Lucky, and give Rex a chance to retrieve his
losses.'
' No, thanks. T promised and I'm going. But don't
lot me interfere with you, Dudley. I'll let you off and
invent a good excuse for you— a cold or the measles, or
something equally fetching.'
, ' Phil, you are forgetting the fact that Miss Clifford is
at Cedarhurst,' said Hex Birchall, laughing up goodhumor-
edly into the face of Lucky Oharteris, who stood awk-
wardly looking down at his boots and reddening angrily.
' No blushes and no apologies required, old man. We all
know how 'tis. I'll make you suffer for to-night's win-
nings some other time.'
'Any time you choose.' said Charteris, trying not to
hurry his ordinary leisurely gait as he made for the door,
and yet anxious to escape any further reference to Miss
Clifford.
' Hold on,' said the fourth young man, who had not yet
spoken, 'I'm going with you, Charteris, I— I have to.
I've an en — engagement, too.'
This apparentl5^ innocent remark was greeted with a
roar of laughter from the others, and Algernon Davidson,
otherwise known as ' Crummy,' sank back in his chair in
a state of collapse.
' Oh, Crummy, you'll be the death of some one some
day, you're so funny,' said Rex Birchall, tilting back in
his chair till its hind legs cracked warningly. ' The idea
(f Crummy having an en — engagement 1'
A t this moment hurrying footsteps and rollicking voices
were heard in the outer room, and as Charteris opened
the door to depart two young men entered, both evidei\tly
in an advanced state of hilarity.
to Rex Birchall perhaps the most widely known man
REX BIEGIBU^ AND HIS FllIENDa H
i.incoin c-oilege. At Jerry's compan on Charteris took «
long hard look and then held out liis hand : ""'' "
are ^l^In^t!::^^ ^"1^^'° ^" ^"^ "'"'■ ^-^^
.f^t^^iTa^d'^.a^eT^^^^^^^^^^^
; Do you take me for a ca. But see here Cliffonl '
turning around he saw thai nu^,*. .?""" loi you. ihen
added ' Thof'o • uY r \ ^^'i^i tens was sti there and
' Come along, Clifford/ said Charteris kmr11.r oo •
L«?.^..^^«^-^ dye the lad's te'l^'^ .^S?
Don't
^ known man
you^stay an niirfou";^^; 61*^"!^^'"^" «»' *°' ^^
shouire;''STsat;:;rLt'off.'''"'''"^' ^'"^^'-S '''^ ''-'"i
1^; !.
i I
Kjj :'
■i
1!..
i
■i
12
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
• ' Didn't it let its nursey ^ake it home, a 'ittledear,' said
Dudley, sneeringly, >
' Look here, Phil, let up on it. I'll punch your head if
you torment the youngster,' said Biichall. 'It's bad
^enough for me to do it, but when you take a hand in its
abominable. You should have gone with Lucky, Cliff.
You aren't strong enough to stand this sort of thing and
O'ou're too* young. I hate to see a boy wading into deep
water before he learns to swim. Take my advice and cut
the whole lot of us. And especially give Rex Birchall a
wide berth.'
The speaker looked up into the flushed face of the boy
with a wihning, softened look in his large dark eyes thnt
were generally so alert and merry. He noted the waxen
look of the skin beneath the crimson, the swollen
veins of the narrow forehead, the putfiness below the
eyes, and the dullness of the eyes themselves, and a gen-
erous impulse to save the lad gave his voice the ring of
sincerity which it generally lacked.
' Drop the moral and let's play,' said Dudley, still rest-
lessly toying with the cards. ' Have a hand, Jerrv ? '
' I'm with you,' said Jerry. ' You'll play, Clifford ? '
' No he won't,' said Birchall. * He has no luck at loo.
Even Crummy can get away with him, and I'm going to
play for blood to-night. I have to raise a hundred some-
how by to-mon-ow and Charteris has cleaned me out.
Sit down and look on, young one, and I'll give you some
pointers.'
' Here Clifford,' said Davidson, rising hurriedly, * take
my place. I — I can't ^^lay any more. I — I've got a too —
toothache.'
' Sit down,' shouted Birchall, rising, and lifting up his
chair he poised it dangerously close to Crummy David-
son's well-oiled head. ' Sit down or you'll get hurt. Do
you think I'm going to be balked of my prey ? '
'I'll take his hand, Rex. I'd rather play/ said Clifford.
sliding into Davison's seat.
ittle dear,* said
REX BIRCHALT. AND IlfS FRIENDS.
•
13
Well, its no use trying to save you,' said Birchall,
Jaughmg orood-humovedly, and replacing his chair on the
floor ' What's the extent of your finaces ? Have you a
hundred to lose ? Ah, you have, hey ? ' as ClifTord drew
""".V . ,'f. ?w^^^ ^"^ exhibited a handful of notes and^
gold. Well, Crummy, order up something wet and we'll
drink to its successful transference irom your pocket to
f ^"®; P^d^e^' you've shuffled your luck to bkzes. Cut
lor deal, boys. Well done I Hand over the cirars
Crummy, and then get out like a good fellow. We want
no audience here. Tell Martin the Black and Tans are
in secret session and there's no admittance to-ni.rht D've
understand?' *' * ^%
Corks popped, glasses clinked, cigars were lighted, the
cards were dealt, a little desultory conversation went on
until Davidson had closed the door behind him with the
spring set, and then silence fell and the four men began
to play as though their live*? depended upon the taking
ot the tricks. ®
/ nd as they sat there, a strangely diverse group, a des-
cription of their outward appearance may help the reader
to guess at their inner characteristics
am'Sh^fouT"'' "" ''^ ^"^^ ""'"'''''^ "^^'^>ee
He had a massive projecting chin and a smooth retreat-
ing forehead, from wnich dark brown hair had already
fTL^ fl KK ' iT? was large but blunt, his cheeks
full and flabby and his little, bright, twinkling eyes
were aloiost lost m creases of raddy skin, they were so
cheL R'5rr ^-^f ^r'^'''^ ^'^^^ and "^^oundlng
cheeks. He had a wide, clean-cut mouth, with lins that
were not too full and the whitest, strong^sland eCnes
set of teeth in the three kingdoms evenest
A stranger having Jerry Donovan pointed out to him
f.^r„lil„r!LP^P"^- ,«^/our feVws,' would look
wm in disgrusted unta
-..%"
H
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
> i;
his hps wouW F.art and his white teeth shine out and his
rolhcking, Iauglun^r eyes would twinkle and beam upon
hira he would no longer wonder how it was that Jerry
held such an influen-c#tver his friends.
Next to Jerry sat Walter Clifford, a tall, slender lad
with narrow sloping shoulders, a high forehead with
hollows in the blue-veihed temples, a sharp, well-shaped
nose, dark grey eyes with an uneasy, haunted expression
and a thin lipped, sensitive mouth and weak, retreatin<^
• chin. His hair was brown and line, lying close to his
well shaped head, and his complexion was naturally pale
^nd clear though now incarnadined.
Theresas no appearance of the coming of mustache
or beard, and taken altogether— his scrupulously neat
dress, his white hands, his look of dissipation and
delicacy— a stranger would put him down as a refined
youth of about eighteen whom imWward circumstances
was driving to the devil and an early grave
Next to ClifTord sat Philip Dudley, the dark-eyed dar-
ling of Oxford society— a man so handsome that no-
where could he pass unnoticed. He had the inimitable
air ot melancholy, of romance, the Don Juan like look
which is so deeply interesting to impressionable minds
—that made women first admire, then study him then
desire to do him good and last of all that made'them
love him.
It was not only that he had the dark, creamy tintof skin
that painters give to idealized Italians, the dark hair
with its one wavy lock that would fall caressingly down
upon the sculptured whiteness of his brow, the full, red
lips that straightened or curved or contracted with every
passing thought, the oval turning of cheek and chin
the dark outline of silky mustache, that was not allowed
to droop and so hide the perfect beauty of the mouth-
no, all those were charms, but in the eyes lay his chief
power-^-dark, impenetrable eyes with golden iris and
vv-iiues whose '||lueish tint was tiecked with faintest
REX BIUCHALL AND HIS FRIENDS.
15
specks of yellow. The eyes were full and heavy-lidded,
with long, black curling lashes that veiled and softened
and added a mysterious beauty to the eyes they shaded.
Straight brows of ebon blackness almost met above the
bridge of his large, aristocratic npiB and made his direct,
unsmiling gaze sinister in no small degree.
He affected the Byronic as to collar, his neck being
always loosely girt ; and dark blue clothing with care-
lessly tied red scarf, was his normal attire. He smiled
but seldom, and when he did there seemed to lurk in it
the suspicion of a sneer. His expression was generally
dreamy, far-away, still, but his long, slender hands with
their well-kept nails, were ever restless, nervous, nevj^
free from motion. W
Reginald Birchall was the only one of the party who
seemed realFy happy. He smoked away industriously,
keeping his cigar alight even at the most exciting stages
of the game, threw down his cards with an air of un-
concern, slid his body away down in his chair till his
head rested on the back of it in a way to suggest
strangulation, but which he seemed to consider comfdr-
table. His coat was unbuttoned, displaying a drab '
velvet waistcoat of fanciful pattern, one leg was stretch-
ed out and curled around the lower bar of Dudley's
chair, and at every fresh deal of the cards his face would
display a whole set of new expressions, but not one of
them indicated ill-temper, chagrin or discouragement.
He was not a large man — being not above medium
height — was well-made, muscular, with well-shaped
hands and feet ; his complexion was dark with bright,
fresh Qoloring : a dark mustache shaded a mouth that
was ever smiling, lending the countenance its good-
humored, careless look. There was nothing remarkable
in his sharp, clear-cut features or his close-cropped head,
he was merely a good-looking, lively fellow with a pair
of fine, full, vivacious eyes — he was always alert, bright,
and above ail, jovial. He was too quick and reckless in
!'■
tti i^
■ I :
16
*HE SWAMP or DEATH.
Ills motions to be eracefiil l.i= ^™ii
awkw,.r<I, and hisl„an„„ „f 5 * "^ ^!^^ Peculiar, almost
refinement of t^ tV tha" m,l/r'"^,?"* "«' denote that
his upbringing. Hr'nUef see^d "'Z'T^'^'f '™"
approval, never sought onenlv Z „ i^ i'"™ *» ^'i
or favor, and vet hS haK^ for anybody's friendship
aided him to spend his Ln„ f f"*"*^" ^'"> '''^^'"d
his wild, m„,l pranks a Jr.JId^"'' ^"1^'"' '>™ i" *»
"ith a persistent rSritZtTP'"'?'^' '"«' ''^ '"^^
desperatidn. The fouf showed ?h ^''''•''! '"™ "'"o^' '"
teristic ways-Birchell loT.;? their interest in charac-
face wa.s dmwn dotn i?,,''! t^"^-- ?^"y Don^van•.s
gravity ; Dudley WbJows Zf r^^'t" °* '''^'''■■""^
in one straight line andZ „„ ^bove""" "<"»•"■« «ye«
ferocious; while Clifford'lmUd? °^ '"' '?°"* '""ke,!
fully frightened, his fe^ gSw 'wH ^ 'and r'''^"^
his dry lips trembled. haggard, and
DudLy had dealt the cards «n,^ b: i, n
■ng his hand when "uddenlvThmf u'"'" ^.^^^min-
came a low whistle, and layil down^l* "^'f'l^ *">«
sprang toward the tube and^^;,,? ^'' cards Birchall
bent down his ear and Mstened^"'"^*" '"^'"'""^ «"'■
wefer'gXf tte wa° '^ !t^'^' •*'"«" -y»
"s, as well af he can matluT'^' '"' "'^ P"""" "^ '^'-
thatS'o'etrroTtt'.L!;'' ''^^ loosened a hook
^Ji'i ?i^f!'J?^^„ ^^^n equally expedition. «nd h-d
^""J '^"^" uuc-or-door clothing. ' "'
.'Iv.
' peculiar, almost
i not denote that
m expected from
> strive to win
ody's friendship
Is who willingly
' with him in all
fling to help him
ds.
een fluctuating,
iirection and he
3d not at all on
^^Qly, and he lost
him almost to
erest in eharac-
erry Dont)van's
)n of ludicrous
bis sombre eyes
3 mouth looked
■s looked woe-
I haggard, and
II was examin-
speaking tube
cards Birchall
nswering call,
, ' Martin says
•olice are after
3sened a hook
id in a second
. cards, stakes
hile, with his
Irab dust coat
BEX BIRCHALL AND Uls CRIENDa 17
will have a chance to clear 7^7 r''" i"°\'^\>""'>^>^
be disturbed before that hami ':^„ ]i"l^T%i ^'\'°
pid, don't kick ovpr nil ihZt -. '*''^>^" ' There, stu-
I Clifford sttS atl tert^umed": ' ha'^"'^ "'rl^'"''
profrress towards the inner room ^^ '" '"' '"'^'>'
cat^'^tlri„rthe"^nr '''.™''. "'^ '■■-"•^^ -i*
apartment, ancl'croa „g to t "eT; e d tnTe "^^f '-P"'S
door of a laro-A niri Pi- 1 ""' ^"tered the open
the othe,: iXSld Mm" n?7''^"'^ ">'°"S'' ^h' ch
tened it with a catch PI iff ^ "'"''.'"g" aft^rhim fas-^
and trembC wa ust a^^ 1 • ^'iT"«, '™ ^^^ *" f««#
eneo„n.gi„g CriXtdtl^d S'lt' 1X1'"'! f"
protectingly ^ """" on tne iads shoulder
inttfeh^trt^dtt-^^/thir''"'''"''^''''^''™
door leading to a stp^n onT ^''^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ess to a
^ below that ?nded ln^:S ZirZT ^""'"' ""<* ^ ^^^'^^
•side lith Clifford ^ ^'"^" "■<> ^t^'^V side by
, then turning to ChSL"k'°'''' ""i""'''' 'aW Rex ;
one is outside watcS t us ZTh'^' ^T' <^''f' '^ ""-^
,attontion while you ake le" b.^? throe wdf engage their
|gait. Now boys ready i' ^ *"""" *' y"""- best
(ed^geThet:tita iwtt"'^' T'','^'' *'-' ''--h-
iCliffoTd hanging back " '^^"^ arohed-in lane,
[though XT sttT.r wenr'^'^' ™^ ""- '^ ^"^-P
voice said : °° ' "^^ overpowered, and a gruff
w„^?'°"Ll?^'-.''«l'. you are my „,;,„„,, , .
•n^mmmm
18
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
IIU,i I
CHAPTER II.
*MY father's name WAS BENWELL.'
The waning moon was shining down with subdued ra-
diance, a soft, chastened light like the memory of past
joys, and fell with tenderest touch, through the delicate
<^^acery of leaf and vine, upon the young couple who
^auntered along the paths of Sir Godfrey Arnold's garden.
The Uon. Brian Charteris, second son of the Ear) of
Ellisbrook, called Lucky by his fellows, seemed at this
moment to think he deserved the title, judging by the
look of intense satisfaction he concentrated upon his com-
panion.
And she was well worth looking at in her sweet younj^
loveliness, and the boundless love expressed in her glan-
ces at Brian ought certainly to have satisfied the most
rapacious of lovers.
' Briau,' she said, with a happy thrill in her voice,
'isn't this a lovely world ? and isn't this the sweetest okl ,
garden in it ? '
* Yes, when you are here,* he answered fondly.
V * Brim,' said she, with a delightful little gesture of
snuggling up closely to his side, ' is it not lovely to slip
away and be alone ? '
' It is simply adorable,' was his reply, his voice losing
something of its customary indifferent drawl, his eyes i
looking devotion into hers, and his hand closing over her '
little white hand that rested on his coat-sleeve.
' I thought you woiild never come,' she said, her tone
reproachful. 'I kept watching the door all the evening,
and haJI the time did not hear the pretty things that
were bMns* said to nie= And when I was danein*? I i50si«
lit 1.1 1
•my FATHEIl'S NAME WAS BKNWELL.'
19
tivcly rnshod when I was at the far end of the room for
fear I should miss tho first siyht of you wlien you en-
tered.'
• I'm awfully afraid Miss Emma Clifford is making fun
of her most humble servant,' said Charteris, pensfvely.
• It is not considered fair to use edged weapons on an un-
armed man.'
' But I was looking for you most anxiously. I was,
truly, without sarcasm or exaggeration. What kept you
so late ? In your note you said^half-past eleven, and now
it is almost one.*
' I had hard work to got away when I did. I had ai
engagement to play cards with some fellows before
knew you would be here, and though I told them T
would have to leave early they kei>t me till the last
mmute. You see, Emma,' he said, with a consciousness
that he was treading on dangerous ground, ' I had the
misfortune to win and it looked shabby to leave abruptly
and a winner.' *^ "^
' You were gambling V P
'Gambling? Well, yes, if you wish to call a little
mild pJay so. It was down at some private rooms the
fellows keep up— for billiards and cards and that.'
' Did you win much ?'
'About sixty, I believe. -I am not sure'
•Sixty what?' *
• Oh, pounds— pounds, of course. That isn't very much,
is it '
'It may not seem so to you with your large income,
Brian Cnarteris, but what might the loss of it mean to
'7u P-Tw u'^"'',*'!' r^ ^^''' ^^^«'«^^' r'ndignantly.
Why, if Walter lost that much it would simpFy mean
rum, and papa would never forgive him. Do you know
that papa only allow^s him twenty pounds a quarter out-
side of. his necessary expenses. I hope you do-not en-
courage Walter to ramble, for thnf ic fh- :^-_.i-_
able vice in papa s estimation.' -
i
^1
I
()' i
1" ii
] '■
1
^^^^B
^^^S^q!
■1' '
20
tHE SWAMP OF ftEATH.
^ Now, dearest, would I be likely to do such a thin^r ?'
1 don t know. Yes, I da.e say you would. You^'do
It yoursell ; you gamble and make friends of gamblers
and It It IS well for you surely it must be for bin) '
'Now IS that reasonable, Emma? Do you compare
me to a lad away from home for the first time in hi.s life v
l>o you think I am as little able to take care of mvselt
as ho? My dear, you must seo that what T mi^rht do
with safety would be perilous for him, young and'weak
and untried as he is.'
' \ '}^^'^ ^Y^!^^ ^^ '^ '^^^^ «^ wise or right for any one to
gamble, said Emma, vehemently. ' I think it is" wicked
1 am «o grieved Brian. I thought you so high above'
everything of the kind. I did tWnk you wouhl take
care of Walter and keep him out of dangerous paths
instead of leading him astrav by your example.'
'You are not crying, Emma? ' asked Brian, tryin<^ to
look into the dark, pretty face that was studiously avert-
ed from him. ' Surely a trifling misdeed like this is not
good cause for tears. You mfke me feel my unworthi-
ness of you very deeply when such a little thing will
wound you so. **
* Is it foolish to think so mufch of you that it hurts me
to have my opinion of you lowered ? Is it wonderful that
1 weep when I think of •the temptations and dangers that
surround poor Walteil? '
' How much you love that young cub ! ' said Charteris.
enviously. '
' Yes I do love him, dearly, and pity him, oh, so much.
It you knew how hard his father is to him, how harsh and
unsympathetic, you would be sorry for him, too. He is
80 kind, so generous to me, who am no kin to him, ttit to
Walter he has always been so unjust, so tyrannical.'
r^i-5"^,'.-^l""^*' ^ ^^^'^ understand. Are you not Mr.
Clifford 8 daughter ? '
I. ' ^^' x"^,"^"' "^ relation at all. I am liis wife's child by
^ev urat husband. My lathers name was BenweiU
'MY father's name WAS BEN WELL.'
21
said Charteris,
*Benwell! Ben— well. Urn. The name sounds strangely
familiar. It seems to me 1 know something about some
iJenwells. I wonder what it is! '
'I cannot help you. I know nothing of my father's
beople. I was a babe when my father died, and less than
Iwo years old when mother married Mr. Clifford. My
larliest, tenderest recolloctions are of Mr. Cdftbrd's de-
joted love for mo. Ho was so good to me, but to Walter
ke was always cold and repellent. Some men ought never
b have sons, they are so cruel to them. Motherlias been
b Hivalid all her lite, md so I have had to take her
bliice, as Walter's protector, and I stand by him always-
light or wrong. I am afiaid I only encourage him in
larm— I only help him to deceive his father and supply
[im with money to pay his debts. He is so weak and
Vasteful, so easily led aattay. I wish you would help me
^ watch over him, Brian.'
'I have had my eye on him. I don't think he will
Dme to much harm outside of getting into debt, and
lere I can help him easily.V
• But that is the one kind of help I will not have you
lender, dear. I want you to promise faithfully that you
fc^ill not lend him or give him money,' Miss Cliffurd said
pipressively. '
* That is nonsense, Emma. I won't be prohibited in
|ny such manner. Every fellow gets short at times and
come to the rescue of some of them occasionally who
itrmsically could buy and sell me over and over He
aay never apply to me, but if he does you had better
3ave me unrestricted. You may be sure I won't lot him
Inpple me,' he said, smiling.
' It fs not that. I don't mind your purse sufferin<T, but
Ulter gave me his word long ago that he would never
borrow from any one but me. And again to-day he re-
lewed the pronaise. He had got into debt, he told me. '
r , =5~ ■ J '■"■' o'^-^ ttms. i,u Liuu nail over
3r a week or two tiU his allowance comes. He has al-
[.'It" iii.'l^ii" ',^!^-'*-
22
niE SWAMP OF DKATU.
I
m
ways confirled all his difficulties to mo frankly, and so
Jong as he does this I feel quite sure ho will come to no
harm but if he found he could borrow from other sourc s
Im afraid he might not be so perfectly open with ,..o.
wnat 1 lear is that sometime ho may raise money on his
expectations as papa's heir, and if ho once rji.i that
and papa discovered it he would disinherit him without
S- • w u ^"""^ ,^S° ^ remonstrated with papa for
keening Walter so short when he could so well aftbrd to
deal liberally with him. and hinted that it might not
have the effect of saving him from temptation, but mi-rht
rather drive him to the J^ws foraccoinmo.lation untifjie
came mto possession of the paternal wcMlth, and oh, th.;
storm of wrath 1 invoked ! Papa said ho went throu-^h
college and took honors on half Walter's allowance an.l
threatened tha^, not a penny of the wealth he had mad.
should ever go to a spendthrift. He said he had given
Walter fair warning and if he transgressed he would re-
pudiate him, cast him off and no longer recoguize him as
::^rtrtrde'ath • ^"' '^ ^ ^ "^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^-^ ^-^
ha^^^saTd BrlTn" ""^^"^^°^^^^^^ ^^'"^ ^^ ^ governor to
J.??.'" ^a"""^ *"" ""l''. '^^ '^'^ "^"P^y- Then as footsteps
were heard approaching the rustic arbor in which they
had seated themselves, she adder^ ' Now iDromise vou will
never lend or ffive Walter money/
'Can't you make me deput ' «, ;, ,, angel to the
young boy consider me one ot the family and let me do
^n!ali^ • fi '"^ an emergency ?' lie said persuasively,
^membermg the number of times he had alfeadv helped
Walter with small loans. " ^
^ ' No,' she said firmlv, ' it is best for him. I insist upon
. iiving your promise.^
*0h. "ery well.'
* Ycr, promise on your honor ?'
'^i* xxij- iiuiiui', yes.
A CASE OP MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
ta
CHAPTER III.
f a governor to
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
\ Emma, Emma, where are you V called a blitho girlish
[voice from the path hidden from the view of Miss Cl tibrd
and Brian Charteris by the thick laurel hedge that mtei-
[vened.
The lovers arose, and advancing to the door of the
arbor, Miss Clifford replied, 'Here Lily! Do you w. nt
[ me ? '
'Want you? What a question! Do you knowyo i
Ihave been in hiding more t»ian an hour V
'It's a base libel, Miss Arnold,' said Brian, as a fair-
haired girl stepped out of the shadows and faced them
Jt has not been ten minutes. Why, Dudley how did
[you get here V
• I simply couldn't Ifeep away,' Philip said, in a tone of
melancholy that was not quite free from a suspicion of
I irony. *^
' You are a wicked story, teller, Mr. Charteris ; isn't he.
^mma? Do you know what he told me, Mr. Dudley ?
He said yuu had received news of the serious illness of a
wealthy maiden aunt, and you were so overcome by grief
you were unable to leave your room, and I would have to
excuse your absence this evening.'
i 'Such a depth of infamy I would not have conceived
. possible, even fvom him,' said Dudley. ' I don't think it
Chfford ?' ''''^'" ^ ^""""^ ^"°^ * '°^"- ^^ y°"' ^'^^
\ +r„'iii''"l '"^^"^ r"PP^'® ^^*^^^ ^^ yo" Reserve to be
i *'"f.^^' .^"^I"* returned. 'I dare say your excuse was
^ tT^theX^^ '''" ""'"• '^'"^'^ P"^"*^*^^^ ^^^ ^'"'^'^^^
24,
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
!|.
u !iin
III !'
' Yes and they had such a lark/ laughed Lilv Arnolr]
Mr. ±5irchall and Mr. Dudley were playing cards down
town somewhere, and they were raided^ Their rnln
warned them to fly from the police and thev escaped ou?
belSlf T ""' r^r ^^^ ^^-'^^ passage. ILthTnwe^^^
fwl -^ *''''Pf '^ ^"^ ^^^^e" into custody.' "
f. 7,^^^d«e« «he mean, Mr. Dudley?' gasped Miss Clif
brother " '""""^ '^^'^^^^ "^^^^ inVr lear for he;
soml^ Tf^fr'^^ •^°^'.' ^" ill-«onceived practical joke of
some of the fellows to round up on Rex Birchall fm
many similar jokes that he has pl^ed upTn Ihem W
had no sooner emerged into the lane, to which "our nil
romance secret passage" leads, than'we we e surrounded
and Rex was made prsoner. with the terrifying announce-
other dZ ZT 'u '^ ?"^^ 'I ^^^ Q^^^- " «'"ome
ouier jargon. We all struck out for liberty and Jerrv
say Don-Don— Donovan, hit a f—f— fellow vour sizo
can t you," and then we knew it was a plant LdTe hS
a good laugh over it, and when I managed to sHp awav the
whole gang were helping Rex to carry^Crumm^Sson
to^thyiver to souse him for putitng the boys on Z
' But Walter ? where is Walter ?'
J. ' r""" ^''°^^^'* "'^^^ off~Birchall told him to-as
a snee'r ' T' "' ^T'' ^ ^i^^"^^^^« ' '^'^ ^"dCwith
a snee . He is, no doubt, sleeping the sleep of the vir
tuous in his own little bed at this moment!' ^
Ihat was so good of Mr. Birchall,' said Emma, heart-
return fn'"fh T^ "'^'^V^r suggestion that they should
ifr"/!?..*^ H^^ ^«"i.« and she and Dudley led the wav.
--xoa v^iiiiora ana Uiiarteris folio wing more leisurely " '
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. 35
J nothing to admire in h i m ' '' ^^'^^ ^^^^« ^^ere
' And does she care for him ? '
Uted and wm forgive hLTnS.'"'-- ^'"' "^ '"'"■
huaintanceship with him too' *^ """"^ '""P^^^^
fd as I left the train I saw th^ ..?' "^"^^ *" "^^^^ "^«
d as Liiy kept close t^M "Dude v 1^"^ '\'!^>^''
J introduce them both to me Multh T^ ""^^'^^^
hncr happened, Brian ' ^ "'^'^ '^"^^ ^ ^i^nny
iwl"^ '^' *??' • What was it?'
I Why, without thinkino- hnw it- ^ u
h f Lily named Mr SircM T" 'T?*^' J"^* ««
Wght look and I said ' kI?„ J- , ^*™ '^■™ » good
■ rfe looked at me with tW ''"' ^"^ '^'"'> »>«'■« ? '
fd. ■! walked!' *^'''' ''""^y "y^' of his and he
M?''ln^tlit.^^r;wr" '^^'™ "•**''
i I could hardly di tlmt dkf.n '"/ P?"""''''^ "'o g'^at,
- college with Dudley ■ *'*"""• ^ ^"'^'^J clow/fron,
bf stirtfTaid n '" ^'"^"'''"y ">- -o'-ning with
bS-'''"-<'-~dhelL^^^^^^^
Itof'^/own eyr*'"/ '7.?""'^ ' ""''"ke the evi-
[l-d. in Vst rf r yoThad™f u*""'"r"' «"''"
10 weeks tncr^h^^ t ,/ "" "^^ ^^tt us, and wo «no«^
■'hi.njornSgritli^il^SX'^^^ntit:
mi^issiasgmmmm
I
>l Mil
Ni
26
THE SWA51P OF DEATH.
four-wheeler with papa.doing a little shopping before train!
time, and the traffic was blocked for a moment, and we
stopi ed close beside a private carriage going in an om)
)0-
site direction. A nice-looking gentleman sat on the^ide
next me, and I looked at him quite closely and noticed lii^
eyes pcrticularly, and his mustache. And then I caught
sight of the lady beside him, just as she saw me, and it
was Marion Somerset. She leaned forward and we spoke
for a lew minutes, and then both vehicles moved on. ]
took a good look at the man to the verv h ., because
Marion looker^^so gay and happy, and she" used to have
such a sad and mournful expression always, Ps if some
secret' trouble were preying on her mind. I was tryin^^
to discover whether her companion might not be th
cause of her improved spirits. And coming down I kept
thinking of her, and it seemed so strange that I shoiil ! tl
see what I was sure was the very man, right at the rail- fc
way station. Was it not strange ? I recognized him at
once.
' It was a case of mistaken identity,' said Brian. ^
» 'Yes, that is what Mr. Dudley said, but it puzzles me I
even now. I can hardly believe but what he must have''
been in London and got back somehow.' i«
'By balloon, for instance ? No, even that theory won't|
do, said Charteris, ' because we know he was here.' «
The soft strains of the last waltz were being played as
the truants re-entered the house, and Brian, laying aside-'
Miss Clifford's cloak, led her out to join the now greatly .
diminished throng of dancers, and after circling the roomC^
once they made their way into the dimjy lighted, odorousN
conservatory which was completely deserted and suitdf
their frame of mind far better than the brilliantly-lightel
ball-room. ^ I
Here, some time afterward, they were discovered h^
Miss Arnold and Dudley diligently studying the botanicalf
construction of some iiowers that lay in Miss Clifford'j
upturned palm, and it was with great surprise that tliey
ion
opping before train J
I moment, and we
going in an opj)o-
lan sat on the side
ely and noticed
And then I cauL
le saw me, and it
cles moved on. ]
very la;., because i
she used to have
iways, as if some
id. I was trying
might not be the
•ming down I kept
,nge that I should
right at the rai'
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. £7
ihfjT P?™''^ *^ ^^ ^^^^ >^«" ^^y stay,' she renlied
clily,then turninff toDM<lImroi.^„„i;..i f\ W ^^P'^^d,
.^ ,3a,vY ii.c, ttuu II jx juu promise to besrood vou miv cfo^r' d i- i
ward and we spok, a^Idy, thei turning to D^/she^sked ^'hn ' ''?''''^'
cles moved on. ] ||pm to study thei? flowers in neace?'' ^" "^^ ^'^^"
A r 1 V .s ■-" *-'uuiey sne asi
m to study their flowers in peace ?
ef at nbute of the swine family to-night Ztl ?ear if
«_allowed any „ore liberty ^tho hjbit wul 'become
saidBrian. ^^Z:^^!^!^""^' ' I' -mn/eUtfng:
but it puzzles iiK *^^uch accidental resemblflnn*»a o».^ i.
hat he must hauthough the circumstances ^f^^^^^^^
abfe/ said Dudley ' And w W t^ , ^^^'^."^ remark-
that theory won'ti#.tity of the r^an you saw t Win ^'"'T^ ^' *" ^^'
he was here.' more odd.' ^ '^"^ '"^ ^^"^^°" «^«kes it all the
e being played as 'l^o you know him? How very onppr' . 'a tm
Jrian, laying aside^^old. ""^ ^^^^3^ ^^eer, said Lily
1 the now greatly j|. am almost sure I know him Hp i« o i i .
circling the rooEl#m of mine-thouo-h not as ^pv p- i n ^"""^ ^°^*^
•^long lost and never^beforlw^^^^
■ion Somerset and hpr wt ^ ^ ^'^'^ brother.
[j lighted, odorou!
ertcd and suited^
brilliantly-lighted^'
re discovered bj^
f^ing the botanical^
n Miss Clitfoitfr
jrprise that tlieyi
28
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
/, li.
week. I knew nothing of this till I reached my rooms
after seeing you at the station, Miss Clifford, when I
found a letter from Marion telling me of the return of
the fatted calf/
* No, the prodigal son,' corrected Lily Arnold, while
they all laughed.
' I think the fatted calf far more applicable to his case,'
said Dudley. ' His quarrel with his father was over a
pretty girl, daughter of the lodge-keeper at the Elms 'my
uncle's place down here). Reggie wanted to marry her
and his father objected and the hot-headed young fellow
must leave home on that account. He always was fond
of adventure, and, by his own account, found plenty oi
it in Australia, where he went into sheep farming and
made some money.'
' And was it he I saw with Marion ? ' asked Miss Clif-
ford.
' There is no doubt of it, I think. A general descrip-
tion of him, as I remember him, would answer for Birch-
all, and he may have grown more like him. And I am
sure no one else would have been driving with my cousin
Marion. She would not let Reggie out of her sight now
she has recovered him, she grieved so all the time he was
away. I never saw a girl so wrapped up in a brother as
she always was.'
' And now that he has returned do you think he will
marry the lodge-keeper's pretty daughter?' asked Lily,
the sentimental aspect of the case appealing to her natur-
ally.
Philip Dudley stroked his mustache meditatively for
a few minutes and then said quietly, ' I don't fear any
such a catastrophe. Perhaps he may not want her now,
and from what I have been able to learn from .the pretty
girl herself I should not be surprised if she had ceased to
want him.'
' Oh, you wicked man, you have been trvin** to cut
your cousin out 1' Miss Arnold said i^roachfully. '
Arnold, while
iked Miss Clif-
WALTER CLIFFORD'S DIFFICULTIES.
29
'Indeed no. You wronir me. I merely wished to
test the strength of her affection for Reggie, in the in-
terest of the family.
^,.'^,^5;"l^lij^e very much to see your cousin and Mr.
Birchall side by side,' said Miss ClifFord. ' I don't believe
Miss Somerset herself could tell which was which'
' For heaven's sake don't suggest such a thing to Birch-
all or hed be playing off a practical joke on Marion
without loss of time, and the- I should be obliged to hurt
Imn If the resemblance is so strong as you seem to
think some harm may come of it some day, for both
Keggie and Rex are too erratic and impulsive in their
natures to make it safe to give unlimited bonds for their
good behavior.
The conversation then turned into other channels and
Dudley swords were forgotten by all but Dudley him-
self, till in the after time, when remembrance came too
lute, they recollected how he had said :
',Harm may come of it.'
■y
CHAPTER IV.
r*. Ill
WALTER Clifford's difficulties.
Walter CliflPord, when he escaped from the thron^r that
had surrounded his companions, did not fare so well as
they, nor wai Philip Dudley's prognostication at all
correct.
He ran out of the lane, and then, in deadly fear of
pursuit, took the most circuitous route for the colle^^e
running all the while as swiftly as possible, even though
there was no sight or sound of p-itsuers. His breach vv^as
coming m short, hard gasps, but his speed was umlack-
M
so
i;i ili
Mi «
nil
li i| liaiii
u
'; iifii
'! |l
m
M\-i
ll!i
n i
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
whth t ' ^^^^^^^^Z-^f'-ner close by the building for
which ho was bound, he shot, like a stone from a cat.
pult. right into the centre of a knot of the h TauthoH"
uos^of his own college, who were returning fZ T^l
unleeZlTJ'' l^'"' "^T'^.^'^^^S as to the cause of his
unseemly haste his agitation, and his lateness abroad ho
gave such evasive and contradictory replies that thov
promising that his case should be looked into next dav
he was let go dejectedly to his room. ^
hp«H n^^ '^T" ^'f ''^ ^ ^'''^^^ ^"d leaned his throbbinc.
head upon his palms and tried to straighten out ho
SUCH a state of contusion that reasoning was impossible
dly he turned out one after another of his poZts and
laid their contents upon the table. ' ^
Ihere was a sixpence, a bent shilling with a hole in it
-his lucky coin-two threepenny bits% florin a ha'nen
ny. that was all the money. Then there was hi buTv
general-purpose knife, containing corkscrew file anJ
glove buttoner in addition to blades of varbus s L a
handrerci; r%l ''"'' ''' "^^^^^ ^^"«> ^ -liar button'. .
Dandkeichief with an aroma of stale tobacco and with
stams of liquor upon it, and last of all wasale^Moo^n
h'fX's'cr'nbh rrr^ '•''''' ^^^--^^ t^h.!::^
nis latners crabbed hand writing.
.r.A t.^ hopelessly at the heterogeneous collection
realirot "f r"' ''^ ",""P^^^ ^^»- «f *^- "--"-
erne IZl, T' ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ming able to take in its
S'atii fl ^t '^ ''^■- ''"'^ '^™P^^' '^ ^^-^ «^^rely a legal
ma rt fc,^ P;;rr 7"^ ""^ ^^^ «"^ hundred pounds
matle by Walter Clifford in favor of one Isaac Cohen
iWnd ?f hiTf • ?! ^^^1 I'P^^e^yed the notice that morn
ofi 1 Jt i^"?^^,^""^.^ ^""^' f«^ ^« knew that any hint
01 It reachinfy his fafV.o».'c ^ .,,„ i j ., . " -^ . . ^
of it reaching his fafhor'c r.^^
would rxjuan ruin fur him.
WALTER CLIFFORD'S DIFFICULTIES.
SI
le had depended upon his sister to advance him the
louey, or at least enough to induce the Jew to delay
proceedings. She had been able only to give him be-
tween twenty-five and thirty pounds, and now all that
and what little he had had of his own was lost at play,
land he w-as penniless, and loaded down with debts in
ievery direction.
I He had a very hazy idea of having played long after
Ihis mone}' had run out, but how much he owed or to
[whom he had no idea at all.
From hopelessness, rage took possession of him, and
Itaking up his father's unopened letter he tore it into
jminutest scraps with his lingers first and then with his
[teeth, and afterwards, making a ball of the fragments, he
j threw it into the empty fire-place, saying savagely :
' There ! Now go to blazes ! '
This relieved him and, rising, he hurriedly slipped off"
[his clothing and tumbled into bed.
Next morning he awoke very early, and then the re-
Icolleotion of his difficulties swooped down upon him, and
[rising hastily he washed and dressed and went out, taking
[the road that led toward Sir Godfrey Arnold's resid-
lence, with the homesick desire of beiiig near some one
[who cared for him.
He knew it would do no good to seek his sister — he
[had got all the help from her that she could give. She
-.ad come to Oxford only for a few days' visit, having left
her father and mother in London with the understanding
[that she was to join them there and return home on the
'Coming Saturday.
Mrs. Clifford, who was an invalid, suffering from one of
those nervous diseases which are slow in their develop-
ment, and with which people around them have so little
sympathy, was paying a periodic visit to her London
doctor, and Mr. Clifford had insisted upon Emma leaving
them, saying she could do no good and would only worry
her mother.
.1)
S2
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
gladness to ^oS^oZSt, ?''"'' """^^^ ^ut in her «
and brother! too 4e had Z T''' ^'"' '""• 'o™''.
cause. ' ''^"^ ""' """S^*- to discover the
mto^'cortrran!!'''? * •" TV"" "'^" '"™* <>«*
crossed Foir;*S^^i/„:^ "S Ij?"'' "J^^e a detour and
<Iown at the placid IsisXchfhf " ""« '™^ '""'''"g
-t^ sera^he ^^id't --- 11^---^'!'^
tions;anttVaSf S f T" ''''» f™" W^ medita-
l.e kie,v wotlrbeTxpettti'r '""" "'•"'<= "'^ ""-
his tXTn'f lurir'^'^'ftude' "^r- ^'^""^ beside
while he read a ZrC^Ttj^i^^r^^''? 1 -g"''
while he read n ^Z.F'^ a"itucie, and smoking a
lave
Hp n ^u "i'"S'^"^S Papei', iie saw Eex Bircha
you been?' '"'"' '^'^'^^"^' ^'^^^^"' ' Whe" . . ,
chSLl: ''""' ^'^^^^ ^^^^^^' -^^^^ - — ption of
stayed last night Brjove bu^w^f !.' *''™ ^^ ^'^^
Rex threw back his hJad «?^ i. T i^?"^ ''^""^ sport/ and
through his parted ]ips teeth A«?^'^ ^/^\"^^^>^' ^'^^^^^^^ff
ly by reason of decay^ ""''' "^^'^ ^^^ "^^^S^^"
; Why I thought you-I thought »
You thought I was arrested? Well if h^^n'f .
that yet, but, who knows ? it mnv ^.^^ /J^.^^^n tcome to
in the future No it vv«Vn,!i ^ " ^'^l^ '^ "^^''^ ^^r mo
by Crummy i But f eZf^ ^ ^^"^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^«d
was, with ^usurfou Itl^ t tooT"' ^'' '^^"'^^'^^ '''''
We ducked Crummvlst and Z.^ ^'/I ^.°" "^>^ ^^^'^^
all the way alon^ T/cTr^^!!^. }}"'!' .^'^"^^ him in a barrel
^ 'nra.vr^v;.-awuec,ana then, up from
WALTER CLIFFORD'S DIFFICULTIES.
83
jCarfax a bit, we hauled down the tobacconist's sign and
bound Crummy to the pedestal. You should have seen hhn
btrapped by the egs and waist and neck and fastened u^
ight to the staples ! It was rich, I wouldn't have missed
t for a pony ! We left him there like patfence on a
onument howling with grief.' He laughed affain
oudly. and then still smiling but with a shrewd gl^^^^^^
bis bright eyes he said : ^
• And now about what you owe me. I was in a deuce
if a mull and you fellows losing last night wi^T fust set
.e on my feet I have a note to meet to-da>, and my Ws
in Ariel to settle or risk being posted ' '^
'I'm rather in a hole myself,' began Walter, fidgettine
M?n?h ''';i ^ ^f^'\y^' Jyi"g on'the table and he took
t up absently and noticing that the handwritincr was h^
SX'otet^' ""''''' ""^^" ^"' ^'^'- ^^^ «^^PP'^
,on^hf t*' Tt'""" ^"^'''i ^'r' ^"^^ «<^"«k ^a«t in one for
lonths! I hope you don't mean to default' Rex said
/emg him suspiciously, 'for we all know Chkrterrw 11
bal^ifg ' °"^^-'^^ - ^"^ky beggar to have sth g^od
.f',r£'"w^thtif'^-'f^ ™^^^^ reaching for the slips
M paper with his initials upon them that reoresented
thetr amoTnf *?^r^«^\-S turning pale' wETsaw
the ?eck&ess ^? 1 ^ ^n,' "^^ -^'"P^' ^"^ ^^^^^ in with
ine reciaessness of a millionaire !' said Rex carelesslv
As to your note, well, hardly. Couldn't Stiate t vou
To^V^e " srafo^'^-.^^^'^'^r^^ *« bTckluh nf of
Ichan I'm In « 1 '^ ^"^ '^^^^^ ^y «««»' Jit; a good
ichap. i rain a hurry now and must be off' ^
wel SalMeft' T''^^ on the back by way of fare-
weii iiirchall left the room leaving Walter m deener
[depths of despair than he found himf ''"^^'^^^ »^ deeper
m
34
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
Ml
!H;
A knock at the door disturbed him and he shouted
irritably : ^
' Oh, come in and be hanged to you !'
n,^^7 t"*^';^^ ^'earing a telegram and he gave it into
Cliffords hands and had opened the door to go out when
Clifford 8a\y Brian Cha.teris passhig down the corridor
/^hartens! Brian! Brim. I say!' nhouied Walter,
but the call bemg disregarded ho startea up and ran out
after Ins friend. ^
'Hello, what's up ?' said Charteris, aj Walter caught
up to hini as he was about to descend the siai-s *'
'You must be deaf,' said Clifford, ' I shouted to you
as you passed my door loud enough to wake the dead.
Didnt ydu hear?'
' My dear fellow/ said Brian, in his lazy way, 'lean
only do one thing at a time. ^ ha^e to hurry to keep an
appomtment and so my ears had shut up shop.'
' I thought you heard, by the pace you wei-e goincr to
get away from me. But you must wait, I'm in a badloK
and 1 have no friend to help me but you.' *
^ Brian sighed and looked at his watch. It was ten
o clock, and Emma had told him if he could manage to be
at Arnold s by ten Lily would let him go with them
tor a long drive to view the beauties of Oxford, this bein-^
Jimraa s hrst visit to the classic city. He knew Emma
well enough to know she would not wait many minutes
lor him and he thought that probably even now he
would be too late.
'Can your tale of woe not wait till afternoon ?' .
• No, it can't. I have to settle by noon.'
'See here, young fellow,' said Brian, trying to look
severe, ' I won t lend you another six-pence, or back any
more paper for you, you may depend upon that. That
last note that I endorsed for. you you left me to meet
without a word of warning, and that is not square deal-
WALTER CLIFFORD'S DIFFICULTIES.'
35
and ho shouted
Lucky, T forgot all about it,' said Walter contritely
nth flushinor cheeks, ' I never thought of it from that
linute to this, I'm awfully sorry, I am indeed.'
' That's all right, I don't mind,' he said, genially, but
then recollecting himself he added, severely, ' But" you'll
have to go to some one else to help you out in future.'
' Brian, you'll have to help me, there's no one else, and
tomorrow wdl be too late. I swear to you I'll throw my-
belf from Folly Bridge this night if you don't help me '
ttheres a note of mine to that leech Cohen gone to pro-
test, and if I don't settle to-day my father will know of
It. 1 ottended Cohen last week, I kicked him out of my
room because he came sneaking around to ask if 1 was
^omg to pay that note, or if I'd want it renewed at twenty
oer cent, I was mad, and I just kicked him out and told
lim 1 (l pay hnn when I saw fit, and he swore he'd make
hot tor me if I did not pay when the note fell due.'
Brian s face was a picture of trouble and perplexity
[ut he remained firm in his refusal to help, though
f^alter pleaded pitifully. At last he said :
• Clifford, 3,ou go to Cohen and eat humble pie, and see
le best terms you can make with him ; then make a full
rue list of your liabilities of all kinds— I mean every-
hing, not alone what is pressing— and give it to me. and
111 try to raise the wind for you somehow. I'll see you
It four clock. I lunch at Arnold's, and when I ijet
pack you can come to my room.'
•Thanks I didn't think you'd let me go to everlasting
nash, said Walter, with a smile of intense relief.
ttJ—lML
n^mm
30
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
CHAPTER V.
BIRCHALL TO THE RESCUE.
When Rex Birchall left Walter Ciifford's room ho mtxih
his way to the J Club," the scene of their la.st night V
play. Martin, his " man," had set the place to ri-lUs
and on the appearance of Rex placed upon the table a
bunch ot letters, in number perhaps twenty-tive
Birchall sorted the letters, laying them in diflferont
little piles, and then began to open those that were in a
Pile apart some of which wore addressed to himseli; "J
Reginald Birchall, Esq..' and others bearing various names
similar to his own in sound, or of the same initials. Ho
read them all, then put one or two into a pocket book
and replaced the book in an inside pocket, and the others
he tore up into very small fragments.
Then changing his coat in the bedroom adjoininrr he j
went whistling merrily down stairs, and made his way |
to a hvery stable, and while he waited chatted familiarly ''^
with hostlers and stable boys, a group of them standin'
round and listening admiringly to everything that feli
from his lips. With his college confreres he was a leader
and ruler, but here he was a veritable king!
If there had been an unprejudiced but critical observer
there he would have marked in Birchall his main char-
acteristic, his desire for applause. He was vain, but it
was not vanity alone that made him try to stand well
with all he came in contact. He craved for popularity
—It mattered not whether the circle before wiiom he
posed was large or small, high or low, he acted to the
be.st of his ability the part that he Uiought would take
^^
BIRCHALL TO THE RESCUE.
87
His present audience .suitc(i him adniiraMy, and his
itforts to keep np the chumcter they had u.ssiyned him
requited less skill than any that he ordinarily assumed.
ind yet 'assumed ' is a word mis-applied, for what he
icted that he was in the meantime; he lived and was
^he reality of his role.
When he drove away, with hijijh-stepping chestnuts,
learly seventeen hands hij^di, harnessed tandem to a tall
log-cart with yellow wheels and buff-leather seats, he
looked back at the throng that stood to watch him go,
md flourishing his long whip and handling the ribbons
carelessly, drove down the street with reckless speed.
He had taken half an hour's spin, and was driving with
lore care now that he was in an open country road and
ire was not needed, when ahead of nim he saw a carriage
)verturned, the figure of a woman stretched upon the
reen sward bordering the road, and another female
igure standing at the head of a pony or small horse.
He pulled in and drove guardedly, fearing the noise of
lis approach might frighten the horse. Coming nearer
le saw that a second horse was lying upon the ground
md that upon hearing wheels behind it, it was struggling
to rise. His own horses began to give him trouble, and
With difficulty he turned round in the narrow road, and
iriving back a little distance to where a stile, over a thick-
set hedge, led into a meadow path, he managed to tie his
leader securely, and then ran back to the party that had
^ome to grief.
By the time he came up with them, the lady had risen
from the ground and was standing beside the wrecked
Icarriage, looking very white, with crushed hat and dust-
[covered garments, but apparently little hurt.
As he came up, raising his hat politely, both ladies
jlooked at him with joy beaming from their countenances,
[and exclaimed simultaneously : '
« Mr Ti?r„V,«lj !'
' Miss Arnold, I did not recognize you ; and Miss Clif-
Iford, are you hurt? when I first caught sight of you, you
■VI
38
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
^;! if
dying for a chance to faint °' = ' -^"'"'^ ""<' ^ *«'e
geUfng the fallen ho,.e ^p" his'Lf " '"' ■^™^^^<'^'' ■"
'tx'n into Lily's urettv fi,7„ ^ ^ 1?'" '^'^ stooping pos-
tobe shot.' •>^' P''"y face sympathetically; 'he'lThVve
ihZ^Lgtlr I^^-JZIr '^""'y ■' ^''^'''""^<' Lily,
'"ding her face a7a nst h"s „"',?''"it"'''''"''';? "™'^ '"'d
and yoa're the one to bear the n„„;fi ""*! ,"" "y fault,
be mended, Mr. BirchaU fl've Cf tZ"' ' , ^'t^^"'' "
iiveycar.s,andIloveth»m.. T .°y and Tibby for
O-I'i-^i^e^-Yf^fXyrhtl^
away to Emma, never see na lil-o ^^ ^ ^^« ^^^^'ng
a boy suddenly poked hL h<l^ I """ T'^"^ ^oing, and
hedge and shouted and'^^av f a tor'n ff " ^^^ ^" *^^^
pomes jumped and swerveTdrawinltL r'^'' ^^*- ^^^
hands, and the carriage wentrZ^^^ \"'' ^"* <>f "ij
and tipped over, shootfng Emma out /w« ''..*^^ '''^
side and clung to the caFria?e «n?l i». f ?•" *^^ "PP^r
saw Toby waf down anTWbby'seerned'to h ^"'^' °"^ ^
top of him T?nf TiKk,, "^ ^^t-emea to have g -ne on
the otherlrs^^halttlTuifM^^^ to
grass on the road-side and nnfZ fu"^ ^* the short
mistress spoke to her ' ^ ^ ^'' "^'^ ^^^« her
' Well, it's a bad business bnf if v^- i,x ,
-- ^ Feel better ^.Hk^'^^^^ 5,7,bee^n
BIRCHALL TO THE RESCUE.
39
we' do^ "''* ^ '"'"' *" "^^*' """'^ ''^^^'""* ^"^ ^^^^* «^'all
'If you do not mind being left here in this forlorn con-
dition I will walk on to that farm house yonder and
wiii^;oVd:sT'^"by';'"^' ^^^^' ^^^^^-^^^^ '^-^ -^^^
'Oh, Toby wiP be cared for. He can walk a bit ali'd
get advice I will be back before you have time to miss
me he said speeding off" with a cheery smile.
Isn t he kind ? ' said Lily.
hearty and unaffected. I am sure it can only be preiu-
dice that could make anybody think anything but well
of him. She spoke with unwonted vehemence thbkini
B rchSr S^tt\r''''T.'' beracquaintanS wHh M?
sJd hewn,^^\ •?t!1!'^^"^ *^^^^^^ ^^'^^^^^or had he not
said he wou d be with her m time for this drive that had
ended so disastrously, and was he not in a manner to
blame for the accident ? "lanuer to
1 /^5 ^''Til'^'i ^^^^'^^^d with efficient help. Tibbv was
led off by the bridle, the carriage with its wrecked wheel
was taken in charge by two laborers, and poor Tobv
limp-g m a heartbroken manner follo'wed slo^^^ in tt'
in ff ° f ^^V**^^ ^}^' Miss Clifford/ said Rex, steppincr
in front of her and hiding the view of the poor anfmal
frorn her tearful eyes. 'Come along and we'll c^et off
for home. Perhaps they'll manage to save him fo"r Lu '
with a hypocritical desire to comfort her ^ '
JNo thank you, Mr. Birchall, I will stay here Yon
hTa^rthe^n"!?'' '^"^-'l^ ^V^'^^"« willTe waiiing f^r
to^; W' V/.? Zl^J '?^f^ ^7 -y -djapa
she said, as the^TlST'^^^l r^ P^^ ^^
Hi
40
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
-Hti^J^he^JaS JSf?™ -^in- I won't de-
when he was down f^No f h"';,""'! ''jn^vereven kicked
him to the very Ia"t'' '° die Iwill stay with
do^'rt!:„d wTth MT&nt7 r'l'^ *» high
Orford,leaving Lily LSfi .t ''?.'l"'''''^y<''-<>™into
wife. ^ ^^^""'m care of tile farmer's comely
Sir^GXrATnX'rSerft^' "" '''"8 Oxford and
took, but then hisdesir „?v, m" V.'" '•"^ Birchall
views of Ox?ord wi 7audabj7 '? *^"'^°'<' "=« fi-o"*
proached it from thffine rlt^ ' '""''■J^''' »"<• »« "ley ap-
lia.^ table. thaT Z ton' rdutt,'""' '"'^ ^^ ' ^"■
parks of noble trees b^ ».! "ndulatmg meadows and
enthusiastic admSion '^'''I'""' ^^ Miss Clifford's
brf te'otd 0lft?rrb:?„"re t r "^^fiT'^-S -"»
and turrets and domes a sLnrnf them with its sr,-res
of man. and embelSrbrn^S'Sj^y''^^"'*^
'I never thought of Oxfnr/oc • f;»<^/y aid.
Before yesterday I thouah^^^^^ i?' '^ ff ^'"f^ attractive,
as ancient stone^carbe but not w'i*^ ^^^ 1"™^^' ^^^
the drive from the statfon vnn t ^^^^' ^"^ yesterday
that was simpi;odiWB^ut\^^^^^ «« "^"^^
ment till I look^ once more r' ' ""^^ '^^P J"«* » «^o-
^e^'^^^ef^^^^^^^ -^P-^ up his horses
finest thoroughfares'^ala":!*^^^^^^^^^^^ "^^"^ ^^ ^^^-^'^
,Jt-:ZU''''' '' ''''-' Mr.^B^Salir said Emma,
quiwi gLtf <f ^^^^^^^^ '^^ ^er with a saucy,
folks. Now, there's Chart^ris 1^7 ^ ^^^ as some
and he's ne^er QuiL SsT/f „n^ k'"' ^'^^^^ ^«^«e«.
but there's good reason Tr H« T^T ^^ ' ^" «°«'« back
word. Miss hmJZ tVI'^,}'''. .'°"^"e«« •' Iffive vou mv
BIRCH ALL TO THE RESCUE.
41
ilngland comes out of it with more money than Lucky
^liarteris. Now, here's a case in point. I backed Ariel
for last week's meetin^jf as heavy as I dare go. Ariel sold
[first favourite, and as I'd gone in early with a lot of our
ellows we were sure we stood to win a pot of money.
Jut Ariel, you know, was not in it, went dead lame, and
>Ieepy-eye, that nobody had any confidence in, came in
irst, and Charteris won. Well, I'd hate to venture a guess
It how much, but you may call me a Welcher if he did
lot rake in a good thousand pounds ! '
Emma Clifford sat up very straight and stiff, and her
race flushed painfully as she said, in displeased tones :
' Do not say any more, Mr. Birchall ; I disapprove of
3ettmg and horse-racing, and gambling of all sorts.'
* Do you now, really ? ' he asked, in disconcerted sur-
arise. ^'Hope 1 haven't been letting out on Lucky
^ucky's a triend of mine, and a better fellow never
1, that I'il swear. Come now, Miss Clifford, don't
frown upon me. Perhaps it's wicked— I've no doubt at
ill it's sinful to lose— but all the fellows go in for racing,
ind one cannot keep out of it, you know.'
' Not if one knows it's wrong ? ' said Emma.
' Wrong ? well, as to wrong, it seems worse to be dif-
ferent to other people than to be in the swim.'
' There is no principle in a sentiment of that kind—
>^ou should do right even if it makes you unpopular and
»^ou lose by it.'
' That's puritanical doctrine,' said Rex, with a laugh,
[and will hardly go down at Oxford. But,' more soberly',
but with a merry glance askance at the solemn little
|champion of virtue as she sat looking straight ahead, * I
ften wish I could cut all such follies and settle down to
quiet, respectable life. Only when one has no good in-
|fluences thrown around one '
He paused and sighed, and Emma began to feel sorry
for him, and in her gentle though dictatorial little way
^
,.U« i.„ll J I -
one tttllvfU gicivoiy
42
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
anTmak W hTm^i^L.''"^ " coquettish glance at him
tho^^WwiSl'T T^\ {fT •"^''■"d *e curtains of
savagely in7i"nIW, 1™'''"''^ ">''"■ S'""'"' •>*' t'^'^tl'
• I lilfe not that '®° ' '""S"^" '"""^'■^d =
but
CHAPTER VI
AN ESTItANQEMENT.
guide across thph«?i^a a •^?"'' ^''''^'' ^"^ ^^^o^ed his •
i"r Godfrev's own f ,^- T^^^ Passage-way that Jed to
Wol f *l^ P^^^^^"^*^ <Jen, miscalled 'thestu.Iv'
AN F.NSTUANGEMENT.
43
plained his eiiand, startling him a.s much as nossihip
while he urged him to be calm, and teC. o^Kcd
dent in graphic style, and of the danger the^younHadTes"
had been m, be ore he told of their i.SmunitJ?rom harm
. feir Godfrey thanked him as frigi.Uy as he could con
clined ^iichall s offer to drive him out to the scene of thp
Bn'i'ilfL''''"?^^-'"' '""S"'' ""yo"'- kindness, Mr._Sh_
Th-Mr' ah" % Tu T "T *''^''' "• SO, and then-
ah^_Mr._ah-Birchall,I w.ll wUh you "a very good-
' Crusty old beggar,' Rex said to himself -I'll otv„
hnn a good drive if he ever had one in his life 1 > ^™
Ihen to the man whom Sir Godfrey had summoned ho
s ot St ^»^.r ';?"'" dLctiorsThow t
™y hSLfttS'rof th th : z\:rLi "'"^ '^
south, east or west-all he knew ^J the nlm^ oTthe
farmer and the name of the farm ^
• ™f ■ •"•'en Birchall left her, instead of at onee enter
Its great easy chairs and cosy window nook '
tof Jh rttevtS^^^^^^^^^^^
up^^'lfoSn'rt.'^rl! Jli^"S ■?-?''r-»tly, takin,
r , .«xt«-xuj^, wicn nis uroad shoulders
i I^kU
' ^1 i
v.,
0> .
"^^^
44
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
^^^ We left theho„.e at half-p„^ ten.' with emphasis on
ecl'IwWdJ^. ^ """''' ""' g«' ^'^^ i° t™e.' he apologis-
quenS^ 7 did rot'rertellV"^ T »' "^^ '^^' '^-'•^''■
- e^riv. S: wo' M^h " fhr'"""' '"?'' '* ^°» '""^ -"•«
she had asl<ed you ^'Z'jktn -^S-'i ^°" '^-g'>'
inferett'HaTMi:?AS/„:r^f' -unfortunate an
<]v;[j^' ^^ Ainoia not returned ?
;^id you not go out with her?' '
<o£fesS^;7^---;^he country, s„eh a
. ;^nci where i,s she now r ^"''
'^othehomeforsomrtC' "' ^^"''"- ^^^^ ^^^^
[ A strange proceeding, truJ y !'
eagt}';^i;^h^^aiStin";r"^*'^'"''-«^'-
made her unmerciful™^ wo Jn so rfLn''"'! "* '"j"'-^
'Mi B"lrMf .^"^ continued po'l'^X" '°'"» «"»
'y. str.din, over to her and Lt'/hLeKf ^ :r:;
AN ENSTRANGEMENT.
45
hor chair and putting his arm maoterf ully about her neck.
You little witch, y u have made me burningly jealous
for the first time in my life, and I feel as madly murder-
ous as ever did Othello. Ilark. is that four o'clock strik-
mg I Oh, confound the iuck, I shall have to leave you •
1 have an important appointment for four o'clock t' '
Emma drew away from him petulantly. She was so
anxious to tell him the story of her peril and escape, and
here she had wasted their few precious moments m idle
bantering.
' Come dear.' Brian said coaxingly, taking her by the
hand and assisting her to rise, and bending his tall head
down toward her pouting face. ' Not one kiss ?' he asked
in surprise, as she turned her face from him ' What
nonsense is this ? ' • au
'If that is the way you ask a favor, then I wish you
good-bye tm you learn better manners,' she said, tantal-
izingly. Had you not better make haste to the appoint-
ment with your sporting friends, your book-maker, or
some of your disreputable acquaintances ? Pray don't let
me detain you. This is only Thursday, and I may be
f 01 before*^ Saturday morning, if I am not sent
Brian made an abortive attempt at reconciliation, and
then, shrugging his shoulders, he said, curtly ' Well I
quite regret not having time to coax you out of your bkd
temper, but probably yc^u may be able to preserve it un-
til our next happy meeting ! '
And with these words he left her, and it was not till
he had almost reached his destination that he recollected
his intention to beg Emma to absolve him frow his prom-
ise not to give her brother financial aid
46
tbe swamp of death.
^i:^
CHAPTER VII.
WALTER CLIFFORD'S TEMPTATION.
g
sat down with a sheeT of t.f ^^«",d^'f "^J relieved. He
work with the intention nf?n''^^- ^'^°'^ ^^"^ «nd set to
-Plieitly. He t^WHU:::^ '"'''I' i-tructiom
the protested note, the nmbTh 1^ ?T^ ^^« amount of
neath; then came the amount hn^^f'"«P'^^^d "«^er-
the previous night ; then what h^ h'^ /°f ^," ^""^l^^" on
ing Ariel, for w'hich he hid be^Lw^r^'''^ ^'^''^"^^ back-
carae items from the biJIs fh«f k^ u"™? *« settle; then
bootmakers, tailor.. peSumers k ' .^"1^" ^is po'ckets,
luxurious tastes) ; then sum.' ''*^'/^'' ^^'ter had
here and there ti the fe'jow' ' ^' ^^'' *"^'^aI, owin«
ures growing cmal er and ImX^^' K^^'?^"' '^^ %-
them mto the space of one colnmn ^' ^1 *''^^ <^« crow'd
was useless, he had to turn over and'." ^ P^^^'-but it
the uiside leaf, until his bror^e^l^ri-^' ^^^ ^^^t on
and his cheeks blazed. ^ ^ "^^^ ^^^b perspiration
He had been writin^r in ink K.,* . ,
fied' n' rfiT ^'^^^'^ «^^ do wn five orT t?^ " ^^"^ ^'^'
hed, and then, reluctan tlv he s.f rl '*^"^«' not speci-
^^o umn that was to have been \n\i """"o^ """^ ^^ the £
a ter setting down tChe na^L ''/^^"^'^« ^^^ ^bat,
rubber, erased every fiLeilTZt ^""^1 "'^'^'"S" for a
sary haste and vigor. ^ ^^"^'^ "^^"^ with unneces-
'No,' he muttered 'thnf «+ i ^ t
post obit cove™ ttl and :.' r'hi^?/' "'»tio„, the
wait.' ' "'"' «« to the others, they can
WALTER CLIFFORD'S TEMPTATION. 47
ttelsf ^" *' ^"^ "" '^''"^ ^" ^'' ^^^'^«»i»g' but it stood
Then taking a fresh sheet he began cullin.r from the
i«t ony his most pressing liabilitief, but after totaling
them the sum was so far from satisfactory that he threw
all the defaced paper aside, and snatching up his haT
made his way out of the room and the bu"klinT and
Isaac was preternaturally cool and unconcerned • he
Tth 'eTcbt-kT^^^ , If the money was not foXoming "
to snv >1 nfr*^'' day -and he went out of his way
WiZm PI l"'f f P'.'^ /'-*^^" ^' «^^«"Jd telegraph to
proceed ' ^"^^^""^^^^^^ ^^ ^o how he" should
'You pays py tree/ said the Jew. ' then you owes me
pts"^nes^:^" "^^ ''' "^^' ^^"^ ^^^^- --^- P^--
' M " ^^'^^^' ^f^ ^''^ ^^™^*' wliat then could he do if he
could not find Charteris before that time ? Then indeed
suicide or ruin was his only option
fore LdlfTt^''^^^^'^"^' ^'' P^^**^^"« °^ *he night be-
tore had left his nerves unstrung, he was on the ver^e of
Illness, caused by dissipation and excesses wearing on a
botrofT'; ''^r'' .^^^ i^^''^ '^ ^' b-d been ftron^
both of body and mind, the strait he found himself in
might reasonably have distracted him ^
dnnAnT*' ^^ """'"i" ^."^"'« ^o°«^«' Passing his own
We^ittnoSg^"' noticing vaguely tU a"boy stooS
wh^rll%^nd'trV''^'^'^f u^^^ ^T in^n^ates knew
wftere to hnd the key, pushed beneath a crevice in the
«kir ing. Tremblingly he opened the door and went in
writ °a nlm ''' V'\'^ '^ P^P^^ «- wS To
' 1^1^/4' r^Pf 7^3^^!^^^ ok
..». i^c^^a, ijuv the key was m it. Walter unlock-
:tft
' i
i^l*
dsi
is
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
ed iUut in its neatJy arran..erl in^. •
/iien ho opened a druvvfirfr. '"'''' '''^^""st^^^^^
farther thai the otlu^.- amJ « I/'otrude.I the leant ili
fastened dicked as he^l.rw it ^i;?'^ '''' ^^^ '-* 1"ite
wo. throo, iour, up to twin vt ""''•"''' ^^'""•" ^""'
';:<'<«i "-'o,:-a i , ^-.I'e; -'"'f' '"' 'ecru';,';'
A.'d y.:a,-te,i:s would^^^^^'^^/^f^- -HI never Icnow
Enough, onouoj), enough to i.n v t .T '^ ^'? ^^''^'•^ h^re.
H,.s },oad felt very Jmh a , .f. ""'^ ^"^' BirchuH.'
cessruJly for a w h h* with n i^ j • ""^ <?''oped unsuc-
'lorse.' hool-s sfriki, ^ on toni ','"?'"« "^ ^^''^ ears ike
door handfe for supVo'r' ">'" '■^"'■"S he caught at the
;vhe„ I Stooped' to tod L tk'VT'^™^- ' ^ S"' -ii-y
to get so.nething_a Lot ^'.''7- ^ «-ant-wanted
A STARTLINQ MRSSAOE. ^jj
A crowd aurrounded him i„ . *
was carried not, into his nZ " * '"''.n'oments, and l,o
Wcnda, but straight nto U,e°?n.r """, ?f ""V "f 1""
thia fe» f "rZr-^ifl^ "-^ '» Brian Oharteris
What ho "VvondGrpf? ha a'^
around him finished tl sentence"' '^^' ''"' ^^^ "'^o
I wonder if he ca^e by them honestly.- •
fW^P*
CHAPTER VIII.
A STARTLING MESSAGE.
lrS??l?" '-^^^ at once to the
f Clifford had left any messalo f^lf- ""^^"^ *« ^'"q^ire
{;^not he proceeded j;^^^^--^^^
?:!^^'^:^ ^"^ie, i„3talled
his stationery. Dudley. maS nn ^^^»»# free with
means, was given the freed on ?>f«r''f.^^ ^''' ««^ntv
belongings, and availed bimsTlf o? 'T °^^u^' associate's
Bcruple. nmseit ot it wjthout stint or
.'11
mi
r!
so
tllE SWAMP OF DEATH.
woll, ai.,i never got into Jobt, an<l always »ce.no. to imv„
enough money to indulge in the ple,«u^' of 1 1 or *
MarioTin 1, ^^IV"' "."^ Mi'" Oliftiu'd saw with
Jiaiion in London. My uncle and Marion have he,m
Win". 3 * '7 'r™ "?V"^ " "''"■"«> '" -« Ma ti:
I can quite see it would be awkward for von' «ni,l
Rex, bu.,y,ng hin,.,elf in changing his co";! wlSt and
* Jd"''/?-'' T'*- '^'' """"^ f""- ''.' ««id Dudley with a
hestin"! ot';Hsh ' iT"": T """"-* "-^ --"heJfrom
•-liw sung or a J.ish. 'It must be prevented and n^ T ha^n
Mat iet be Hd 'ur«nTf uS'' ' T'' «•" "'' ™™
L«L, juuitious, ana 1 w ant you to so in rnv stpnd
•md give the saucy gi,j.,y this let er from me Her te,
jnigant of an.other, with her prying eyes prevent^ me
from wntmg openlv Go after da?k fmd^nc-areund
till you can ..CO Mat.ie; she walks everySt fown bv
the bridge where you saw her with me one day If anv
body sees you they may have the .mod luck to mistake
yo^^nhifrjlltLT^^^^^
Cltfe^- ri:r '-'- --^ eiga-rtfee^'tli:
m
A STAim.INn MFKSAOK.
^l
'.^y in. a ciea,. ^t^^^.^RZiTjr'^llf 'tf''""
to wait, and in l)i,s restless wo.f i ^1 .^ sat down
papers and look nVaf he n^^ f Ti" ^"'"^"^ ^^^'^'' *^«
and by-and-bv he cam. «!." ! f ^^^^ scattered about,
on ChtYord&lerdZn^^^^^^ ^hero-
over the itenTs' tl^e "nVtf & ^100'^"'-^ ^^^^
. cJo-.say £10; iJirchalJ— ""'«' '-onen, £100; expense,
• Phew r whistled Rex 'fhp t;^ u 1
up whatheowest Poor'hPcrl, k ^'''^f" reckoning
pains ! It's a tl in. J LxT wl " ^"° ^^ ^^ ^«^ ^^^
guilty of. Ah.myhd f^ nJf!. "''''' ^'^^^^ ^« ^^
been rroinrr the nan. r ? ^'^^"^ mnoeent you have
be ha^pen4'lo^rn;.e yor^Strt ':r''T^ ^^'^
before a great while VVondpr T. ^^^^ unknown
Bister would enjoy seein^thit T .'^- ^^""V'^^^^ ^"^it*"
h.,, l,a„d ,„U lookin, puS.:^:„tan!;:^ d"« ^°-'''"« ">
him to witaes3 haa dM so Sr T"^' *"'' «a"ed
left the room when he dW and It ^h^ l""^ '1 ^'^^- ^
ways do. And now whin T 1*^ V , t^^ "''«" I »!-
left/ holding o„rfiv;"ote. ' ' ^ ""^ ""'y *''««»
* Made any inquiries ? ' '
><f
'■•fi'V
52
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
thing-o'/c^flf Jd'!' ""' '^'^ «"«'• H-o you seen any-
I'kno'ck at Se' totiret /'!? ^^^ '"' ^-onr loss.'
Brian's invitation toTn era "a^ "" "5'^ '" '*»«^^''- '»
'Dr. Hov/eth presented t;.„ pPP"*"''''' ="■<• «»« ttiat
lin/Si"ff^ '"""•'^"'- -" «-. '!•" be back if I eau't
but slightlv, wI,o fecoatefh"r "'"'•'''" '°''" ''^ "'"'^^
Tl.ere\% rr atuuTat'n^lt™,'", '^ ^»\*'^- S'-'"'"-
sent for twice, I think LTrrf J^'^^^' ^'"' '"'™ ^een
face the music' ' '' '"^™* y" g° »* once and
that'lzi^c'^rto^xt^rr"^' T™ -^--0 '0
obliged to you for youp^XL Ld" ni Y ^'? '""'=''
over.' "^ auvite, ana IJI go and get it
wa^;e?^:e7to"fi'nd tiltTw" *^ ''^O^'' P^«^-ce,and
Clifford's procecdini ofthe S'/If?'^ information about
Birehall, in his otfland^ .*^T "'*' '^'^ «"»n'*''.
stoiy to in'sure credence but S' 'j'" ^ ^'^g^' «"0"gl>
drunkenness on Clifford's pLt ^"^ misbehaviour or
end's^s^H R:x'r"„:irffrnk™T'!"K^ '"^-"' —
lad such a scare hat it*„l™"'' ^''^^ '''l' ''^ 8"° «>«
srtrrbittTeLU^n^^^^^^^^^^
'"Thai ir • tT^ ?^^'°"rS«^r '* ^^
Ttis'^ot tufse'^ltdt inor"^" ^''r/^eing robbed.'
^-sfaction of t^lLVtCSg^t^^Gp'- ,t
pierbr.^?.-ro-s-rh^,^-v^^^^^^
A STARTLiNG MESSAGE. ^g
. ^/^nte^^,;;-/^i»g here for so™^
be well for me to tokeT ' C iff °^" ' ?"" "''"k " ««« M
■ to have the news of her brotW-?, '"""■• * ^he ought
gentiy, or some fool wMl hi!, ! '"'"'''' ""•"kon to Sei
out. Brian is with P^ff- "■" *" ''^^ her and blurt it
" Y '^' CedLrurst/ '* ^°" '^^ ' \^«". I'U ^art Hght
at the entS, wS"Ll^?°W'«. ^as met by Emma
bad bo/C;Sit^-ftf must be Walter, The
she said, apprehensively "t. ^- K"" ^°°^ strange'
wong with W*alter ? ' -^^ ^"" ">«' there is noth&g
often ollf^e' "ToitSfh'rf^^' "^^ ?^ts 'em prettv
mounting, and makir:^ta^eT''.'''?^' ""^ ^^^^^
h.a horse. • He's beef pr^ tyM ^if ^ff' ""^ ''^"^St of
telegram eame, and as he Lius.'ff ■'?''''''■ ^""J-this
sleep we thought it would beTni>t fo"^' " beautiful
I volunteered to fetch it to you ? ^ '" "'"''^ '''m, and so
doubtf:"fy^rtL°'vx;iSk ^^■" ."'--• '-^.v
please. So yon think iTu'ht to „ '""'?'^"- ' Come in^
might be vexed.' ^"' '° "?«" it ! Perhaps he
' Not he,' said Rex. ' Hp',9 (,„
ed out of his sleep to read it himTeT ™'''? '° *>" ™ken-
' Very well, then. Will vo, ?v ' '^°'' 'ad-
Emma stood before the ffrltT' I"'' ?'''«««? '
J?", the bright gleams from^the fi^-'T^^'" "'« dusky
at W "^ ''gl?t.mg up her p.^ty face al if ^f ■/'"' been
at her adm.rmgly as shi, with relu^ ! !■ '""'"''' down
the envelope. ' " fel"ct,,nt hnjrers, opened
5i
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
She spread out the paper, bending a little to let tlie
hrehght fall upon it, and read the first few words. Then
she grasped the edge of the mantel for .support, cast one
look ot horror at Birchall, and, tremblin<? visibly rea<i
on, a J,
' What does it mean ? ' she gasped, in a husky whis,.er,
glancing despairingly at Birehall.
Mx^;u^°? ^^"^ message from her nervous hand and read :
V\ hy have you not answered former messao-es ? You
were not on the train I specified. Will go on alone to
Inglewood with your mother's body. Follow, with
-fcimma, by first train to-morrow.
'William Clifford.'
CHAPTER IX.
WALTER REPUDIATED BY HIS FATHER.
There was no one to advise or help poor Emma Clif-
ford in her trouble excepting Mr. Birehall, .but he was so
helpful and sympathetic, so ready to insist upon what
should at once be done, that she l.aned upon him grate-
li4Jy. He let her know that Walter's illness was of a
nSire serious nature than he had admitted, told her of a
tram for London that she could catch if she hastened,
and of connections that could be made with the night
express that stopped at Burford, one station beyond
Inglewood, from whence she could drive home in a flv.
He hurried her off' authoritatively to get ready \\"hile
he ordered tlie carriage. He drove her to the station
himself, the groom sitting sulkily behind, got the tickets
and got Emma aboard the train just as the guard clapped
the door shut and the train pulled out of the dinev
covered-in station.
WALTER REPrBIATED BY HIS FATHER. 55
, '^^y^'ii^fi:^ E..a;«whnt wil, you do?'
Well, now. vou must think rlr ^°". *^^ ''^''^^ ^^^ne ?
only too glad to be of service fo*" ^"'^^^' ^'^^'^ "' ^ «"^
Mr. Chaiteris being uLva'kbl n"""' ^°."" ^^•'"*^^^- ^^''
your hat and lie back so and , ^^^' ^^ y«"'Jl take off
away to you, and you must trv notT I'-''; '^'''' ^'^^ ^^^^
cause you'll want -all y^ur stren.?h ^ f""^ ""' ^^^^y- ^e-
your father. Now, shurvour .£ and nerve to comfort
. And with «n weary nadaT^r ^V"'' *^ '^'^'
journey he chatted Ss'an if k^"""-^ '\^^ <Hstressing
carried no sense with them fn ^^'?^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^rds
knowing . that he was makb^Inl""^^^^ ^^^"' ^^^
her par^ ^ ..sibie "taking sustained thought on
hefeXtrdll'y^oni' "-^^ *^'-"^ ^' ^"' ^^ough
with her in the eaX part of ?L'V¥' '^"'^ ^^« "^^^^iSg
t» ana .„e san<,..htt ttH *X ^^ £'
Emma began to feel vprv o^-ff *
the afternoon, her bonelTchei «nT"i ^'' ^'^'^' «"* ^^
hardly able to support the we.lff t' .""'^ «^^"^«d
fel bruised and sore all oveT^sl-''^ ^.f ^""^' ^"^ she
there being thfee o'clock °' "" ''"'"" °f '^^" a™val
austieS'^tv^'theranSnTtTk' \^' "-"" '^"^
' Where ? wherA i*a » , ^
•^ * wuere is moanfiH V.,y.,^^ l.. 1 ,
—"'»"» ^^'oiveDly,
.«
„ r
^^ THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
•They aaye laid her out in there,' he said with stern
composure indicating a closed door at his right. 'Will
you go m ? *=
Emma was past speech but she inclined her head and
her tather held the door open while she passed in. and
closed It behind her. The two men heard a gasping heart-
broken cry and then a fall. t> r s «= t,
/The nurse is there,' the father said sharply, as Mr.
Birchall made as though he would have entered the room
ot death, and then, telling Rex to follow him, he led the
way to a small parlor, and, ringing the bell, ordered that
substantia] refreshment should be brought there for his
guest. °
Mr Clifford had not been softened by the affliction that
had deprived him of a wife, it had turned him to stone.
nis manner came as near to disconcerting Rex as any-
thing had ever done in his life, and he had to cough alarm-
ingly loud several times to prevent his bluff hearty tones
trom growing husky as he answered the questions Mr.
Cimord put to him.
'You say Walter was taken ill suddenly ? He swooned
and remained unconscious for hours ? and then his state
changed to fever and delirium.'
' Yes sir, and Jerry Don , Mr. Donovan assured me
his state was critical— not that his life was in absolute
iir^de' d°" ""*^^^«<^and, but he is pretty sick, in fact very
at what time did this seizure take place ?'
Oh, quite early in the day, hours before I heard of it
at fave o clock. But he had been running down for some
time, we all noticed it. Cramming, you know, studying
*\v' ^^^^^^^ ^^™^ ^'^^ y^" ^^^ ^^™ to-day ?'
• Well, let me see. I'd had breakfast early, and it was
may be, nine o'clock. I was in his room when Cliff
came in. He'd been out for a stroll to see if it would
drive away his headache. Complained of a bad night '
WALTER REPUDIATED BT HIS FATHER. 57
theti'^ht'^F "*' '" ^ *i Sir Godfrey Arnold's to dinner
went to the college direct from ArnoldV ^ ""
Ihank you Mr. Birehall. Now I know all T wi.i, .
know. Now I will tell you something ^fd the ter^"
emot,onle»3 voice, -My wife, my dangliter and I we "t
physician held a consultation with threo nt iL Z
=«tj;;snfrH£^
-nx ft:.ritdii^rthroptt7'wri'
Qure. ihat was their verdict, and my wife elected <^n
risk the operation, but with the under^tandL- Ihaf her
daughter was to be sent away in ignorance of the nature
of her disease and of the trial that she was tS nass
Oirough, and that her son also should be unLforS
WaUerall thTTr '^i '''' ^^f ^^ '^ '^' ^^at I wrotTto
Sord ?1 r'i'^"^^''' ^^^y °^ Wednesday. Miss
I re^irnifrf ^e^.^ ^ay noon, I saw her off, and Xn
1 returned I found that the surgeons were about to oer
form the operation, my wife having urged ha.W ^
Ihe old man paused, drew in his thin Ijps and tl
continued steadily. ' The ommfinn ZTJ ^ !
Tik-, """v^iij" -^"o operation was unsuccesa
The conditions were unfavorable. The disease hST
reached a greater development than had been expected
appUrsive^btfl "' Tl' '."' «"«'-"y I Ts'^oi
apprenensive, but I wrote to her son giving him all nar
ticulars and bidding him hold himself reLvaf^
moment's notice to come to us with his ^tlr ThL "ust
before midnight, I telegraphed that they had better come
specifying the train that leaves at two^ The first E
would have been delivftrpd nn w.fi^.„j„- \°^^^®"®'^
!
58
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
f:f
first ml IntheMTi '"'' ^^''' ^^^^^^^"^ V the
the doctors said sh'tuld .T iTr' '"' .'^ '''''^'''
again for them to come without iu Tt ^'^^'^'^'V^^<-^
reply. She died -^tZeA^^^^^^^
and then, it l)avin^ been her itS I T^'^"^^ ^^^^ ^''^'".
country, and the arrVnl^ desire to be interied in the
took th"^; last traL oTh^^-ti rthe^^^l ''1 '^'''' ^
he had not receiver! .nv w! , T , ? body— ^lone. If
have been del v\ eHt A nljf ? '''"'r'^^^^ '' ^^"^^
received it therefore bnftT ^^ ""^ direction. He
opening it, or wo se if r^iT^^f ^-^^^^^"^
summons.' *'"' ^'^^ '* ^"^ disregarded the
proach this house he shall b^c^t fm^h lil t''' ^''r^^''
hJm that as long as I have b.tnV T ^%^^^^P^^' Tell
him, never receive him never til hr" ''''^'' ^"^^^^
shilling shall he ever Wn ? ?^^\^'''^ son; not one
ever lo> «pon ^rfL^^ L."^Sh^^ThaT^^^ 7^^^ ^
expecting a aiessaim frnm i,; ^"'",'"™. 'ha' when I was
beside the dlS Sy o? h^L^>l "^"l^-^ ^°' "■"» ^"'^
brought to me. ItTas sett from n' f '!■ ""'^"8'' "*^
|o«o'cIock. addressed to me h™" .nd [^ ^"'i/r' ^'
-i#n to this stricken house wi?hth.K„^ 7"""^ ""^
Tie handed the messar to BirehSl an^dl'"^ '''''f '
glanced at the signatu., fsaac ahtldTht-h^ "nTel^
r>2^r:^ ml^nrir/f-r o-t f"= ^^''^ "'«
""tJsTouI t '.^!'°"^- p^"-"sni°t r' "'■*-
les, your ludship, eiffht on 'em Tin* *i
not to say noisy.' "■*^"* tliey wasn't
^^
BETTER CUT THE COUNTRr. 59
hltl" '''^^^- "" ^°" ''"''"'^' «>« "igl't I played here
'Yes sir; night afore last.*
and thtnlc J ' " ''''«'""' """' ''«'« f<" "e ? Now try
"fet Sf£?F4=;; tar
unfortunate If J te ™, iT' !'' ■', Y'^^ «"»' ™^
graph " as quiekl/jrcorfor fe'af m';" P i;?1 "^"f:
raake trouble for -ou. Thafs wh„f iy f"'u "*!""''*
wholesome dislike to (L i^Lf^ what Id do, having a
■ Thank you fcindTvverlud"hif' '"'' ^'^ -'^"""^e.'
ever there was ono fVl^ 1 .F'^^'' " '■"a' gentleman if
J., li
f t
PMii
(f
CHAPTER X
BETTER CUT THE COUNTRY AND EMIGRATE TO OAKADA..'
Walter Clifford lay iU unto death. '*'
bro7girup'c:uld° noThu!! T" ^ P^^ 'hat his name
d.:- fn theVhro s of lata feve" " He\'»TK '"^ "f'^' '
to Brito Chatteris' rooms bvhu^- !? '>'^«'' "Carried
Brian watcW ov-Jr hiH thlhe LdeTntrand n»r''"
of a woman%.Hfi fmri hi^^A ± ■ •''^v ™^^ and patience
the bestTM^aUeldan e tS'oT'T' ^ad secured
but to his .iJ^ruSnTcl e V".t^' i™ ? ^"PP!^'
'I
2
60
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
credit of saving Walter Cli/rord', life-.avi„g it, f.,. „,,at
stc^'ometfso?rhr,rev^^\»'''f '" ■""•> "P "•»
it Imd been found KeiZlRlTn'' •''^r''' ""<l«f "he.e
Dean having prccludS lf„T ^ ' " '"iormacion („ the
could dohadS lot „„d ,LT'°^;, ^'" ^>''"" h^
that the money wa, S tt^ bf 'rT .""" ''' '""' '»".
that he had taken it L« „„ u "■"' ''«' ^"^ ""• "■"'are
did not know the faetsiuTtT^ T^P'"'' .''^ ^" ^^o
wifeS;tr'fe fe^-f di tTJ''^^ ^?»? .'° Oxford, not-
with the Arnolds untnwJ-ul^,'''^!^'*''''''' »«' stayed
to be removed J loillL^"-.'."''""^'''''''^'-'--''''
and then she shared thtm'2;,Tt-^^ '^^ '=°"'^g« walls,
fort and cheer him butTrieT?„™' *°'L'™'' *» tra-
iler as he did from ever™e hnl P "'?;• ?" ^^"""^ fro"
he elung with del7Z!ZX'^ ^'^'"«'"- -" '» '"m
out^toS dlfthtt^jd'o^'^rr T' -" »«'™-
he climbed the s airs threell f ''r"'^*"g footstep as
Wrty, slangy. gZ-J^lT^Z'^^i^^lZ'^^^r^^^^
Walter from his shmor "'•^'"^"^'^^ing greeting roused
brighten up andrhtZrnest^^^^^^ ?"^. "^^^^ ^'^^
^ ^ere w^b still a measTre of ?^M '^"' °^ '^^" ^"^ ^P'^i*-
the relations f BriaToZrfr • ST ^"^ constraint in
the engap..ent wa? n^ttrTen °o""S ^ ^f A'"^
considerable friction on accoun? rf Vi.^^.^ ^^^ ^^^"
Birchali, for whom E^a could i'f /^ /"^^n^^cy with
gratitude, after the Tr^t^hl, ? *^^i ^^^^^ing but
though she saw more c^aV^^^ ^f^.^even
how much he lacked off r,?I" i ^""'^'^ himself could
of being a true gen tleianL'f^^^^^ '^" '^^ «^«»-^
concede all his food poinl,^^^^;^ i^Tat^ ^a^
BETTER CUT THE COUNTRY. gj
h.»^opi„i„,, upon Emma in nreqltcaatms ""''"""'*
had comefrom hon« wth W / '''! ''' ""''«'' "-h"
what I am to do with m, Tf S' ^'^ ^ ''™- ^'«" ""e
know. ExpeUed dhmS..T '*■]''*'« what I want to
what can ZVAmtZv' ""' "'^ ''^ ""^ f""^-'
re»pectali)e lay hero in ELh' •' *'"'^y''" '» ^'- T'>e
and you will We to quft ft Cn.' r'^''' ""' '''"• y°"
Canada. Emi^te to V^Lj *^!"* *'"^ country and tiy
advice to yX^''"«'° Canada and start afresh, that's my
'But Canada is wild isn'f if? tu i..
pupil, where vou'JI livp nn f^SV . -i "®^^ ^^ ^ ^arrn
and keep your eve onen tl ' l'^^ ^'^""^ ^''^ ^'^»'"
und li.h and Hve a fine ndv f^™ ^^,^1" "^^^^«^«' ^unt
where your ptTis^tln^Td w"^^^^ yo^i tlTT 'H
Ziir.^^^H^ deity. 'All To^r.^t^'l^trtolr
I,'. '!'
''' i.
'J
. u ■
62
'■(I
hi
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
chance.' '^"'' " ^''^Y ^ could have the
...0 la™ t'o go"dowIf rrn.,:'"'"? "^^'i"-' ^-^ *.-«
man, and if T can't w,. ^"e'*"*""' "nd t.ickk- H,e old
dufffer to give you aS' ,""??' ""' "^ "'^ ""'^^n "J
say the word and considerX H, J',' ?' ""'"«• J">"
"bout the fa>„, pnpnbu?eauthi !?/:"?,''• ^ ""'"^ ""
dozen who have ."on7ont ^7" J"" *''" ""'"^^ of « '"H
welJ. Roundrnfa"ei tin f •'■ ""!"m'^" "' "'o™ d""'!;
stock and thostXcel "Z ^ ?'' ^'^S^'^and Wood!
they my in In.oric? s!v T^' •"?/"" "' "'™'." "»
make money andTave a «^;d ? "^ '^ ," ? «" ^ '^o"'"
man want V ^""^ ''"'"' ^"'^ "''at more can a
convTctiol,.*'"'°"''"»" '■■'"" "y f^'l""-.' «aid Walter with
o«; ofTn^n^,^r;lilt,r;o:^^."^^f ^ -r^
for you, CM, you may be^sure of thar ' ''° "^ ''^'
room wondTrLlty'^tf tdZ 'f'"! '"'" ">» -"-^
Clifford worked up to live Wa^l ""' ^' '""^ «»' «'•
had advanced thJ^monevlZlt-Tl""^^'"'''- "«
class farm as a 0^,73 mrt^^ "« .Y""*'' <>" " «>«'■
business being wo' ke." th,Poui n" n' "'^ "^/'""^ "^ '^^
oMh^wtr '"-^"-"-^ ^-^ Wi^d
him a start in the new world infn h; V^^ ^^'^ ^ive
:Ctd..^"' after '^^^^'^^£1^:1^^^
•I'd hke to see him to say good-byo. I'd like to lol
y
BETTER CUT TEE COUNTRY.
63
TthSo-^nr''"' '''''-' «^---^-y-a good
•There couldn'tbo much satisfaction in that, and' -
Kex paused, and then wont on. • Fact is. old boy. I took
a solemn vow on your behalf that you would not try to
see your father or go near Inglewood. The gov. didn't
hand over the funds because ho had weakened-no in-
hi" 'l wXT ^''\'- '^'^. ''''' '^"^ ^ P"^ i^ *« hi- like
this worked on his pride, and what was due himself
mid the ancient name of Clitford ; that rot. you know
How It was JUS possible if you were pressed to extremT-
vm. r^''/'"'^"'-^'^^^'"' ^""'^-^ you had been guilty of
won d not be a circumstance to what might follow. I
put the lampblack pretty thick on that picture, but it
worked, iriy word but it worked bea-u-tifully '
You did what you thought best. I suppose.' Rex, and
l^:^"^-' ^^"'^^^^^^- I'wili'beJound
All was hurry and excitement until the time of his de ■
parturecame. Brian Charteris had insisted upon addin-
TJ'! «\«V'i^",'^ ^' ^'^^ ^ ^"yi"S ^'' outfit complete:
and a whole family going to settle in the wilds of Siberia
wouxd not need the amount of luggage-clothing wea-
pons and ools-that that one mode?n^English2 Took
Tr sale.'"" ^ '^ """^ ^^"''^"^ ^"^'^^ *^^ P"»-«l^^««
The parting between brother and sister was very af-
f^hn"rf7 ^^.P''/'^. ^" ^?"^"°' ^^^^^^ Emma was to
letuin home to Inglewood with Charteris, and Walter
accompanied by Dudley, was to go to Liverpool-Dudley
having volun eered to see him safe aboard with last in-
structions as to how to proceed upon reaching New York
Walter held his sisters hand in a hard, close grip, and
Jie said with voice choked with emotion • ^
Hrl^"""' '^'f.Sood-tyye for e /er, unless I succeed. I will
drop my old self and my old past when I leave England
and as I m a living man I will lead a different life Aftei^
64
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
J»ear from me at all.' <-iittord, or you will never
-And she never did.
1 I
l-lj
CHAPTER XI.
A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.
'on^er, at Inglewood ^ ^ "^ t'unday, and perhaps
of tho invitation woufd be tCleS of"h^> "'^ ""■""'
He was anxious to uriro a nl« 1 "'^ ^'"•>''
a'wnge .settlements wTh 4? oiiLV'^'^y "'*"'''«''.
society of his a.Hanced Wife wUhou ^T 'i"'."^ ""J"^ '^e
had atten.le,l their recent mZuuT ' '''^"•a""""^ "lat
unpleasant interview with Mr ™W^'!;°''*H ^^ ^ad tho
"i breaking the ice' w;r;cribbl'i:ro^\^S f^ ""^
^ ('■
K.nj,,a Benwell.r^;Xf;hr-- ^l"^'"' "^ ">« J^--
name^.B3"h!dtVeT»'''r ""^ ""'"'-«<"' 'he
Fred I think it was F ed ijenwe t/s""f ''^""^ "'>'"ed
I took my young scamp oi tZ2t 'n Switzerland, when
«^s a nice, quief pleZnt lad Ld h» ' *^ '*'""• ««
"" eye on that young limb of o,?« , , P'''"""^"'' to keep
-me, but could notUl\t-/„tb^„.^-l^^^^^^^^^
A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.
05
iK"oranceofherf«t o?» (iliir """'.',"« further, her
with her. ""«"«'" 'annly was rather a ao.e topic
dr:p^ tirc!!,rdl^"f ■„;: :'„^:rth '*';f'"" i^^'-"' -
versa, whieh is it to be i ]• I „ :/''° ^''"''"'"' "' ^''=''-
to a conelusion upon tL :. 1^ ''" "^^r^^ "■" "<""«
making any mistake „h '" """ >'"" won't be
minister-''^ *'' "" 8" '"airioj and the
".a.'ia8e''wren Waft:" has''-''^f "" """^'^ "> ""k »'»ut
nianne?.' '" '"'' J"*' e""" away in ao sad a
. W^ln'dTn'f ;r:e°e'".]; trZ-V-^^" --'a com.
«"oo„.fortable*'"lor,Sho "if i'ftr ^rnT'L";-/-"'"!^
so. I iave o'x^oVrift The'"„ xTo'.am "uV:, """°, '""'
my home is ready for you n,v^f,vZ.? ' ^ '''^''" '""*?•
my family will weleom^ry™^Xd Thr*''?'''^ ""''
wish of the Earl has hpon frT,. * ^; u " ""'*'■ ^'ruest
nice little wile «Z f ^■'^*'? '° •"""' •»« marry a
settle 'ItrnoartemtZ'."^ "1' r^ ''^'=''^'"' ''""'^
on my own nice littfre'tate ' °""""'^ S"""'-"""
anxtuti;:"' '"" f"'"'^^ "> --^f™'"'^' -keJ E,nn,a,
;X? Reform? Is there need?'
never to .I,Ue or h.t^'*"' f '"""'^ r'""''"" '^"^ '"^voar
,u^;.^e.i:2s:o.^^i,^:-s:t^^^^^^
if:
•It'
66
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
,< f
' Such nonsense,' said Emma cross! v ' iT,ovn • .i.-
to ffive UD buf, T Povfoi^i L n ^'^^•^^'y» there is nothing
always d?na' "^^ '^^^^ ^"^ *«^^^d him as I have
' Have him for adviser an f chosen fnVn,! ? tt i •
gagement wearips mo ar.A ^ . ^"®- ^'^^ en-
^ Hiuhuea back at a woman i whim t\^
g.ye me up for the .ake of this B.rXll%" ' "° y""
tions What i're'vTu Z'? y"" ^T'^^ and i«si„ua-
»an who, wLZ,lZst^J°lTJ^ disparagingly of a
your ring and so iZtt ■' u . ' " Vpccrite ! Talce
IJ«. ,, • ^ "*™'" W'sh to see you arain '
she't'otird W^^tii ?f T'"" !"<"»'. -
oufaTorand'ordert"'^ ^"™1^ '^•■* ""■«■" -"■»-
■with them fo"w M™fo n T"" '".P'"='^ '''^ '^f^ "nd
the late train^leflthe house^ °°'^ ''""^ ™ ""^ *»'
bS quite delltY:KyVv:rtrrtr'^rr''r'
t- ahoul.. come from Eml, wh^rThrX':;
imas I have
SOMERSET AND BIRCHALL. G7
accident, and Rex had added fuel to the llame nf \L
Zl^nl;^'^^ .nentionin, that, Miss ChZa' had
Dudley, who was present and noticed Briin' rrUv^ r.f
Luckvanr] MJao n'Kff i tit 1 » \ '"^ ^'^ O" between
thi„ri\Sotiftta^^^^^
• You might do worse.'
the wh^ Lth^ torb^rteu?^^^ trtLt
awfully, you know,' with a wicked smile ^"'
CHAPTER Xn.
SOMERSET AND BIRCHALL.
Bi:^::^ ^^t "'^^"^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^-'' -^ ^^-
Philip Dudley looked at his friend with an eKDrcssion
that was positively fiendish, and he said : '^^P^''^^^'^
and ttus'thafn'''' '^'"^ ^ ^'^"^ ^^^^ *« understand,
ana tnat is that it you ever apDronch Marion Soineisefc
or mterfere in any way between us ' ^«^'^eiset
Jieep your threats,' said Rex lightly. ' you can't shak<.
my nerve ; besides, hang it, man, f ve not^onlyapproaeh!
ed the party mentioned but I've talked with her !'.!!!
68
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
' Be serious Owt„ »g«d.but irascible papa.' °
' Well, my dark eve/ f"-'"'?'*"' ^'"'' ^o" "e™ ?
behalf, w^hittrt r„"^' : r Sff °"^ r ^"^
«'as from "yo, htnble ™"'j'J^"^. " ™d knowing it
Spaulding._£' "'"'''* >""' <i«™ted wife," Mattie
; ^ou dared to open my letter— -• .
anoddLnUitrt^nTwhn"'.'"^''^^^ ''^^"^ ■- ''"O i«
1 tell yo„, as a matter of Weld^h'n™ "7"'!"^^ ^ "^"^ "•
e'l. if you did not rneet her t W "ii^' •. '" " ''''' '"'■^'^t^n'
to your uncle mc"7'Xvtt'i'''^''r''^'^So^trmght
stories are being toSif herri'T ''"'■' ^^"^ ''"■»"««
convenience, drove out and mit u '^\S^^^'' Personal in- .
the bridge. 'l pacified her anTL^'i; V^'-"^^ P'""'^ ^y
Pfep at those ^mo marrialfiifes and .r'^ J"^' '^
vinced rae that you are a— w.ll !,',.? '*•>' ''*™ "on-
nichalities, you're a thn.n?^!.' 7' *° *°''^'' 'nto tech-
any judge ori^an^dv^^r "^'-Slrn"""'/ ''""' '^ ^■'"
that certih^ate as Rev. Jeldiah Sb h'™" fF'^
tool me. Hi<? *<fii*fc« • ^t-iuoo. jMe couJd not
in his spee"h.' "'' " ^ Pi^oaouaced in his writing as
^^J Well, get on with your a'o.y,' said Dudley in.Kffer-
mZr^;ot'tht°opse*°carwt^" "P *'^-««'' *"«
de.s tall an^l stately ZySu?"'"^ * ^^''^'^'^ god-
rav-wtectiE^
and tt';.tf ::eXl!?u,l' ''^w'^Jr"^ ^- --^^^
ing who just lef^yri ■• ^' ^"^ **"" ^f"'"" Spauld-
Bu'Jle^f s'iJS;: 'Jr^d^S ?1n^"' i't"' ^'"'-
she kissed mei ' ^ ^'^^^ ^^at was up,
m
SOMERSET AND BIUCHALL. Q^
Rex'w?„t on? '^''^ "'^^ "P ^"^ ^^^'^ ^^« -- while
'She did, pon honor! Then she scolded me for n of
coming sooner, asked when I left Londc Tsaid «' pLT''
back and ««,M t\ j ? anybody. Of course I answered
• Ah ! ' was all Dudley said
arms! Orburhr^elt'fo 'nirmrrr^fvlrt'^
owned by Mr J„rvi, ?„ » ""1 ""f"""*'! and was
the sixteenth centurytS'-l'SotnfoTo?:Mrt°j
He was now a^ed h»„i„„ „^„i,j j^^^ ^J°/?f „I;i^ '^^■"^-
i.' ^^
i'
fef*'-'
fiipT
having
son
70
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
i !
!•.
II! 1
Bmile was not very Siv L »? ^.^^.^nd and his
the quality of deptli wh S p" 7^1? ',* f"* <■"•»« " had
the d'iflere^ce bet^weer tht. wS b'e nT'l' ''°S'*'"=''
anyone might be forrivcnLT • 1 i • P "'"'y ^'=«n. '•>?««
One evenin. a ,e| dav, .;r b"''^^*;™ '"■''he other,
ter with Marfon SoleS IZ ^l ^i'''=''»"'^ »™»»-
gates of the Elms •mT, ^f ' '"'■''', ''>' ''"■"^ "P to the
looked in at tho?oL bnt^ ^ ? t P'"-t"'anteau. He
pass on when thesonnd of^ "•^''^y' ^-^ ^'^^ ^^out to
He stood still a mite I^tr^ '^^^ "^i^o"--^-
able little fronf roorand'c^Hed ''^" ""'"'"' "" '^°™f''^'-
totis^KS^rdfcSi^^J-ri-o" in answer
cheeks whose glowing S[lr T"" a"^^''^ ^"^ ^^
that had left them all^sSlirw ^""i "P *« t^*'''' •
very pretty, gipsy-looklSl Sl k?**?""^' ^^^ *»« a
at one time Ea™Zced^fiJ'T''\';'*A'y'^" *''** ■»'«'
»o_w dull and heavyTth t'^Subr/'d't'lf '*' "'=™
coml'"' -rry to see you like this, Mat2?S the new •
Mattie. You look^o nwi a^ '"" '» ''*<' «» that yet,
though I kn^w weirthtrfonVTthet? ' ™' ''^^'''
would be a hard one. But noX "?! •/ *"° T^"" P^^t ■
Without h^eip ^- sr^tihe^s^hr b^a^'b-i'
m
AN UNPLEASANT HOML^- COMING. 71
With him three days in London that I was comin- down
'wul ^.'^' r^^ ^^ ^^<^^«"*^ l^i« consent/ ^ '"^^
What did he say, sir V anxiously.
Uh, the same old thing, forbade it, of course -md ^«,M
hoteJ, But whenever you are r^ady we will bJmanip,]
I have been true to you, Mattie ' ''''^•
'Don't say so, Mr. Reggie,' said the girl, sittincr down
and bursting into tears, « I never was fit for the^ikes o
IZ T^'"' Ir""^^ '^""^y' ^'^i^ ^«d silly, and IVe been
ialse to you Mr. Reggie; there's him .,s I belon^^s to a
h^L^taTd^A^n^Se'"' ''' '''' '^ -^>^^^^s'u^
right by you V ^' "^"^^^ ^^^ "^^an
folkl'^ngu'es' wa^ "'"■^' "^^^>" ^^^-^ ^-^--g to
' Tell me his name,' demanded Re^^me
I darsent do it, sir; I've promised not.'
ihen 1 will have to find out for mvself fnr if h^ a
not do right by you I am going to kThTm.' ^" ^'''
CHAPTER XIII.
AN UNPLEASANT HOME-COMING.
Marion Somerset's reception of her brother .<non thi.
his first appearance in the house of his forefathe . «ft
over two years' absence, was verv tourhinl ^i ^^l
a loving disposition, and for wal'^ran/otherXi:
for her aff-ectioDs she had expended all hef love Lon fh?
!?i^.."_^.^^^«P«^ded, trulyf but withoutanvTl'^^^
THK SWAMP OF DEATH.
As a little toddling infant, she had fol!<,«x,l .w,.<Iff.
gie. as 8h« calle.: him, wheroever he wr.t ...wZ
wa, restrained by force; she admired Ll Ian .^ .±
■vorM-'.linl'f '*"'* ^¥* !?"«'' tl"** «'•• Somerset was
aMh, f P . \r™ 7''^" ■>« ™ «« scv ..■oulously polite
ai the Jamer table, and when they had adjourned to th^
drawing-room he opened fire at once. ->°''"""^ '» ""=
My son he said, 'did I underatand voi to sav thnt
r"st'Hi"„n^r^'^-^ ^"^* '"" '^y^ beU'^yoTcit'
' That is what I said.'
evem-nl whl f '' '' ^°?' ^?* ^'«^* C^'^^^pt the other
evening when I saw you) to the Elms, or Oxford or this
vicmity since you left, two years a^o ? ' '
It IS my very first visit, no time'excepted.'
Marion looked at him amazed, incredulous.
f l,n 1 T ^^^ ^^® ""^ °^® evening in the park down bv
the laburnum bushes, and speak to me ? ' ^
You know I did not.'
sneering?^' '^ ""^ '"'"'" °*^'' ^*° ^^^ ^^^^s like you ? '
; It is barely possible. Certainly it was not I'
If ou have not met Millie Spauldina by ri^ht ao-nin
^ ^0, not once till this afternoon.'
i ou are a liar ! '
' Old man, ■ ' : e you but one degrer :nfirm even
»u trri mxr fo+u^- T 1^ , ""11", even
-. -_ ...J. i„..iici, i wuuid 6 , ve you till
were yoi
you
AN UNEXPECTED HOME-OOMINO. 73
asked piirJon for that word T ,1,^ «„. j x
fidsehood I nfiithsvfl™ ^° '"'' '^'^"'^ to stoop to
You have SolhtteTJriJtT^'''' ""I'l^'^S f™"" fo"'
a helping hand, and n^Slfnf Hf!' t ^y P'^^^g ^e
sible, but if throu-h vou whS T J l^fPP^ness pos-
been stolen from mevnn 11 ii i'^"" "'^''^ P^^^^^^s ^^s
tempt and exec, tion^ ^ ' ''^'" ^"^^ "^^ ^^^'^'^-g eon-
The old man had been standing close beside Jiim « i.
spoke low and calmly, and his Jonnd r«H f ^.f -^^
Regc^ie caught the hand in a grip that wo., lit. •
ri^?5:irhttvdkixtt^ ^
of this distressing scene he slid wi /hi ^ i' ^^P^^i^^^or
0. J, I overlook i^JZj'&IZl^^^t^i'^i
He dropped the old man's wrist evpn «« t.^ i
turning his back upon him wXed over !' 5 • P-'^^' ^''^
kissed her lightly on the brow ' ^'' '''*^'' ^°^
'Good-bye, sis/ he said, doggedly ' I shall n^von
back again while my father lives ' ^' "^^^^
jg — — — « *-'^/vtJ
, !^" 1
74
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
their trysUng place in his boyish days when he first Igvc)
blackeyed, saucy Mattie Spaulding.
He walked slowly here, tli inking rather sadly of past
and future, when from beyond the sheltering bushes
he heard voices, and. listening intently, crept forward
He could make out that the ibrms were those of a man
and woman, but the darkness hid the rest.
r. ^^^: v°"^^ distinguish that the womnn was Mattie
.•••p;< Hiding, and that she seemed agitated. The man's
V. icf he heard distinctly, but not his words ; he seemed
to .ri .soothing her and giving her directions or council,
an.l a^ they parted he put into her hand something that
mighr j.ave been a purse. As Mattie turned somethin-T
whitf slipped from her dress and fluttered down close to
Keggif .», feet.
{Somei:,et let Mattie go unchallenged, but quietly set
out to follow her companion. The man wore leather her.
ginga, cordnroys, and short brown velveteen coat and^a
srnall peakc-d cap, and in his hand he carried a ridin^
whip.^ This Somerset noticed as the man passed a black"^
smiths shop where the ruddy glow from the forge lit up
the darkness. He began to gain upon him, but when he
had almost reached the little wayside inn Somerset saw
the stranger vault into the saddle and flipping a coin to
the hostler, who had held the bridle, he put spurs to his
horse and galloped off.
' I would know hitn again anywhere by voice and ap-
pearance muttered Reggie, 'and if he's playing false to
the girl I loved and who once loved me, he'd better look
to It ! 1 suppose he's the man my father mistook for me'
That same night Mattie Spaulding left her home with-
out a word or line, and the presumption was that she and
Master Reggie' had gone to^icther, 'andquite time too'
the old dames whispered to each other, with wise wao''-
gmgs of the head. °
That same afternoon, the day upon which the flight of
Mattie Spaulding was discovered, Philip Dudley was at
on he first love -J
AN UNEXPECTED HOME-COMJNQ. 75
back. They were lnm,l>i.f! . '"," "'"" '«stine on its
that a footslp app 0^^ :<f ,L"' '""'''"p ^° '"•"* ""i™
upon it wa., u„l,4Vd Tv "im ^i"?!-"",'' "i ?"""'^ knock
froa a flying visit to Lndl Tl "I. V""^"'' ■■«'•"•"«<•'
ev<.nts of l,is%„,.nev and "„?!,• ^^ ^"^cribed tho
there wa, in coUege'over rwin""^ '^"T" u"-" "f* >■''»'
a ton of the felC7 the nlX Ty ''\''*'' 8'™" »"
had got blind drunk, and in To „„ I,?' "Jf '*' ^^"^
hrtXTnt'etr- '-« - '^ ^ r-=. -1
o«e <)lfe lr:VlXV^t foirtl ""f -'""«
.en^^t'^ve'rTl'lTrafh" l!^/V-«^«cal!y tha
and miscellaneous artloTs flilf f"'*',, '^f-P'^'-- .'<>l'««'' .-
His fiice flushed hn it „„ Jk-^ " *" ''"''ection.s.
ed hi,n entirely and Re^x7ook/„' "^oj^tsang froui desert-
.".ck ey., .as the faort& ^^^fZ ^^
Marion had started at fi> Acrht nf tj- i n ,
momentary resemblance she h/^" \ . ^^^^^^a"» but the
threw back his head and lauc^td T'^'l, '^"\^^"^ ^« ^^
"n^sightly teeth, to see Mip^ rvin JTo^^ -^T""^ ^'^'
waHrro;S^^^^^^^^^^^^ carriage was
her father had had a sli'hT 1 ^f-^^' ^^^^ ^""^ning
Dudley, and it hal aVrS ffsa thatt'd' ^^'^^^
have his lawy.. -ummoned and Ms neptl Ph^''''^ *'
He has o; aire] led with p^ "? "®P"ew, .Philip, also,
said in a low" flT „„ I^*^, ^^SS^e again Phil.' karion
--.-> c. thuy siood apart near the door^
1 . ''I
1^
n
c SVVANP OF DEATH.
dnd MO means to alter his will. Mattie Spauldinf^ has
left hamo, went away in the night, and Reggie was seen
talku:g to her in tijo evening down by the rustic bridge.
I came to ask you to find him ^'or me Piiilip, tind him and
bring him bnck ; for .iiiibi vv^iii not last long and it he
should die and they estranged see how terrible it would
be ! He must not make his will feeling as he does against
Reggie.'
' I will do my best/ said Philip, * but in the meantime
I will go down and see my untie as he wishes.'
' I thought perhaps you would try to trace R<^ggie, and
not go down to papa. You know his old lodgings in
Russell Square, and he will perhaps go there, and be-
sides,' with a wintry smile, ' I would rather you did not
come to the Ehiis. I tlrnk papa mc-ditate., making you
his^heir instead of Reggie.'
lilip's soft southern eyes flashe ' with the greed of
and turning to Birchall he said, ' Mr. Birchall allow
me^o present you to my cousin, Miss Somerset.'
Marion bowed frigidly and Rex, with an ea>sy familiarity
that had h sort of charm, acknowledy^ed the introduction,
keeping his smile in full play.
' Mr. Birchall is goinr^- up to London by the evening
train, M-^ ion,' sanl Phi p, 'anl he can trace Reggie as
well as 1, ) thtit youi will shall be obeyed as wll as
my uncle's. Rex pan hunt up Reggie while 1 put m a
good word ^■■v the headstrong boy, with his stern parent.
' Would you, though, I vonder? 'biie said, thoughtfully.
'It is hardly fair to troul e a stranger '■vth our ia,mily
affairs, perhaps Mr
said Rex, readily, ' arr\ t Inng T can
w' be quite a lea^sure I'm sure.
n
he cairiage Marion ^nd then return
and give Rex directions as to how to procee*! in London.
Ca:i you give me a lilt then, or shall I go out by train ?*
' Oh, as to troubl'
do for Misp Somerh<
Trouble ? (on't mer
' I will see you to
'There is plenty of room in
coldly.
the carriage,' she said
MISTAKEN ,„KNriTV TIUT WO.iKKD nofll WAVS. 7J
swell';-,!™ ™'^;:L«- t^^^^-^y^ •v;-'™ «
chase like this.' "'® ^^ ^" *^ ^^^^ g^o«e
arij. E Wng T can
lasure I'm sure.
CHAPTER XIV.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY THAT WOKKED BOTH WAY?
knov^T ''° "'"''"''» >-»»«»'-e8emblini somebody you
luokint ■ ^ '""' '■«^^'»l''a°ce- Keggie k much better
tliought was ^Lt' "'^ '''''"^•'"' ■"hich she
J'onteblret'"' '"'" ""•" '"P- ■"><» "0 ">o- was
bold siirnafnrn «.«:1 !r.. '!!' * A.Il.Somerset3'whose
J, „... „,„.-.,«-^-,5^-5^ ^^-j^ ^^^^j^^ register, had gone
i '•
hi-
.A </
if|.
78
TUK SWAMP OF DKATH.
out. Ho thoiefore made his way to ' tho club' and cn-
Zl'^ir r'''^'^ ^"^ despatched him with a r.ote to
Barnes the Jjvery man, and .sat down to wuitiur the re.
ply. We had been there but a few moments when some
one entered and closed and locked the door belS hT
Rex looked around with surprise, and then seein!" hat k
v^as a stranger he stood up, favored him with a h^nt n
Solent stare and then made an offensive remark, coupIchI
with words the effect that it was like his im'pu<£
11 ey stood facmg each other, Reginald Birchell and Re' ^
nald Somerset. They noted their points of resembla'roe
and heir points of ditference in the long stare that the^
levelled at each other, and then Somerset drew a pistof
and cockmg it said : i^'^iui,
'Excuse my rough methods, but I come fiom the Can-
:!;:t alfcik :!ihV^ '^" ''''''^'''^''^ '-' '
'Same kind of talk ?' asked Birchall. equably, drawing
a pKsk>l from his pocket and levelling it widl nice ac^
'Are you John Bambridge V demanded Somerset.
Rex started s ightly at the name, then he said coolly ■
You may call n.e that if you choose,! haveno oreatir
attachment tor ono name than another Come, sit down
and tell your business. Mr. Canadian '
to his^h^i!^] ^^n '' •' ^'""^ ^'f P^^^*^^ ^'^ *^« t^ble close
to Ins h.ind. and beginning to be a little ashamed of his
sfagey proeocmng. He was favorably impresse.l by t e
hai,py.go.lucky, cool, dare-devil stylo of the nrnnw o
looked like hm, and he spoke out plainly as was natural
wro^tl \hl Tf ^°^" B^-^n^l^ndge you are the man who
wiote this note -passing across the table a half sheet
of^note paper that had evidently been crumpled up into
Rex took it and read aloud : ' Meet me to-night at the
old spot. Important, John Bam brid<ve' "" ^
MISTAKEN IDENTITY THAT WORKED BOTH WAYS. 79
1 p ckc(l up at the rustic hnd<ra down by the Elms last
n g» t. after witnessing your parting with Mattfe Tpau .
din^r if you are that man. and havin<r seen vou I W„
nodouMyou are. I have a few plain wJrds to JaTto you '
^ IJ^ire away, I m the man, sure ! ' ^ ^
' Do you intend to mai-ry her ? '
; Good heavens, no, Mr. Canadian! Why should I?'
said Rex, good-humoiedly. ^ ^
'1 will tell you why: Two years a^ro I left home to
%ht my own way in the world so that I could Lrrv and
TeTue Indf ' ' tf . ^ll^ ^^^'^ n- Tnd pScH
M^is successful T.:'^ ^k' i^T """^"-^^ ^'^'^^^ '^^ ^^^
was snccesstul. 1 came back to marry her and find fh*f
she has been false to me. that some ^1^X3 tu&^d
te'n n. r ^^%^l'^^^i>-' black-hearte<l scoundrel ai^ou
tell me to my face you do not intend to marry her ! ' ^
saw the mistake that was being made, that he was ook-
o sSd" tef P^' ^? this^disgraceful atfair,Tns?ead
b ,f ?hpn fl, ^^^fi^'« ^^"»P''^«e was to deny his culpability
,-nt f i^ "^"^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^™'^' ' I'll be getting Dudley
mto.trouble. and as Dudley knew all about his coS
cap and played Judas it will look blacker for him than
delltrt'i-"'? '• ""f ^''. T»^ ''^'^ -f generosity and fi-
delity to his friend made him temporize
Somerset demanded an immediate marriacre as theonlv
reparation possible, and in default, death at hi hands ^
Kcx seemed impressed, and talked vaguely about in-
tending no harm, but that he did not see hts way clear to
ge married, and talking in a semi-penitenll semt
blustering way, he began to pace the floor leavino Ma
pistol on the table, falkino L he went, with Surn
spr nTt'oXhi'''" '' ^^""^^^; ^"^ ^' '^'' with a sudden
Sdfe^?fl^ r •''"^7'"'' ^']'^ -•''^■''P^^g ^i™ round the
rill -1 "^ ^'!™' ''^'^"" '^"^ ^1^' and threw him to the
tloor With ft cr^sh. Then before Somerset could recover
4f
m
80
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
"I
inJti:-^^\':ZT' '"'^"^^ '""S^"*^ loud, and hoIJ-
Wh^T^'v-''"' """ "■"' " P'''"y summerset I ' .
\Uen Martin rei„,„ed Birehall went awav lockin-rthe
outer door, and, giving Martin tl.e key, toWhmnotto
Tleader ^ ' '"■' """^ '""^ ''^■"""^'' ^^ rightful place
Tliey visited their usual l.aunts, going from nlace to
place, growing more uproarious as th? eveninHrew old
^■rZo^l "^ThlJto"'* ' »'>-P'^-e»;"p''er^::Birl
the; rnTthrlSgS' the S "o? oSd"'%^''« ' ?°" '
ing, ringing dooi4ells, dem^lS-ing^signs's';^'^^^^^^^^
lamps, dancing, and making nigh! hideouT * '"'" •
u^tpW ^*^'='"'?'J/ P^nt near where the club was sit-
rintrsrrrp^ee-^te^^^^
your lives boys .■give a teriffi wm-.tholp 'and wmI
MISTAKEN IDENTITY THAT V,„ -rd BOTH WAYS 81
in a nightmare th!„.F- J'l' '."•'I'l^'^'y as one doel
i doubt of that HaTd tKld"'' r"7' "f'^ '^ "'"
rxis senses were all IZZ^T ' ^fM ^' ^ "^^ ^^^^^^^'^^
ejected the girand sawT"'- ""' ''" ""*'-bo"nd hand.,,
•Dudley, you fool, you've nabbed the wi-on,r „,»„ ,•
An execiation fell from PhJli,,'. f ™'"-
bandage from Bird ,iri 1„ 'V' ''P-'' "' ''» *»■« he
really he and not Re. n„l7«' ^"'^ I'f'S *-^<>^ '' was
prolonged mh-th! andS ° """'' ''' ''"'■^' °"' '"t"
not know thft HJff«».o — , IT , "^. '!- ^^' ^our face I did
"" -v'.w: 4J.M,.' iiai aa i iial'
r
f'
id
m ' '
82
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
to
»- you^goingto do wUh m'e 1 '"'"" "'""'""'• W'""
J:'liilip laughed and said, ' Only keen vm, nninf f
ped you out of the countrj' " ^ """'"* *'*™ *'P-
ti»^r^rttL'd°£rsTi:' ''''™ •'^-^"■•"s^" 'hat
I mgomg to aid and abet murder and suohHC! ""^
you've mistaken vour man tII ^uch-like crimen
you can. marry hfssistTrTfsh.Tr^ ^""^^ ^ '"^"'' ^^^^ ^<
to disinherit ^n:!:'X1^^Z 'like'tt'lef th"
poor beggar have his life if it's anfuse to him ! ' "' '^'
li ! m
,i t
CHAPTER XV.
TREADING THE DOWNWARD ROAD.
Aller'non dJZTJ Je ^ Dro'ian hr' '"''"'"''T'
number who were rusticated ° "'"""S^ ""^
leaoSeprfcrfttt™^^
n.a, hav. oonciv^ed h.^adtpXalV^bS^d^U^^
m .
*i
TREADING THE DOWNWARD ROAD.
83
ho had gone to his cousin's place of durance and liberated
.him, telling a plausible tale of how he came to learn of
his whereabouts. But to Reggie's inquiries for John
JiaiDbndge he could give no information. He had never
heard of such a man, did not think there was such a
name in Oxford, or a man of his description, knew noth-
ing ot the rooms where Kegoie had been confined, knew
nothing, absolutely; and Martin, the caretaker, was in
just the same state of dense ignorance.
He could learn nothing of John Bambridge, but still
he waited and watched for him, living secluded in Dud-
lev s rooms.
Rex Birchall had not been idle. He had been to the
homes of both Crummy Davidson and Donovan, where
the black sheep were received with very scant welcome
and in his cheery, plausible way, and not without a good
deal of trouble, he succeeded in inducing Davidson's
tather, who was a wealthy brewer and had several sons
who were a credit to him, to send Crummy out to Cana-
da as a farm pupil, as Clifford had gone.
Donovan's father was only a lawyer and so could
notatlord heroic measures to cure his son of folly so
Jerry was left to shift for himself, and, free from the old
Oxford associations lie soon settled down and following?
in his fathers footsteps is likely to become a famous ad-
vocate.
In Davidson's, as in Clifford's case, all negotiations
wore entered into through Dudley ; and another Oxford
nuui who had got into difficulty was sent out to Canada
in the same way, and was Davidson's companion.
When Birchall return<3d to Oxford about a month
atter, Dudley informed him that his cousin Reoinald had
grown tired of waiting with a loaded revolver for the
betrayer of his sweetheart, and had taken himself off for
parts unknown, presumably back tq Canada, where he
!iad ueen domg well and Hd two iiuq farms in the vicin^
ity of Niaijara,
iiii N
M
84
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
t>- soon. and then. t^n,lnT^ir.l'::;t'l>XZ
' The Stately Marion, of coursp To i.
low her repugnance and A,a?"v 'm, n 't ^r ^ *^ ^^^i"
l>e sacrificed ? I wanf i^v^ ^?^' ^^ ^^^ she refused to
^ike her myself.' ^ *' ^^"^' ^^«^"«e I think C uld
wh'^ft &^ in a spirit of mischief or
pntie loveliness, is a ma te^^f 2,?^^ J^^ by Marion's
l^e began to cultivate the acquaints n.' ^^Kl'^"^ ^^^^ ^ay
In his rides and drives the F m ""^ ^''' Somerset
point; if herowedon tLunSr.fT.''^^^^'««^J««tive
^-as apparently for the m4 X 'n^'*t'' "^ ^^^ ^'^'^^^ it
neys of the old stone house or w?/v T'""^ ^^'^ ^him-
W that flitted amonrth/,r'^?^?^^^^ite-clad
nver terrace. AndSon /rewt vt 't ''''' '^ ^^e
nhinyn her loneliness, for herlth.^' ^'"^ ^"^ ^°°fi^Je
invalid whom anv <,urhi.^ i! ,. ^as now a helpless
From Philip SudletsLr^ T'^^^ ^^'^^^^^ly l^ir'
that her fathe? had mTd ^ tiTr- "^^ fbhorrenee, now
h's good looks and his fscinrt nn "" )!' ^^^^- ^iih all
with other women, he td ^ever beT^^Kr^ ^^P^^^"^
toleration from his cousin ShJ hoi f ''^^ *° ^'^^ ^^^n
because from the day of M. «<? f"^ ^^^^•>'« ^^ted him •
been the good, pious'boy, who^e alV'T^^ *^^^ ^' ^^^ '
ed m such stron<. contrast mI ^^""''^ble conduct show-
Jtrongways; and in tei lui^ Wt'f l^'^ wilful, he J-
that his goodness was allfn o^i •" ^^^^ intuitively
obtrusively pursued hlT a'fd'^he'f'lf^f f ^"^ ^^^ ^^^^
would be almost willing to marivlw ^^ ^'"«<^^ *^^^* «'^e
endless wooing. But M^th B rcha! P ^T^ ^^ ^'"^ ^« ^'^
^ ^ H im liiichali 3 advent came relief
m
TREADING THE DOWNWARD ROAD. 85
She liked him because he reminded her of that dear brother
whose disappearance was so deep a grief to her and be
sides he was always jolly and full of^fun. and so cheerful'
a companion in that dull house. And i the frienSin
did not ripen into love there was all the outwai^ Z
that It had. and when Mr. Somerset and his dau 'h1er
left the Elms for the continent, where tl old .e,U fman
hTItZf''''' '°"" ^'''"'''^ b^^h^' it ™ thought
rL SalT ^"°^S-ement existed between Marion and
Though the old hilarious crowd had been nartiallv
van Kex was the eader among a numerous folio wine, and
by degrees he fell into more pronouncedly disreputable
ways, lost what social standino- he had o- i/ed Ihvnn i u •
realb^ brilliant gifts and his Idapl^bilTty'anf g att
w" th mL"" '"' "^"^ "^" than^iimse Aould'IstS
Just before leaving Oxford a rupture of the friendiv
relations between Dudley and Birchall took place 1 ud ev
had always taken pains to keep out of hii mn!f ' . ^
scrapes always minaged to .tLd 4el Jth?^l S h"
au horLties, attended lectures regularly and purs, 'edS
college course with distinction, while at the same mVL
under^rads '""^'' ""^ ^'"'^^"^ '''^'-'^ of the
ih^n'i^^'^l' frien<3ship with Miss Somerset was the first
room%X"ai,- •' ""' '''''' '"^^^^^^^ ^ S^-^-"'«
ca:' i!r!t^h ' .i:;^: b^K^luK?" :f ^'^ ^r ^ ^^^
i>nHli^^».a wri. ' , ^"^"ounaed as youare by vour
— •* *•:■•-? V ^•'u: iJi*r rriir iimrr A.k* i i. rr .. " '.
mg my dog on li
)l 1
t?
I em.
lU)
w they jump
86
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
!l 1
When he puts back his lip and shows his fan-s ' And if
oZl \ ^ any commission on putlir.g me into the
clutches of your emigration bureau I've put 1 lot of
'ect, / u pluck my geese and eat them, too ' Cnimmv
Davidson wntes l,„me that he has b.en put to sk'ep n a
and feed swme, and wash at a pump; his money wa,
conhdenced out ofhim i„ Kew /o.k, and Lrpenniress
and disgusted, and wants to come home ' V>:nmi<^
jeZs"if othS z:t;J^^ : ,Tai -gtit
::^t' H^.3™i\'4at'?'^- '" »<• ab^usedw?r:7h:
•Its queer that we don't hear from Clifford ''
JJudley turned ghastly white for a moment and thpn
"ftlVk't^^ ^"^ acknowledged that it was.
mS ttt%eri)JdU^-'^*^^^ ''' ^'''' ^^'
wh^fe "^'^ "!? *^ ^""^^ ^^"^^^^ Bi'-chall was in earnest
whether he really suspected Dudley of foul plav orif hi^
msmuations and remarks were all idle talk b^u'tlcoo
ness sprang up between the two men, and W drifted
in Tsisl^'r ?''^'^\ ^'^' ^^^«^^ suddenly, a^s he dfdl
m 1888, they had ceased to recognize each other.
PART II.
leiever he
IN LONDON.
CHAPTER I.
YOUNG BENWELL ENCOUNTERS MISS SOMERSET.
It was a raw, damp day. Rain fell with a do;^'ged per-
sistency that was most irritating to pedestriansr It was
a, penetrating drizzle that oozed its way into every spot
or crevice that was exposed to its influence, made the
London pavements slippery with a fine slime and made
walking or driving equally unpleasant.
Coming out of a shop in Cheapside a young man stood
for a moment and looked up at the leaden sky while he
unfurled an umbrella and turntd up the collar of his
macintosh coat. He walked quickly till he came to a
corner and then was about to enter a Holborn k Oxford
omnibus, which was apparently almost filled with passen-
gers inside, but seeing a lady step up evidently with the
same intention, he moved aside and allowed her to take
the one inside space that was left, and then himself
mounted to the outside where there was no lack of room.
The sweet, appreciative smile that was flashed upon him'
from a pair of soft hazel eyes warmed his heart but did
not h(3lp a particle in keeping his body dry, and long be-
fore the Holborn restaurant was reached he felt extreme-
ly uncomfortable.
Without biBing good-looking, Frederick Benwell's face
had about it an open, disengenuous look, an expression
pleasant and straii^htforward. FrH nklv flp<l feorl«"°i" ^-^
87 •"
-m.
* %
& ii
88
THE SWAMP OP DEATfT.
ii* , >
looked out of a pair of short-sighted grey-bhie eyes will-
As his condition grew more disngreeable. his rather
thick upper hp protruded more noticeably, gi-inrr his face
ti:ettL^rUT'^''' Y\' ^^'''^' was'^io^ntradictd b"
tne patient good humor of the eyes
A liasty observer would have looked at him with his
thrck, almost back hair, dark skin, full temXs 4d re
o? h[:.^^T' ^^1 ^'l'^' ^^'"^" "°«^' '^' -""d^ing contour
of his cheek and chin, and have set him down as a re
served young Englishman, inclined to sulk. But a clo'e
tt vouth"'" H "^"1 ,T" '''^''y '''^ ^^^ characte of
the youth, and would have more truly appreciated hi^
mLlXrttTe ^^^-^^--gh-li^-ebrerfr^'lli;
misjudged, but he never made any effort to correct anv
erroneous opinion of him. He suffered through t beln"^
sensitive, but shrank from asserting himself, and let&
the great revealer, exhibit him in his true lidit or le ve
him unappreciated to the end. *= '
As the 'bus stopped at the Holborn restaurant Ben^
Td rV^^ "^^' r'^^"^ ^' ^'^^ before noticeraMt
and as she did so she glanced up at him, wher^ he sat
huddled up m the rear corner, with a look of grave sym
s'atch^eUhaVh/d f P^t' ""*' ^''^""^^^ '^^ ''^^' - -^11
up'^:^ri,\nd s::S^ Tis^:^s^^t
grow dusk and Southampton-road was aTve'^f hS
hastening homeward. Benwell managed to keep the shC
black.robed figure in sight till close to RuS Squa ^'
he'r^d Pr-^^"'^--"-g he Jost her. andlTrn
I'^wWet bTr."'^ "^^ almost deserted, she
H. J^f T"^ down in the gathering gloom he walked past
the tall roM^s of lodging-houses, 'their dingy red frees
TOUl^a BENWELL ' . -COUNTERS MISS SOMERSET. 89
cato the parfcular abode of the owner 7,utsaih,t
<1 n^Lrn'mT '" frT """'^ '™ '-"^k upon he gar^
len that ornamented the centre of the square and re
tracmg h,s steps continued his iuterruptedToumev s[m
keeping possession of the lost property ^ ^'
In his room that night Benwell searched the small
Wack morocco handsatchol with its silver mounting an I
bXr„ffTthr-'S' '^'t,^- S- on the clasp. andX.Se
photograph of the owner of the satchel, a rein ,UbIy fine
keness even m its unfinished state. BenweiJ -W upon
It admiringly and the clear, true, though mour ful eves
seemed to look back at him with somethin^rad : d p^
phetic m their steady gaze. *=* P
sZ^.r/"'^ IT^ ""t^P^"^ ^^"«' having the nam'^ J^Fisa
Somerset upon them, that were for rather lai.e a.-iou ts
?h. A''T t v^ '^^* ^^•^' «^°^«d plainly thaf her : o
the city had been upon business. There was no t-a d .?
itZ'^f^T ""TH '^' ^^^' *o indTcat to whom
the satchel belonged. It contained also a ourae wTth ?
3et :Vr""^Tu."°^ ''^' silver, andTLnner
podcet a letter on thin paper, written in a small, round
ter^bnnll-nV-'^^*? H^ "^^™^^* ^^^^^^ reading the let-
It w«' •?? '\'"/«^* '^^"^^'^'^ ^ «1"^' concluded to do
so. It was without date or headline and ran as follows^
p
}i
)^ji
■r
S 3 1
90
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
. ,l!l ,
I ' f
' Dear Cousin Marion :
tate that belonys by riaht to vnn «Sm V V"* . ^"" ^^^"^ ^^^ ^^'
come be reatric'ted To a^Jeggarly alW^^^^ -nd your in-
born compaiuon, and wil' npobably nevor Srn oJ ""Tl
your refusal to contest the mil wiLlTlf^A ,?"« 6?,^^ '^""l*
breaking off of vour encraomJ!!!! ^ ^*v«'.»"d that will .,. the
guard^ou and care foVyou. Promte to L^" ^-P^^- ^ ^^"^'^
and kt no urge my suit fo^r ?he last K " ""' ^"'' ^'"°^ "^°''«'
' Ever devotedly yours,
' PHILIP V. D.'
Whoa iienwell finisheil reading the letter which cold
VSXJ"^^^^"^ ■;!" »r^'^'"S he wantelto know
Jd ^JtatrtLttv'rrsrt'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
* I m very sorrj you're engaged 1 '
CHAPTER II '
A JOYFUL SHOCK THAT KILLED'
JOYFUL SHOCK THAT KILLKD.
ms
01
Rcturnir... from the conti cnfc some mor.ths before she
^ol tofhnTlT""'^T^' ^\J-"Jon- and instead o
goim to a hotel they went to the lodgings that had in
The lodging hoaso wa« kept by a nan who ha.l
years before been hot,se-keeper at fhc butTmd lef
ne r.eJped out her scanty income by Jetf it ' rooms M.-
.omerset had greatly .n/roved in heritrandseeSlikdy
o last several years yet, and one day when Marion was ou^
upon a .s^^oppingexpa.tionthe postman brc^clh" a letter
addrcsseu o h,m in an almost illegible .crawl. It w s fmm
that hei daughter had come home to die and was now
^r^nSrlharMrV"'-'^'"'^ ''' died she ha" to^ld
hZ Tf \ I ' ^''^»'^ "^^^ "o<^ the companion of
her tlight nor had. ^e seen him excepting once since he
first went to Cunadrt. She refused to tell the name of the
nimm uxtoi- and had had her marriarre lines nnfil «
had got them fr. ,n her and would not return them Slie
hna gone to London where her husband for a wMle ,ud
phedherwante, but growing tired of her had toU Z
The old man, stricken to the heart with remorse for the
way he had treated his son, despatched a meren 'er for a
lawyer and before Marion returned he had made a new
it^t he s^^^^^^^^^ '''r''''''y '' ^- - "^''^ direct -
cions that he should make what provision he chose for his
SIS er and cousin The estate was to be leftin the hands
J '"J
.\
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
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1.0
1.1
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14.0
IL25 iu
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Pho
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JU«L^~d{JiUU
Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SS0
(716)872-4303
^o*" n^v
■^
'^
92
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
ii i
Tho old man, feeling weak and stricken, was sittinn- in
the goaming when lUarion returntd. He heard lior
footfall ou the stairs and a heavier step that followed it.
Ihe door was thrown open and Marion said, with a sort
01 excitement in her tone :
'Father, are you there ? I have a visitor to see you.'
The old man had been thinking of his son with ten-
derness and contrition, had been wondering if he should
see hira once more before he died, and, looking up he
saw his daughter and just behind her the figure of a man.
Just then the fire burst into flame and the ruddy gleam
lighted up both faces, and tottering forward with out-
stretched hands, the old man said :
'Reggie, my son, forgive ! ' and falling forward on hi.s
face, expired.
'He thought you were Reggie,' said Marion to Rox
liirchall, as she stooped over the stricken form, and then
cried out wildly that he was dead.
But the letter that Mrs. Spaulding wrote was nover
seen by Marioa
After that when Marion returned to London she sav/
little or nothing ol Rex Birchall, although he had left
Oxford and was endeavoring to make a living in hb
great Metropolis, He had grown tired of Marion am
wearied of the acquaintanceship, but not wishing to give
her pain, still maintained the old attitude toward her
when they met.
Meeting Dudley unexpectedly one day, Dudley stopped
him and said :
' We have not been friendly of late, BirehJl, but for
the sake of old times will you tell me if you still intend
to marry my cousin ? ' His manner was abrupt, but he
seemed in deadly earnest, and that the matter was of
vital importance was proven by tho hard indrawuigof
the breath and clenching and unclenching of his hamU.
A JOYFUL SHOCK THAT KILLED.
ward on his
5 was novcr
03
if
Rex looKed at him and said slowly, • No I dor
you re anxious to know; and if you^ want 'to do me a
favor you can tell your cousin so. ^ It would pay me a
Erhutban'r" '' ''''' ''' ^^'' ^' ^- ^-'^- "h-
»,;i.'^lff'^°''^'i^°"?^^'^''^y «P«^en, but they recurred to
His life in London was characterized bv much fho
le^ noisy, but all at once a new element was infused into
wfstTnf'fi? .''i™'"f. P?""'>' "*■ ">» residence of Mre
vl™^ l.f''*' ^'^ Birchhall first met pretty, winning
vivacious Florence Stevenson, with her feir fecund
bnjht eyes. He fell at first sight madly In We and £
m!fZr '"^ °°"°"8 in returning Ls lov?in?u£
Bi^:.« jr ote^^ -?s
^otr'hfSoS^nT {rn-d «'"-^^- -"■
Chester fn T^Vn.^I« q. . Archdeaconry of Man-
p
V 1
H
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
'^- I
CHAPTER III.
%-
A DAWNING LOVE.
One dfiy, it was a bright summer dav, when Russell-
squaro was alive with nurse maids and perambulators
.md httle toddhnnr youngsters rolling on the L'rass or
scampering up and down the gravelled walks, a dark-
complexioned, clean-shaven young man was walkincr
along the pavement tr; ing to look as if he had busincs"
there but failing signally.
Whenever he had been in London since the day he had
ound the satchel Frederick lien well had taken the Hol-
born bus, and getting out at the selfsame spot had wander-
ed along Southampton Road and around Russell-square
but had never yet had his toil rewarded.
But &i last fortune smiled upon him and out of
the corner house, at whose windows ] ad looked so
often, came gli.ling the graceful Hgure o. Mauon Somer-
set, and with a book under her arm and a key in her hand
she went towards the entrance gate of the <raivlen
Benwell stepped forward hastily and intercepted her,
lifting his hat politely, '
, ' Why, is it you ?' said Marion, lifting her clear eyes to
Jns face and recognizing him '"nstantly.
'Thank you,' he said in a mannoi- that was humble vet
elated 1 hoped you would remember me. I have tr"ied
to hnd you ever since that day, now so long a^o '
'You are very kind, she returned, and then upon a
sudden impulse she added, as she unlocked the ijate
Would you like to come in ?'
Then he told her of why lie had sought her and of how
he had advertised the lost article but had received no re-
A DAWNING LOVE.
95
had business
pi}', anci of liow lie had treasured her photographic proof
until It had faded all away, and vanished into blackness.
Ho told it all in sui-li a Htrai<j;httbrward boyish way,
diflidently rather than boldly, that Marion was drawn to-
wards him and encouraged "him to talk and tell her all
about hinistdf and his occupations and aims.
He told her of his home lite, of his exploits at Chelten-
ham College and in Sivitzerland, of his residence in New
Zealand, and his liking for adventure and a free open air
life uncramped and untrammelled.
Ha anmsed and interested her, she began to feel
toward him as toward a youncfer brother— not that ho
was younger, but he seemed like a boy, for she counted
her age not by years but by sorrow.
He appointed a time for retuihiiig her lost property,
and when he came, Marion welcomed him sweetly. He
expected she would have made some remaik about the
letter he had read but she did not, and he could not
summon up enough courage to broach a topic which he
had learned of in such a surreptitious way ; and so for
want of a little plain speaking a mistake went uncorrect-
ed that perliaps altered the whole course of their lives.
Benwell had gone to Russell Square many times, and
was upon terms of great intimacy with JVIarion, and had
i¥iver encountered any man nor seen any signs of a
lover's presence; but one evening when he had come
from Cheltenham, unexpectedly, he called and found that
Marion had company.
He had run up, as often previously, to Marion's parlor,
where she and her solemn faced cliaperon received him,
when through the open door he saw reflected in a mirror
that stood at an angle in the corner of the room, a
picture that set his heart to beating strangely.
A very hardsome man dressed in evening clothes, with
ft camel ia in his button-hole, was bending toward.
Manon with impassioned love in every line of his count-
enance. He was holdinor her hand and as Ben well
06
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
averted so that Tfs .L e!^ "-, ^""""^ '«<=« «"»
but he thouBht to hin S K-.r"? '"1' "^ ">« spectator,
iogly attractive a man ^^^ " """"8 »* ^ ^l-"k.
edt 'rfd''"„t:;"^:i7''^H:i !f ■•.«• *»."' ■'^ ™-
determined to ttce fromT' Hi, "^'v ""^ <*»"8«'- ""J
not seen whither he wasdri?* ^*1. ''T ''"'«'°''« h^'l
been secure, Itnowim- ^M. " "*^' '"' """'S'" >>» had
inff of the 1 ttle Mrfwho h„ n' ?°,^''«r°°' »""» "■!»!<-
did not acknowledge That J^ '*'' '",' .^^'^^ 'o™- He
come to him, but b^avel v „th T,.°^ ]''' ""'"'"">'l >«"'
to battle with it ^ *" ■"' ^''ength- he sought
ohanceT^Jto'ctadrn'" */%''?"'? »' ■»-" "^at a
dined to gt but how coK"''.'' '?«''-«■'"'' <•«" in-
seeing Mariin ? ^ *"* '^'^'i'' '"fo'-e on<« more
CHAPTER IV.
BEIOHT „ETEOI« FLASH ACROSS A CAKAD.AN SKV.
rp1n"VllToetvr;eVroL"'lf 't -"P'« ""
fen-»^;-J^}fe
Somerset, and heir toTh,Vrtf. '""^". ? » ^^ »' Lord
sharp features,laU" tsS; Zr/urtd VtThf ^'7
^^^ ^r ^- ™ ^"- d^rdi^t^^;;;
BRIGHT METi-ORS FLASH ACROSS A CANADIAN SKY. 97
His wife was a pretty blonde, with abundant fair hair
easy manners, and seemed a refined and cultured English
Ijiuy. »
they put up at the house of a Mrs. John Macknv and
spent larpe sums of money, and very soon bccauiJ the
central figures in a rather fast circle that boon gathered
round them. *
They were made much of, as English aristocrats expect
to be when they come to the colonies, were lauded and
deferred to and imitated, and probably in all his life, so
full of incident Rex Birchall never so thoroughly enjoyed
hiniself as while astonishing the natives in the thrivin-.
bustling town of Woodstok, Ontario.
He had come to Canada with the avowed intention of
learning farming and indeed had been put in couj-
mumcation with Wm. McDonald, at that time an agent
for the firm of Ford, Rathbun & Co., of London. Et.gland.
Emigration Agents. Rex came to him as a farm pupil, and
was placed by McDonald on the Wilcox farm, in Dereham
where he stayed just ono niglit.
That was quite enough for Rex. He had come, not so
much to learn farmmg as to look into the workin.rs of
the farm pupil business, and what he saw satisfied "him
that the plans adopted were too crude and rough, and
that if he were laying plans he could make great improve-
ments m the system. ^
All hi^ inquiries, carefully prosecuted, developed no
trace of Reginald Someivset, nor of the farms Dudley had
told him he had owned. They were certainly not in the
vicinity of Niagara, and if he had ever been in Canada.
Rex could learn nothing concerning his residence there
and so quite in the dark as to the locality in which the
arms were situated, any idea of personating the man who
looked like hini, and getting possession of his land, was
utterly impracticable.
He believed firmly that nerset had met foul play at
the hand of his cousin, ana vould have been a pretty
f^ ■ il
it > 3
Hi.
ml
lilt
it! I
fii
• ►
98
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
plot to be able to establish his identity as Somerset in
Canada and tlien. after a lapse of time, before the five
years that were specified in Mr. Somerset's will had ex-
pired to return to England and lay claim to the Somer-
set estate as solo hen-.
It would have been a bold schome, commending itsc^lf
to the daring sj„rit of Birchall. but here at the outlet the
way was blocked.
So, nothing daunted, he set to work to enjoy himself
and managed to do it very well. He was very fond of
disp ay, dressed remarkably, often wore a fancy vest of
bright colors, English leggings and riding breeches, and
d.ove a tandem team. He drove very much, and explored
the country for miles around in every direction, accom-
panied by a young man called Dudley, (who bore a
stron- resemblance to Philip Dudley, though neither so
good looking nor so tall.) °
Frequently he visited the farm-houses and was partic-
ularly fond of chaffing the pretty girls who came in his
way. He was fond of sport too, and went on several occa-
sions, sometimes with a party, and sometimes alone, with
a single companion, into the mazes of the Swamp of
Death m search of game.
It was a gruesome spot. Here and there indistinct
trails led m Irom the roads through masses of dense un-
dergrowth the scrub being in many places quite impene-
iiauie. iJark, dank morass was on every side, in which
one stepping unwarily might sink and struc^gle for hours
without being able to escape from it. It was a si)ot
shunned by all but sportsmen, or those who, throu<di ne-
cessity went in for such wood, or shrubs, or bark as the
place afforded; very rarely even would a prowlino tramp
venture in, so uncanny was its appearance and so^bad its
reputation. In the recesses of this swamp, to be exact
on lot 22 on the second concession of Blenheim, about
loO yards from the road, lay a pond of black, murkv
water, covering a number of acres, which was locally
niiiom >iETEons flash across a Canadian sky. 99
known as Spi iico or Mud lake. The name was taken
from many fine Cinadian spruce which throve in the
swamp .surroun(lin;]r the lake, and it had hcen the place
of .supply for ornamuntal spruce trees for Woodstoi-k for
many years.
Tiio vicinity of Spruce like had always had an unsav-
ory re])utation ; more than one munlor had been known
to have been committed there, and many a (iark legend of
crime and calamity is whispered conceniinL,' it. The murky
waters cover a soft surface of thick black mud, which
opens to swallow a victim but sucks him down, down,
down to be seen no more.
• And echo tlioro, wintevor is asked of hor, answers " Death ! •••
But the dreariness of the Svvamp of Death influenced
Pwex Birchall not at all. He became thorou-hly aecpiaint-
od with its intricacies and enjoyed many an liour's sport
within its borders.
With all his pursuits, sporting, gaming, driving, riding
visiting, and entertaining, wine [>artios and pleasures of
Ttll sorts, he kept his eyes upon the farm pupil Imsiness
and during his stay in Woodstock wrote the following
letter based upon his observations :
Box 572, Woodstock, Ont., Canada
Dear Sirs,— Thank you for tho bomu of S125, which came safely
to hind. I duly sent receipt by Mi-. Macdonald. I cabled you
IhhM luirsday, 24th, to send uie I'UO. which I suppoie you would get
all riyht. 1 am at present looking round and staying in rooms ;
very comfortaMe. Wo have two private rooms and only pay $8 a
week, board included. The people in tho town have boon very
ffitndly to me, and wo have been out a good deal. The En<'lish
pupils out here don't ap[)ear to be at all successful, Mr T Levy I
found slept in a pretty dirty stable, without at.y apparent suurcft
of exis'euce, and this week lie h is been comnutted to gaol for
vagrancy by the mayor. He is a'moat without clothes, and was
turned OT one farm on account of his dirty hiibits. Mr. Charles
v. Childs disappeared, or 'skppod out ' (a. th^-y call it here), last
week, owing some *! ,;{iM. Ho removed most, of liis goods by night
before writs, etc., were issued against him, and theremains of his
■ ti
;* a
3#1
100
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
■tock were sold by the bailiff vcsfcrdRv. Mr. Ovorwoy tells me he
has d«no nothing, and on enquiry 1 find that when he did work
the farmera said they were too poor to pay anything, or avoided
payment. He left last week for the North- West. It appears that
ri ^•,^"'■8®''^ was a most dishonest man. The people here do not
like the system of the pupil fnrmer hiiBiness at all. One of the
olergymon hero came to a« o me the other day about it, saying that
young fellows must be discouraged from coming here : he is getting
up representations about it. I told him that you gave very full
representations before coming out, but I presume he judges by
the few instances I quote. Levy ought to be seen to at once. My
governor will bo here in a day or two. He has been making a stay
m New York with friends. Mr. Pickthorn also is doing nothing
except loiter about tlio Coiiunercial hotel, a favourite resort. Mr.
Kadley has been terribly drunk f 11' and on for over four weeks. Wo
have had to turn him out of this house, where he boarded. Ho gets
terribly abusive and noisy. He does nothing, but gets $7 a week
from his people.
■ With kind regards, believe me yours ever,
Messers, Ford, Rathbun & Co., 21 Finsbury Pavement, London
S. C, England.
Occasionally an industrious freak would strike Rex,
and more than once he applied for positions in Toronto
and elsewhere, but April of the following year found him
still in Woodstock, still telling strange wild stories, and
living a riotous life.
Mr. David Stevenson, his father-in-law, after the mar-
riage had been consummated, wisely decided to make the
best of a bad bargain and do what he could with his
scapegrace son-in-law for the sake of his daughter, who
was of all his children the beet beloved.
Early in April, Rex received a letter from Mr. Steven-
son, in which the following paragraph occurred : —
' All I say to you is to the end that you will not spend the
money you have and come to poverty. You know your own re-
sources best, but it appears to me that whatever you may nlti-
mately inherit from your relatives is at present at the remote dis-
tance of years— and whatever your adopted father may allow you
IS dependent on his caprice, so that it behoves you to obtain some
occupation and save all the money you have. This occupation, will
BlUOHT METEORS FLASH ACROSS A CANADIAN SKY. 101
F think be annner obtaine.l in C.inada op America than in Enrlanil
where we are ovor-cn.wded, an<l your old conij)anion9 wonid ho
sure to meet yon. BeaiUca, a man can do abioad what he would
not like to do at home.'
The ndvicn contained in it briefly was, 'stay where
you are, but liiid .something to do.' It was written on
March 21st, ISSO, and in May, Rex left Woodstocic
suddenly ; ho foMcd his tent like the Arab and as silently
stole away. His conspicnous (ioure no longer was seen
on the country roads of the district or on the streets of
Woodstock, no longer did tandem or four-in-hand flash
l>y with g»iy parties of men and women,— his boon
fomparnons misled him, and tr;idLspco[»lo inquired for
him in vain.
One midnight two guests arrived at Niagara Falls,
Ontarm, and registered at the Imperial hotel as Mr. and
Mrs. Somerset, and for a day or two stayed and enjoyed
t beauties of Niagara. The dee|) gorge, the roaring
t rrent, the treacherous spots along the brink where one
is-otip would hurl the unwary down to a frightfid
d h, ii ipre sed even Rex Birchall's turbulent spirit,
and 38 V cd to hold a powerful fascination for him.
r-'o the Falls they went to New York, and still bore
11 the >utward appearances of affluence. In that city
Rex changed into English money .S.)()0 of Canadian
Ic 1 ender, and tluis well ,< ' up leit almost immediately
for tiio land of his birth.
-i
{
102
THE bWAMl' OV DEATH.
CHAPTER V.
BACK AOATN IN LONDON.
Upon his return to England Rex changeti his style of
living v«ry little. "^
He fotind employment with a popular London photo-
grapher as runner, his duties throwing him greatly amonc
the brjght lights of the stage and theatrical people genei-
ally, niakmg appointments with them for sittin-s and
taking coinmissions ; and though his pay was smalC it still
was Homuthing and kept him out of mischief to some ex-
tent, and the work suited him.
A friend who had known him at Oxford, and met him
occasionally m London, relates a characteristic incident
of his career at this period of his life. His audience had
changed, his circumstances had changed, but Rex Biichall
was the same now as he had been at Oxford or at Wood-
stock. The friend tells the story as follows:
• I WM dining one evening with aome friends at the Piccadillv
R^istaurant during the Ripper scare. Birchall joined us. He wZ
kiUmgly amusing all through the dinner and his wit (coarse ^U^
I^rhaps) came to a chmax when he was served with dessert. He
seized a fruit kmfe and began chasing the waiters and digging hi-
to their ribs and calling out "Jack the Ripper." He set th! whole
dignant. On another occasion I had gone to the Danish Exhibi-
tion with some friends and we met him there. We were allin a
pcst-prandial mood After having "done" all that was to be"dune"
there, we all got into the yacht which used to be on the largest
pond in the grounds. Birchall immediately dimed to the mast
and from here violently shook the little craft. He said heTould
upset us all into the water, and he would have done" too had I
not taken summary measures in admonishing him with a few strokes
o my cane, which precipitately brought him down. J am sure he
did not wish to murder us ! He was excessively fond of pJactica?
BACK AGAIN IS LoNJJON.
103
joke. ; nnd on many occam'onB T l.are hond he mirnoBoly una.,* hi*
•oa tor ,.« trap a, the ca.e n.ay l..wo heo... Lp^y f?t « " n,n
la din. h """ u .^T' ' «T* '"""'^' ""'' » boliovo that, notw h
?„w r /f lil"'''\'*"'^?""r' ha"n>«"«. contradictory storie. ho told
m.rely for the .ako of tellin^^ them), his friendship could be d,
to tftose whom he called his friends, but he was very open Hat.ul
toward, us acquaintances, and especially the poor if the r«e
fttarh:::"?i7^^^^^^^^ ^^- •-- st^-;
His restlcKH spirit could not long bo satisfied with such
srnploynient, and early in the year he began to work in
'd "Si ^'"'''^ ^"'"'''' """ ^ "'■'" ''"'^ ""P»"^^-
He was now living with his father-in-law, Mr. Steven-
son at Upper Norwood, and his well-known and assured
Srw^'^^'^p'.^^PT^^^"^^"^ °^the London and
south- Western Railway lent Rex great woi^rht.
lie had entered into active operations wTth Mr T G
Mellerish, and advertisements were being inserted in the
London papers for a young man to purchase an interest
n astock farm in Canada, applications to be made to T.
a Mellerish. at Cheltenham. Frederick Ben well think
no„!!l«"^!^p ^ ^^""^ ?P'^"^"» ^^^'^^ negotiations. Mr.
Douglass Raymond Pelfey, of Saffron Walden, was an-
other applicant for the position, and a few days after-
waid Rex wrote one of his inimitable letters to Pelley
saymg that he had a business out at Niagara Falls, Can-
ada, and that he wanted someone to assist him to run i't
and thought Pelley would suit him. and if he wished to
he could v/rite him Some further correspondence follow-
Sown to sr/'VfV "^ ^'T'' ^"^ h^PPy «^ f«^««' went
mTfif? r'i^*^'^'" ^"^ there at the railroad station
ZVJ, ^f ^'""^ ^^""^ ^"''^«>^- «« looked at him
as he stepped forward and they shook hands, a young
man full of promise, with clean cut features and refined
\J
•t
104
THK SWAMP OF DEATH.
nppearMTice, Ho was fair with a slight mustache and was
about Rex Birchall's own height, five feet nine, but beim^
of more slender build, looked much taller. ^
The two young men seemed to take a fancy to each
other at once, and Rex with his usual versatility soon
had Pelley's interest awakened. He was a Gim bridge
man and had travelled largely in New Zealand, Africa,
Australia and Europe, but he had never been to America,
and Birchall's glowing description of his 200 acre farm
with its brick house and barns electric and gas lighted, his
profitable business o? buying horses in the rough, feeding
and grooming them, and selling them at high iigurcrf, be-
Hides his own stock-raising, caught his fancy, and he de-
'-•'<oi\ to purchase a partnei-ship in so attractive and lucra-
tive a business.
i-ic i.LUjd all about Birchall's two hired men named
Peacock, who looked after the farm in his absence, and of
his overseer McDonald, who lived not far away . of Wood-
stock and his branch business there, in which he held
only an interest, and of the nice furnished rooms which
he and Mrs. Birchall lived when there; of the Eng-
lishmen's club at Niagara Falls, which Rex had organized,
and the English style in which the members lived, and
English servants which were imported for them.
He told the story in the easy ofF-hand way that seemed
natural to him, carrying the listener with him and
leaving no room for doubt of his genuineness.
So without much delay an agreement was made and
the terms of it were as follows : —
Memo, of agreement made this 14th day of January,
1S9(), between D. R. Pelley, of Walden Place, Saffron
Walden, on the one part, and J. R. Birchall, of Niagara
Falls, Ontario, Canada, on the other part, to the effect
that the said D. R. Pelley agrees to reside with the said
J. R. Birchall and to assist him to the best of his ability
in the discharge of the said J. R. Birchall's business for
the cpace of one year from the date of this agreement ;
. list:',:*
FREDEllIC:: BENWELL'S COMMISSION. 105
also the said DR. Pelloy agrees to pay the sum of £170
to be invested by the said J. R. Birchall in his business
uch sum to be returned, together with interest at the
rate of o per cent, per annum, in the event of he said
D. R. Pelley not electing to stay longer than one vear the
considerations received by the\said^ D. R Periy be n^
board and lodging, household necessaries and ^ ras usf
iieT:tr^?T' 'Tfli''^ "^P^"^^'^ '- Canada and
the United States and 22| per cent, of tlie profits in
the business ot" the said J. R*. Birchall arising from all
or any sales whenever held. ^
Tw 1 T . G'^ignt D. R. Pelley
Dated January 14, 181)0. ^^^^i^i^i.
th^^f'^/"'!\7 P^!^i"^in''^"es settled, an introduction to
the family at Mr. Stevenson's residence at Maberly Road
Upper Norwood effected, purchases for the voyao^ made
and supplies for his residence in Canada all in readSei
and Pelley waited only for the word to start. ''^^^^'''*'
lil '
CHAPTER VI.
FREDERICK BENVVELL ENTRUSTED WITH A COMMfSSION.
^ It was just after seeing Philip Dudley once more press-
ing his obnoxious suit upon Marion Somerset, but which
young Benwell mistook for a meeting with that lover
spoken of m the letter he had read, as" being eng Jto
lier, that negotiations were entered into with M?. Birch-
ail.
It was through the agency of Mr. Mellerish, who lived
m Cheltenham, that the Benwells and Rex Birchall wire
put into communication.
m
106
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
On the 28th November, 1889. Birchall opened corres-
pondence with Col. Benwell by sending the toUowing
letter :
' Dear Sir -Mr. Mellerish has informed me that you are look-
WBirvea^" experience in farm work, and own a nice farm in
Frederick was anxious to go, and -ieut.-Col. Benwell
was wUling to look into the matter. The Colonel knew
Tomethindf Canada, having been out there for a nuni-
W vears and while there was instrumental m formmg
th loJth re^^^^^^^^ was organized in Toronto some
thirty years V. He decided to meet Mr. Birchall. and
oroDOsals were made on a partnership basis.
^ The proposals for the partnership were favorably re-
ceived by the Colonel, and the result was that the young
Sin was to proceed to Canada, and if. after seeing the
busUss, afL^e had time enough in Canada to ascertain
tha the business was up to representations, there was to
be a partnership and a payment of live hundred pounds
sterliL between $2,000 and $2,500, and the partnership
deed was to be executed, and Birchall and Benwell were
to become partners. Birchall gave a detailed account of
.. h'sTsines^s in Canada. He had a farm, described as
being within one and a half miles of ,^^^g?;^\F^^^^^,^',^\",
had In establishment in Woodstock also, which he didnt
entirely own but in which he had an interest and the
LSngTrterest in which he proposed to purchase. He
Sd 0^ the business of buying Worses in i^ierou^h and
preparing them for market and marketing them He said
fS he had a contract for supplying horses to the C.P.R..
FREDERICK BENWELL's COMMISSION. ]07
. But Col. Benwen aK^tSVo'thtT
inspect on before hplnr! '^^^^ P^^if^^'^-ed & person iil
haie corrobora We Pvt " ^^'^^^cably bound, and to
presentatrc^r'H:::t"no"inrr'' "" ^^"^^"'« ^-
this letter was sent b/^^'e O^lSlo Mr^S^ ^"^
^^♦20PoHCH.sx.KG.K.K.s. B.vsvv.x.K W., Dec lUth. 1889.
Mr ple^ltr^^hT^^tl^kft necer '"^'^^ ""' '^ -"*« *«
w.!l have the opportunity of judgl" for "m ' f/^?'""^ ^' ™3^ ««»
to your place. I will be glad to Imve th^ -^^^^^ ^ • '" '^^ "°'^« ""'t
you have quite fixed the elact date of'depa^u/^r' '""™''^''^" '^'^'^^
' To J. R. Birchall, Esq.' ' ^""'^ *'"'^' ^- ^V- Bbnwell.
set. She was in and «lLT ! T ^^ '^^ ^^^''^O" ^omer-
pretty bluriit wUh l^n.l '^ '^T"""^ ^'"^ with a very
Sever noted in her befor'C' '^ "^^^""^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ad
told him that she had Wn « "^^^ "^"'^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^nd
since she had seen hi^''%rt Tu^ ""'"'^ ^^"^^'^ ^^^r
weddin- of a fri^nH nf i ^^^^^een attending the
Arnold'lc^iv'dailhtr a'^^^ ^^' Godfrey .
old friend called £m 'a OhI f k^^ °^^^ *^^^^ ^"^^^er '
was Benwell, and toSer thev had".' "J\''' T' '^^"'^
relationship between the fwn^fo-r v^ *^ ""^^^^ «»* a
ceeded very welT However ^t ^"*^ ^^'^ "^^ «»c.
mise that she wouM rrrin ' f ""^ ^^^ ™^^« ^^^ pro-
Benwell as she had once S t ^ "^'''!f ^ ^^^^ ^r-
Benwell as a very nice boy ' ''"' ^'^'"^^ ^'^^
lAtlfLZS'''''' ^"' ^^-^" onlysmiledfaint-
impoSibmty for t'^e' ti^ra^ ''T ^^^f^^'^ -» ^e an
for Canada I lessTan a month!''''' " ' ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^
ii
I,
^ !' I
4:
4'
nn^l i
m?.
108
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
Mai-ion turned pale for a moment and then an eager
look brightened her face and she said impulsively :
'Oh, I am so glad!' ,..,,.,
Fred looked pained, and seeing it she said :
• Oh forgive me, I did not mean that I shall be glad to
lose you, fSr indeed, indeed, I shall miss you sorely ; but
if 'ou go I want to give you a task to perform for me.
' I wm do anything for you that is in man's power,' he
'''' Th^nk^you. I felt sure you would. I need the help
of a friend; the help of a brother now, and you seem to
me like a-a dear brother.' She caught her breath and
Hushed painfully, but Benwell was looking out of the
window and did not ndtice.
♦I will do all a brother could, he said.
'I have told you the story of my brothers disappear-
ance, and that, though my cousin Dudley has employed
the best detectives and has done everything possible, he
has never been able to find a clue to his movements smce
wLg home. Well, quite by acddent, I Ijeard ^^ws ot
him while I was in Oxford. Emma Clifford had a
brother, a wild young lad, who got into disgrace and was
expelled from colle^je! and then he was sent out to Amer-
ca^?o learn farminl, his father paying what was neces.
ary to start him. He had a great deal of money with
hi J and a great deal of luggage, but ^^on.,^''^^^^'^^^
New York nothing was ever positively known of him
Hon Brian Charteris, who was once engaged to Emma
Clifford, but was parted from her through jealousy, un-
dertook early last ipring to go to America and seek h
He could learn nothing definite, except that about that
time a delicate-lookingVung Englishman was known to
have arrived at Niagara Falls with two gentlemanly-look-
ina Yankee sharper?, and there the trace was lost. The
I'^fo men St for^Ne^ York openly, but where the y^^^^^^^^
„ ,. , -— _:„Vor' rs'^ nnf» knew : but Niagaras river
j<iU2iisnman viinioueG n- uii^ rjacw j .« ^
FBEDERICK BENWELL's COMMISSION.
109
rolls wide and deep, and Mr. Charteris has no reasonable
doubt that Clifford was killed there. But this is all out-
side of my story. He visited many places in Canada,
and met many people, and learned from some friend that
an ^nghshman named Somerset was located in Wood-
stock and was making quite a sensation there. So, know-
ing about my brother's disappearance, he immediately
wrote to Woodstock to Mr. Somerset, but getting no reply
he went up there only to find that very suddenly Mr. and
Mrs Somerset had taken their departure. It looked as
It It were a wilful avoidance of him, so he left again im-
mediately and inquired nothing concerning them.'
^ It IS a strange story/ said Benwell, absently.
. „ Yes, Strange, but full of hope for me,' said Marion,
It my brother could but be induced to return, it would
mean happiness, and home, and wealth to me. This is
not living ' with a scornful gesture, ' this is simply exis-
tence; and here, cramped in means, unsettled in mind I
must wait for my brother's return or for news of his
death !
• What would yon have me do ? ' asked Benwell.
Seek for my brother at Woodstock, or if he is not
there learn all about the man who went by his name, and
follow him and find him if you can.'
^'/7^]L^^ ,""y ^^^^' ^^^^ Benwell, and then rising, he
added, Send me any photograph of him, or letters, or
description to my address, ' Iseultdene, Cheltenham,' and
my first task on reaching Canada shall be to do your
bidding. And now, good-bye. I thank you for your
goodness to me, and what pain there is to me in this
parting I know is all my own fault. I knew of your
engagement from that letter of yours I read before I ever
spoke to you. Good-bye, Marion, dear, dear Marion, and
may your married life be happy ! '
'You are mistaken,' said Marion, slowly, 'I am not
engaged, I never was really engaged— it all arose through
„ -ii„ »|jj..v.ne«oioii, iwiii vva^ (;uiTied on for a purpose. I
. f
kii
)'' 'I
H ■
'-1 *
110
TIIK SWAMP OF DEATH.
will not think of love or maniage till my b..„tho,. i.,
ea^e"y " ' '^"'^ ''™ ' '^ ^ """'^ ''"k ? ' began Benwell.
pet name for the first iLT'rt . "^^' "'''"^ ^''^
yo„.ail.itwourdtf;rke?t''haT]e.?""' aga.n fcefo.
browreyt^'hela^dr'' """' '^"^ ■^'*"'''"» '" >■- --'
•Good-bye, be good, and may God bless voui' »nH
ks^ht^inY :rj"'".tr'%^'i^ -iseTh/Xad :„i
lightly f,oi the rooln' ^'"'"^' ^ '"™ >•"" ' ""^ «P«<1
it when^sh^'heavll of Z^-'" ''f ',? ''"«'' '^' '--^ -<-■'
lonel/ g,a4 "^ ""^ *"■" '^'"^' '»""y n"»>dered, in his
CHAPTER VII.
PUEPARAIIOXS FOR DtPAUTURE.
'22 Porch ESTER Gaedens,
•DearMr T^rprxxA, T . ^^^"'^^"^ W-. Jan. 3. 1890.
>rother is
Benwell,
nd if not
distaste-
and, ' we
true and
Jsinjr his
11 before
ler sweet
il' and
lead and
nd sped
liad said
i, in his
well set
1 every-
here he
ot men-
, 1890.
toChel.
use sar (j
-REPARATIONS FOB DEPABTUBB. Jji
act date i mrde^^ t'e rt^l": "' ■°°° " ^^^1° iu^otmC'
' To J. R. Birchall, Eaq.' ' ^owtb sincerely,
He was in Hn * / u '^- 0. Benwell.
'°BtlTTr"^^-<>-t„r" """ io^-y -hence
J3ut Jin-chall was busy Th^ 'v^ii
begun, and other application, hi/! ^^"^^°<^^^*^ons had
«o one date after an^other was fi '^, '" ^' considered, and
till on January 27th BivX^u "P^" ^"'^ abandoned
the following letter:- ' "'"'^' *° ^^^^^"'^ father
course, your son electa foi *^^ business in this wa^ ff ;
soon as he decides Tci^if*^^'.''^ ^^" have a deed d7/^' "' '*'
after we arrfv"? a'd. IfTourll V'f "^ '^ '^'^^ ^^let^Zl, ZS
some share in this as the nS' '^f? say he would like fo k ,
on a very fair horsr^Jf iPV"!*? "^'^ ^e considerable T K ^*^®
pose we V noniVlte ^ ^" ."« ^^od i^rvice'^l 3";'
^ *J. R. BlkcHALI,.'
. '^/^ the same date Birchall ^^/^*
mg letter :— -^Jrcnali wrote and sent the follow- ^
Sol?oTil\l'^^!^]'«'r{^-^e been awav till fo-day a-^ •
-__.., -^houiUhay,co,„eto-youFlh^d\'Jen
..■'*,■'.■ ■
11-
I i I
P
112
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
home on the day mentioned. Col. Benwell's son is coming on a
three months' trial, and if ho likes he may stop, only this is quite
undecided. I do not go on the 29th; I have postponed. Of
course if Mr. Benwell stops we shall do business.'
He was not neaHy as well pleased with the result
of his eflbrts with the Benwclhs as he was with the Pelley
negotiations, and all the time he was trying for more
business in other directions.
On Jan. 31st this letter put more work into his
hands : —
*2, SouTHFiEiD Villa, Chkltkniiam,
'3l8t Jan., 1890.
'Dear Birohall,— Please write to N. Taylor, Esq., F.G.S.,
Cleveland House, Marsh by the Sea, Yorks. He wishes to go as
a pupil to Canada, and is 22 years of age. I heard from him' this
morning re advertisemeut.
' When do you think of sailing, and have you advised Mr.
Squarey, 67 Charing Cross, yet.
' I am just off to Cheetiiam.
* Very sorry you did not turn up at 4 Post-place to connect yea-
terday.
* Yours sincerely,
• T. G. Mellerish.
' P'S. — Have you seen or heard from any of the pupils ?
*T. G. M.'
And later on another : —
' No. 2 SoUTHFIBIiD VlltA, CHELTENHAM.
* I inclose a copy of one more answer to the advertisement. I
suggest that you have an interview with him Monday, and find out
what he wants. Please report progress.
* Sincerely, T. G. Melleeish.'
And, on Feb. 3rd this letter reached him :
• ISEULTDEN, CHELTENHAM,
•Feb. 3, 1890, 5.30 p.m.
'Dear Mr. Bibchall,— Your telegram has not come, and as my
»on is out I write to say that, as we do not know what arrange-
pheparatjons for departure.
iia
other ; and therefore if this Bhm.ld hH ^'"^ ^" '^'"^ y°" '"i" each
to-morrow, he will go to ho Grand h.JT?' *"'' ^' ^'"« *« -t^rt
however, that your lettornowo„i^"lfM''^«-''*^««t. We hope
1---?' -put >.5.^er"C;':nC°A"^"Snlf't
Yours truly, in haste,
' 'F. W. Benweli.
Botrl^icdir *''''•'""'''«- ""jo-ney which e„do<l
s 1
jf^
■^
■«t.^
PART III.
THE CRIME IN THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
CHAPTER I.
EN VOYAGE.
When Frederick Benwell bade his father good-bye the
colonel gave h,m explicit instructions not to sign anv
deed of partnership until a draft had been subrnftted to
of'^Ih^lff 'V"'P''',^^' ^^^"^ «"^ ^^"^^ ^^ree months' tria'
01 the life he was about to enter upon, and make a full
investigation into the business before the deed of part-
was pTid!^""' "'^ ' '""* ^'^''' ^^' "^""^y ^g^^^d "PO"
Th^en Benwell set out on his death voyage, reached
^S^:::^^:-' '-' -^^ ^^ ''- ^^^^^ a/d Vaitedtr
Pelley had become quite friendlv with the Birchalls
having visited at " Bainbridge." Mr. Stevenson's ;esi:
' iTBiroh 11^''^^ T^ ^^^'' ^«^^«°^' ^"d twice seen
M.S. Birchall, and also became acquainted with her sister
He was attracted tpwardboth Mr. and Mrs. Birchdl and
anangements were made that they should meet at Euston
XX"' ^' ' '•" ^^ ^^'- '''' ^"' ''^'^'^ '^ ^^-' ■
BiSflT^*"" *^' '^'''*'^" ^^ ^^'^ time specified, but
Bnchall did not appear, and so he waited for T later train
and just as the train was due to start Mr. and Mrs. Bir-
chall drove up in a cab with their luggage, and made the
excuse for their lateness in arriving fhaf Mr. Stevenson's
114
EN VOYAnr.
lis
office, in- GrclKun huiUinj,, had Leon o„ fi™ ,|„n„g t|,e
Inm as a favor to B.-mveH's father *" ^ "'' "''*■•
not care t/hav:';::r!;:^S';„ "eh'^^rhi^"' K's
On the journey Biichal asked Pellev if l,n «« • i
revolver anrl Polu,, .„: i i " i ^^"^7 " "e carried a
his w! ""' *''■""' ^"•<='"'" had two strings "S
to uffaua"vt'!;n^""'^""' '^'"'- ^'■■"'"'l' ^"^ «ent down
ing in anotL:? ""^ """'^^' ^"°^^^" -" B-'='>a'l follow-
plvTid?Btr^^^^^^^
little he saw of him during the first part of fh/vn
ft ■ *
H
P
;<!'
i,;i^
,iii*'i
thouffh he ffilf. h
.im_
:/
no
THE SWAMP OF DKATH.
pill °"1'**"«°^ '" a «^^«»^t degree by Mrs. Birchall anJ
?e ley he d.d not care a vhit. If their good opinion mi.
n.ofc forthconnng voluntarily he would not force i Hi
vevwelkeq. apart and choose their own company if
Rox was jolly all the time },e was visible, and whon
the ht e party were brought in contact on deck they fe
Sent al^-t w,7r"f ^"' '"' ^^""^ ^^^"^'>' ^"^ ^^«'^wel7were
Kept apart without any apparent effort
wpfil f«r"'^T"v^"'^"^^ '^^'^ ^ ^^^tter mailed to Ben-
well 8 father, which road as follows :
•'Aboard R M. S. Kritannio, Queenstown,
. ,. ^ oTii Febkuary, 1890.
quIcKeo Bo'L'^Mr'.* ?"r«^; f * ^'^«^P°«^' '^"^ h^d "^ very
concerning Pelley over with Birchall, who said Pell'v
was the underwriter for Lloyd's 'shipping agency
r;t'a^:it™/"'°"'^™"' "' *» -o.onr-;.:t't
One day it happened that Pelley and Ben well wert
thrown together, and no one being V to Sere Th?
> H .ome conyersation, the resuft of which was th
ft;^^ • ,' >■ ikc'^ for explanations from Birchall
t :-^y ^oid him that the 'Colonel,' as they called
iie;^'AviJ, had said ;idt he was arn'rKYfMjf f^ 1
. ... :xx. Tf
ivfc; vVlLii X>ir
EN vc,;aoe.
117
cball, and that he expected to go in as partnor in three
months' tinio if he liked the place.
Birchall lauglied and said, that very probably young
Ben well undei-atood that was what he was goin-? out for,
but as a matter of fact, Birchall had arranged "with his
iflthur, and he was Hitni)ly looking after the boy until he
'/ot settled in Canada, and ho never intended him ^o live
oii the same farm.
Birchall ext)resf:ed his opinion that Benwell was a (Treat
nuisa*ice and he wished he had never brought him out at
all, and also expressed his intention of getting him placenl
on a farm as soon as he could do so to get rid of him
Speaking of the matter to Mrs. Birchall, she said
lightly :
' I could not have Benwell always living in the same
house with me, could I ?'
And Pelley answered, decidedly, ' No.'
Many times while Benwell would be pacing the deck
with some acquaintance, or qu.'otly smoking by himself
with a pleasant look on hir. boyish face, thinkinrr of home
and his loved ones, the three others of the party would
be talking together, very often about him, and each one
acknowledged they rather disliked him.
Oa the voyage Birchall told Pelley that he had pur-
chased two valuable horses and shipped them to America
with the money he got from him, and had actually heard
of tlieir arrival, and a cable announced already a big offer
liad been made for them. He also said that he had an
ngent named Maloney who looked after his interests in
New York, and would look after them, and that Maloncy
was employed as an agent for steamship and lail way-
companies in New York. He also spoke of his neio-hbors,
and said there was a Mr. Pickthorn, who owned a farm'
t to nim.
And so the voyage began and en<led, and late on Fri-
day afterncmn (he boat reached her dock at New York ■
Benwell got his money from the purser, in whose charge "
#n
!.'))
m
«rl
118
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
CHAPTER II.
AT NEW YORK AND BUFFALO.
Mr. Maloney greeted him, although at the time h^
cou^d not place him nor. as a matter of fact, has he been
able to since, though he probably met him n a business
way sometime in the past. Birchall introduced his wife
and Pelley and Benwell to Mr. Maloney. ^
We are going on to ^'iagara Falls. I niav wanf to
■Rirnh!^^T^^^ ^»/o«ey to direct them to a hotel
d.H 'TF " *"• ^"•"■pieces belonged to Benwdl
M^ar BiSf^vrr '"'- ^^"^^" '° '''■ -"
rivalTh/^' ??.,' thought wa.s to telegraph of his safe ar-
HesaidlatR^''tfM;"S/ ■i!!"'"^ account of the trip,
time and av^lH''i'''Pi*° *"'' '=*'''" ^ve-sixths of the
cSin;, th»f r ^'^^.o'her passengers. He stated in
Closing that he was in high spirits, that he was going to
AT NEW YORK AND BUFFALO. HQ
Start next day for Niagara Falls, and that he would write
tli: W ■ ^""^'^^^^^^' ^^d give his first impressions of
Col. Benwell never again heard from his son.
Ben well went to see a friend on Broadwav Pellev croirKr
with him, but not entering the building, and n hi S
mg they all went to the theatre, and°'etired a twelve
t^ckfts a't h^sTffi '""V]" '' ''' Maloney about
tickets at his ofhces, on Broadway. Birchall said < wp
won't buy our tickets now/ and they walked on down To
En.'li'hT-T^^^ -- Wall-street/and exchangersom':
iiinglish for American money. °
Benwell changed some English sovereigns and Pellev
ttnt^fi^f "^ ^"' *^^"^^^^ ^^- -- aboutfw^:;;;^o^;
Birchall changed some Bank of England notes and snm«
sovereigns as well. They then went back to Mabnev's
monlv^rs'i^" said they would purchas^ ticStfto
i5ullalo only as it would be cheaper; as they would ar
live late at Niagara they would remkin oveTaT Buftkb
which was agreed upon. J^urraio,
foi^Bnffifo* ^^'-^'^ for Jersey City, there took the train
toi Buffalo, arriving in Buffa o at noon next dav nn/i
gomg to the Stafford House. After Zcheon t^ t'ook
the street car down to near the Niagara House and vva ked
along a circle near the water fr?nt and came neir the
barracks, and then walked back to the hotel
Ihis was Sunday afternoon, Feb. 16th, and after the
Z-^ ^}% ^^|^\°^?king plans for the morrow It was
decided that Birchall and Benwell should start off eaTlv
next morning for Niagara Falls, and go up to the form
and surprise the employes. Pelley and Mrs BirchaH
should remain in Buffalo and wait^for a meLge tm
Rex, as he wished to prepare things at the farin bcfor^
they came on. He would telegraph to them early I?
any rate before two o'clock. ^' *^
^^ It was in the waiting-room off the office in th« hafoi
umt me yountf men were talking, and in a desultory way '
rfr
Hi
'MS
120
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
I i-
'■i; i-'
Rex began scribbling and drawing clumsy sketches. He
wrote his signature in a dozen different ways, and then
began to imitate Benwell's signature, and writing other
names, one of which was F. A. Somerset. Ben well, who
had been writing, caught sight of the name, and drew the
paper toward him, and to get a good look at it began
making very poor attempts at copying Birchall's writfng.
They were laughing and joking over their forgeries,
but on account of Pelley being by, Benwell could not ask
Birchall the question that was uppermost in his mind, of
what he knew about Somerset.
Early next morning, while it was still quite dark, Rex
came along the hall and called to see if Benwell was up,
and finding him dressed and almost ready, he went on to
Pelley's room, and, lighting the gas, sat down upon the
bed and began to talk.
He wore a pair gf heavy walking boots, dark pants, a
navy bluejacket and black, astracan cap, and carried in
his hands a pair of thick gloves, which he laid down as
he talked and forgot to take up again.
Rex made a remark about being dressed for the coun-
try, and paid he had told his wife to enlighten Pelley as
to anything he did not understand, and had left money
with her to pay the hotel bill if he should telegraph them
to come on.
Pelley was still in bed when they left, and he heard
their voices in the hall and called out ' Good mornino- '
to Benwell. °
As Benwell was to be left at the farm his room was,
of course, to be given up, and before leaving he placed all
his loose baggage in the office, at Pelley's suggestion.
About nine o'clock Pelley went to the room which Mr.
and Mrs. Birchall occupied, and, knocking, asked if she
were ready for breakfast.
' Yes, in a minute,' she replied, and directly afterward
appeared and they had breakfast together. Afterward
they went for a walk and did a little shopping, and at a
fetches. He
^s, and then
riting other
Jen well, who
nd drew the
at it began
ill's writing,
sir forgeries,
)uld not ask
his mind, of
;e dark, Rex
veil was up,
! went on to
m upon the
ark pants, a
i carried in
lid down as
)r the coun-
sn Pel ley as
left money
^raph them
id he heard
»d mornino'
3 room was,
e placed ail
[estion.
I which Mr.
iked if she
T afterward
Afterward
ig, and at a
• ON THE ROAD TO THF swaii»« ^
" AHE SWAMP OF DEATH. 121
reXSe^Z^ needed to
day they spent in the bote Iwait^n " f ' «"?" f"' "^ ">"
gram that did not come An?a, tLTft^"'*^"'' '«''«-
they both grew weary, and Mrs l^Lw^V""'\ ^""^d.
wear a worried expression '^"^"hal's fece began to
went Iwtr l":^eta"„d1;f P-t eight o'clock, Pe„ey
,no message, and learned that oTlir t "'"'5 .'""^ ^"^^
'Petty,' and there being no such n * A?'^"^'''''''"' to
messenger had taken it Lay a"ai„' I?' *' ">' ''°'<='' ">«
Pelley opened it and read af fdlows :- ^ '™' f'"'' ^"^
•To Petty. Stafford H^u.ef Buffalo "'"'• '•" "■■"•• ^"'- "*•
• Arrive .t Buffalo at „i„e to.„l,Ht. M„. re..„_w. ,.„^,,
tiltTp,rd ilmoTtired?atl'l7; ^4\^^
all arrived, looking trTetsS .r'** '''-"^ ^'™''-
and a tired look, fnd PeTley gree'tin. t """"t '^"'^
that he was alone, said • greeting him, and seeing
•Hello, Bi».c!,all, what have you done with Ben well ?'
CHAPTER III.
ON THE BOAD TO THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
J.\ZUo7oVnV^trt»'^-«-for bre.,k-
apparently the best of spirits "^ ''>«''• J<>™ey i„.
land:rh1'c!:Sl7f.!if .'■'^ ^ad been ever si„„. ,,
Ml
H
'^' ^i' i^ngiish tweed; rather
122
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
^1
light and a checked pattern, his trousers daik, his hat a
brown felt stiff, and he wore a brown ulster overcoat of a
small check, with a cape attached, a garment which he
had not worn before since leaving England,
They were in time for the train, and before they
reached the Falls Benwell asked Birchall if he knew any-
thing of a man named Somerset, who, tlie year previous,
had lived in Woodstock. His name was Reginald, he
used his third name, his initials being F. A. R.
Rex cogitated, said the name sounded familiar and ask-
ed Benwell some questions about why he wished to know,
and thought he saw by the guilty way in which Benwell
mentioned Miss Somerset that he was in love with her.
He found out all that Benwell knew, even to the search
that had been made for Walter Clifford, and then he
said :
' Yes, I know the party very well. He has a place not
very far from my place near Woodstock, and it is close
to Pine Pond and lies back of a swamp. It's rather a
rough place to get at, but we can go straight there if
you're as anxious to find him as you say. We can see
my place at the same time.'
Benwell was delighted, and keeping right on the same
train they came to Hamilton where they boarded No. 7
local, Birchall having purchased two tickets for Eastwood,
and left at 9.26. They talked a little together, read the
papers, got out at a station and took one or two turns
and got aboard again.
Benwell though^ the journey long and he had begun to
grow hungry, bu^ when the tiain reached Eastwood at
11.12 his spirits began to revive and he started out brisk-
ly with coat collar turned up about his ears to walk along
the snowy roa<i that had already began to grow sloppy,
looking pleasantly out at the unaccustomed scene through
his eye-glasses, and enjoying the bracing air and the sun-
shine.
[irk, his hat a
overcoat of <a
jnt which h©
before they
le knew any-
^ear previous,
Reginald, he
R.
iliar and ask-
shed to know,
hich Benwell
ove with her.
to the search
and then he
as a place not
md it is close
It's rather a
aight there if
We can see
b on the same
)oarded No. 7
for Eastwood,
bher, read the
or two turns
had begun to
Eastwood at
ted out brisk-
to walk ailong
grow sloppy,
scene through
and the suu-
l|:
;} '
''
ill
i\k
''J
in
i I
i ' "
i'
Ml !(
124
THE SWAMP OB' DEATH.
They started off along the road going north and passed
the mill where the miller stood at the door watching
them. Birchall was a little in advance, Benwell having
stooped to pick up a handful of snow and making it into
a ball shied it at a cat. Birchall beguiled the way by
telling stories of his visits to the neighborhood, the pecu-
liarities of the people and the kind of sport that was to
be met with in the swamp, for which they were head-
ing. Benwell was smoking and listened with interest,
but did not talk much. Striking the Governor's road,
they travelled along it and then took a cross-cut oyer
some fields and woods till they struck a road leading
eastward which led into the swamp. The " Swamp ol
Death," as it is called by the rustics, is one of the most
lonely spots in the County of Oxford, and is said to be
the only piece of bad land in the district. A wilder or
more desolate region could hardly be imagined. At the
entrance of the swamp along the edge^ as far as the eye
could reach, there grew tall pines and young saplings
bunched so thickly together that an entrance could be
effected only with the assistance of an axe, except at
points where the farmer had smoothed a narrow, uneven
trail in his search tor firewood.
The ground was frozen solid and covered with a hard
crust of snow, and although progress was difficult by
reason of the thickness of the \mdergrowth, it was not
so bad as it would have been had there been much thaw.
When they had proceeded a short distance, Birchall
began looking about him in perplexity, and then he said :
' It looks as if there had been a fire here.'
Benwell replied that it did, and that there was not
much of a trail to guide them, but Birchall assured him
it would be plainer further in.
Birchall had been leading, but he turnu g aside to
investigate what seemed a break in the undergrowth,
Benwell went ahead.
\
ON THE ROAD TO THF «?wA\rn ^r, .^
'^ ini\ S\\AMP OP DEATir. 125
across one that lay in h " way tlfcn I nL7' f"'''P'"S
fhavply out, and ho fell from hisl'ht te± ' '"".«
■ng down aeroa, the stump of a tree d -An ' "'■"'''■
behind. ^ ^ouaidhj assassin, tvho sneaked up
THE SWAMP OP DEATH
assurance doubly sure another l™li; ^u ■*'''' '° "'■■>'"■'
into the brain of the o'^td man ^''"'•*''' "'^ """^■-
There w/is need for hasfp tt. i. i ,
robbed and the marks en ff,v!; T^ ,^^'^^ ^^^^ <^« ^e
raising the yet warm L^- ' T ^^'^ ^^othing. Hastily
eeeded to ^Sf und^^^ fc?"^— ^^ P-
-s 11- It, now an luuminate
V
■I
4
i
t
1 '
'
j
1 1
u
\ I
.{
126
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
thing, that just a moment before had been a living,
breathing soul.
No matter how rough the hands that handled it, no
matter how close the snow lay to the scnf^eless flesh, it
could no longer hurt him. There was no need to draw
his garments closely round him, he could feel no chill ;
no need to straighten out the bent limbs nor make
smooth his bed ; no need to cover the dead face turned
up to Heaven asking mutely for vengeance ! The snow
drifted over him, the irost touched him with frozen
fingers, the sleet dampened his upturned face and
matted his thick, dark hair, and the twinkling stars
looked pit3'ingly down, but he heeded none of it'.
Earth's pains and griefs and joys were nothing to him
for evermore !
CHAPTER I[I
BACK FROM THE SWAMP OF DFATH.
It was a good walk, almost five miles, from the entrance
to the swamp where the old hunter's trail had been to
Eastwood station. It was past the noontide hour, and
the sun shining upon the snow began to make the groimd
disagreeably slopp}' and the roads decidedly muddy.
As Rex Birchall strode along the deserted concession
road he turned up his pants at the ankles and looked at
his watch, and, noting the time, hastened slightly till
reachingtheGovernor'sroad,thc road he and his companion
had travelled so short a time before, his pace steadied
down to a brisk walk.
His quick eyes noted everything on the road, the few
people who met or passed him, the houses on the way,
the various little things that attract the attention and im-
press a scene for.nor upon the mind.
1 a living,
<ff-
died it, no
!.ss flesh, it
cd to draw
A no chill ;
nor make
'ace turned
The snow
r'lth frozen
face and
din or stars
lone of it!
ling to him
he entrance
had been to
3 hour, and
I the ground
nuddy.
1 concession
id looked at
slightly till
s companion
ace steadied
9
pi
^
^f
%:<
)ad, the few
on the May,
tion f.n<l iMi-
. f
!]j|h|!
128
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
When just at the station, before reaching the mite Rex
at last encountered some one ho knew ^
He was homing an unlighted cigar in his fin-rers hi<^
trousers were still rolled up, and his heavy walk" nJboo
his old jovial, jauntv self.
He never enjoyed solitude, and so seeiair Miss Alice
Smith a pretty bright girl of eighteen. before\hn he m!
^Ht:tVoTa7 ^^ '^^ ^"^ ^^^^^"^ -^' ^^« ^-^ -^d.
Miss Smith was taken by surprise. It was perhar-s a
year smce she had seen him, and he and allconr^c ed
with him had been banished from her mind ''''"'^^'^'^'^^
S«hilT/^ fiHS^'''^ *^^""^"">^ in her left hand.
Ihen she added, ' Is it Somerset or Dudley V
Somerset,' said Rex, ' don't you know me V and then
walking together they entered the station,
said hi wT' -^'^ '^' had come to post a Jitter, and Rex
that w J r\ "" ^^ Hamilton, but would be back
that way andf see her governor. He bought a single ticket
Ee^Z'} ■ ^"? t'"" '!''y ^^^^" to pace the platform.
Rex was going to Hamilton to look after his baggage he
said. He talked about horse trading and the northwest
vaguely and a^ked about Miss Smith's aunt and uncle
with whom he and Dudley had driven out to visH he''
grandfather. They walked and talked until the trafn
came m and were watched by a number of people who
Knew one or both.
On the train Rex spoke to the brakeman. who recognized
mm, and m the smoking car bought a book from the news
agent A tramp Abroad,' and some cigars. At Hamilton
He got out and bought a ticket for the Falls, and after-
wards he bought some fruit from Jas. Duffy, the news
agent, and began to talk with him. Rex offered him a
cigar which he took, and a drink from a flask which he
reiused. Ihen they talked on general matters, the
BACK PBOM THE SWAMP OP DEATH. 12!)
Rex waa very c™ara»3 ! "'"'? ''/"""" «' ^-ff"!".
talk to. ^ ^ ^'- 8''"' "8 ever to have sorae one to
^fir-''^ta::xiJ'x^^^^^^ '■'-'■ -" tl.e
three minute,, to ™It l^ll „ H I"'''. "' '""' t*'^»ty-
after dc^spatchi„;\t £' . m tTv u'' """■"'» '»«• «"''
[-. Rex took a ahort 'J^^^ t^t^^'lS Ij?,"
^'':o^T^r.K r-^reTa^ivTr'''^'""-''-
not care for then^ anrt fiL.ii T S"'?'' P'''°«'«. "xit he did
of some other™k™tf in Ve'.^ ^"?" '"'" '^e address
could go and see ^ """"''y- P^F'O whom he
let^Upo'SL'li^o'vf™"' *1 ^'™■''«- had been
was in a bad static He sawTh?"'^ "■"^•"'^ farm-hou.se
he eoneluded to .tay on at NiaZa^F^iil'^y'^ PfP'''' ""^
he people went away. He S'hJ? l"', " *""'' ""«'
tohis own farm an,i i,„j "osaid ho had taken Benwell
New York si3e fiSri'hevTeft R *ff° °l'' '°™<^ "" "^o
and one, taking everythf^^ltlMtt'/J.-:; ttl
i
130
THE SWAMP OF DEATIT.
Birchall what Benwell would do witliout his kit, and
Rex replied :
• He can <:?et what he wants from the packages he sent
From New York to Clifton in bond.'
CHAPTER V.
r)
WORK I NO OUT THE PLOT.
The stoiy of this terrible crime, now world-wide in its
renown, can best be told at this stage by giving Douglas
Pel ley's own account of it as given at the preliminary ex-
amination and at the tiial.
♦ On Tuesday,' he said, ' we checked our baggage to
Suspension Bridge, American side, at Birchall's suggestiou.
He said he was not quite sure what side he would stay
on, and didn't want to go through the customs and have
to go back again. Birchall wore a pair of field boots ;
they were very muddy. He got them cleaned outside
the railway depot early in the morning. We had twenty-
two checks altogether. We brought all Bonwell's things.
There was a canvas bag in his room which I took out to
Birchall's room the day we left, and then sent the porter
after all of them. When we got to the Falls we left the
baggage in the baggage room, then had some lunch, then
walked down to see the Falls on the American side. We
walked up the street car track, then branching off to
some side road, passing a mill of some kind, finally reach-
ing the upper suspension bridge, walked across to the
Canadian side up to the Michigan Central depot, thence
down to Clifton. It was suggested by Birchall that Mrs.
Birchall should go to the Imperial hotel and remain until
■nrQ found some T>lace to locate^ Goino- to Mrs. McMahon's,
li Ml
!!•
woniiiNa OUT tfte plot.
131
ilio conl.l not accommo.lato m, but told us to r.o to B il.l-
'After tea Bireliail and I went over bv triin ^n fl
Amencan side, intending to brin. l^'^^l^Z^t
nax e time to .^et them across, so we cacli carried one pice-
next clay. On the eveninc: of the bSth wo wp,-,. cpffu i
at the boarding-house. On the IDtli we went' down' tn
\
132
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
I
the customs house and had the thino-s passed and s^nf in
he boarding house Birchall had a sma bunch of kevs
We ^ZlotlT''^ 'T'l'' ^^^ ^"^^«-« house officeS
we went to the post ofhce box to see if there were anv
leltEno'^' n.f ^^O^'ll"? ^ '''t ^^^- ^^2 and 573 before
lien i^ngi nd. On that day, the 19th, he took box 313
was on th^r P'^"'. t^^ ""'^^^^^ '^ ^^- afternoon ''
Jt was on this day or the next that Birchall wrote thp
following letter to Col. Benwell: it was undated bnf flVf
envelope bore the post mark of Feb.lioth : '
Please addiess Messrs. Birchall & Benwell
P.O. 60x313,
.M^-n c „ -Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
arrangements and I introduced him f-TL^ i u , ^ "^ business
WORKING OUT THE PLOT. 133
jng out to see the business llrsf r .», 1,
lars of all business done so thaf... ^" '^"'^ ^-^^ '^^ekly particu-
"'-oo^n;i^^f?^-?ti^^^
would do for a draft. = We have onp'^'r^'u*"^ ^^"^ i" New York
joint names at the American Bannere * ^"^'"'^^ ^'^^^""t i» out
cls,^bd,eve me, dear sir, sincerely yours.
Lt.-Col, Benwell, * ^^-"^ Bjrchall.
Iseultdene,
Cheltenham
Ont Can.' Stamped acrosVihe fU. f / ' ^'^^ara Fall..
pas^STnfeh^^'l: -y -^^^^ - ^ay after day
;ng a visit to the farm &e iid?w°'"'-"f ^°' P°>"P«n-
too wet, or tliere was not enml "i"'"' '»'' """ddy
hat he was too busy. TheTimf oA7 ^" /'■='«■>»& or
in walking around the Falls n^L° ""-^ P*''^ ^^^ 4ent
^_^One day P.., eaxed hCwr :ar{i:;,1S^^^^
meL^te're^o-n-frXcS'^r-ir ."-r ''-="'''
yourself abo'utstoyS'"'^"^"'""'^' ' "'""y™ "Kplease
This wason theTu'esda.v ir.»K o-.L ,
had been dead a week anJadavV''^"P''» Benwell
ing when the conversation took ni ^'"'y,^''^™ out walk-
pel along the cliff, BirchrexplaifeC'l"' "^^^ ^*'k-
mg money shortly from EnXd and hf t *"' "^P^«'-
be m iull swing in the cour°e nf . f '"'?."'«'*^ would
hnn where his°stock of ho.?e, wereT ' -^"'l^^ ^^^ed
safely housed in Toronto. Su^^st :,^i:;rj^Y.-™ '
11
■< -t
4-'
134
THE SWAMP OF DKATH.
at th
In
4
e Falls and simply using the farm for farm purposes,
Pelley's evidence he said : ' We were walking along
the cliffs and came across a stairway between the village
and the Falls. He said, "Let us go down here." We
went part way down, met a man coming up and not lik-
ing the appearance of the place, I suggested we should
follow the man up, and we did. On Wednesday the
prisoner went to Buffalo to see about some message claim-
ing to be from Benwell, and I went to St. Catharines to
call on a friend named Mrs. Johnson Clinch. I found no
one there, left my card, and returned to the Falls ; found
Mr. and Mrs. Birchall had arrived, and that the clerk at
the Stafford had told them that Mr. Benwell's message
was to send all heavy luggage to 5th Avenue hotel, New
York.'
There had been very little said about Benwell, and
little wondefment, though in answer to a remark Birchall
said that probably Benwell, not knowing their address,
had sent letters to Buffalo and he would telegraph and
see. Then, while Pelley was at St. Catharines, he staited
off* for Buffalo and there sent back a telegram signed
'Stafford.'
These are the telegrams: —
'Niagara Falls, Feb. 25th.
To proprietor Stafford House,
Buffalo.
Is there a telegram or letter for me ? If so please answer ; reply
paid.
Birchall,
Imperial Hotel.
Niagara Falls, Feb. 26th.
Proprietor Stafford House,
Buffalo,
Please open my telegram and repeat message to me here ; reply
paid.
Birchall.
THE FISDING OF THE BODY.
1S5
Birchall.
Imperial Hotel
Buffalo, 2rth Fob, 90.
Imperial Hotel,
m , NuGARA Falls
M t":?'!!,. "." """- » B-oball's haadwriti
Stafford.
paid for, 43 cents
writing, and wa ,
w
rif;
•I;
CHAPTER VI.
THE FINDING OF THE BODY.
In the whole plot there was not one flaw nof or,. •
step, not one oversio-hf fhnf fk^ i ' "^* °^® ^^^-
All was turning oTtTuite as ^11^'.^''"' ^''^"'"^^ ^f"
though it had been irSssiblelir- %f ^?'^'^' ^^^"
depths of the lake X onl ];m ^f^"" *^'^ ^^^^^^ *° the
escaped the sharp eve of tht «^ ^•^'"?- '° ^'^^^^^ ^^^t it
laid5>lan that ev^rTasttiv^ b^ the't^^ of'^ ''f
lain to utter ruin "^ """^ ^^ a vil-
ing of Fridayf^lst February to „f ™?f "" ""^ ™'>™-
not wanted a tamrack po,e i^,„ h?"''-- ? ''•^>' ^ad
there till this day. There abou 1 -ft f^ .T*" '"'"'' '»'"
w&y, they found the dead bod^,f» "'"'■°'" ""^ '«''<'-
shaven and of a dark compSion IZ"^ '^^,\^htoly
grew young saplin-s and half K?, i ,■ T"™'' ""e body
«catteJedinho;eleSCft oa 1 e"^;^!?"' '"^^ '7
baek, a root or branch supportinitheheaTrf ?.",*'
was .„ a portion so that ft^had eatertd he sno': of ,ush'
1S6
THE SWAMP OF DKATH.
I i
) t
I -f
1 !
and the subsequent frost had frozen it into the ground.
The other leg was crossed, the right leg over the left leg,
but not touching it, being sustained by a bough or a root
in the swamp. It lay against a limb, the calf being sup-
ported, the leg being over, but not touching, the left one.
The right arm was in an upright position, sustained by
inother limb or root. The coat, vest and a tweed water-
proof with a cape were open, revealing the shirt front
which was still stiff. The trousers were unbuttoned and
rolled up, the socks pulled down. The arm, standing up-
right, was sustained by lumps of frozen slush and snow
and ice, which accumulating in the sleeve, by reason of
the outer sleeve being waterproof, had remained there
and frozen solid. The collar that he had worn had been
JL-rked from the neck of the deceased as he lay where he
was found. The force used had taken the button out of
the shirt and a piece of the linen with it, and when found
the frozen shreds of the linen were attached to it. The
necktie and collar lay at a little distance fiom the head.
Every name had been cut from the clothing, from the
shirt, from the socks, from the drawers, from everything,
as if the one who committed the murder had desired to
carefully conceal the identity of the body. Theie was
nothing upon the body to indicate in any way who the
person was. The hat was found without any maker's
name upon it ; if it ever had any lining or any maker's
name they had been removed. The right hand trousers'
pocket was turned inside out and all the pockets were
empty, save lor a small quantity of tobacco. Not even
a scrap of paper was to be found on him. His cuff luit-
tons alone seemed to furnish any evidence to work upon.
These were of mother of pearl inlaid in silver. The un-
derclothing and linen wei-e all of the finest description
and of English make, as well as the outer garmenta
Upon the removal of the body two bullet holes were
found in the head, one on the left side, roughly described
as behind the ear, and the other a little to the right of
3 ground,
i left leg,
or a root
eing sup-
left one.
ained by
id water-
irt front
)ned and
idingup-
nd snow
•eason of
ed there
lad been
vhere he
)n out of
en found
it. The
he head,
from the
jr}' thing,
esired to
here was
who the
maker's
maker's
trousers'
ets were
»Iot even
luff luit-
fk upon.
The un-
cription
Qts.
les were
escribed
right of
ME FINWNO OP THE BODy. jjy
tktpte:l*k'?,Ltr/''''r- "-c'e of the
scraped away, and then a .uff '^'""^ ""«' «•« slow wm
on top of an under crust T ,e h.T '"^'^ *^ discoveT^
undertaking establkhment of j"""^ T "T^Xf^ *^ «>«
J. a. Swarts, Princeton
fv
vl
"'7 -so by wh-oh Benwell was r6enMfl.<t
#1
i
138
THE SW/^'P OF DEATH.
I M I'!
there to await identification, A coroner's inquest was
held by Dr. McLay, of Woodstock, and adjourned to al-
low the body to thaw out and a post-mortem examination
to be made.
On the following day the Elvidge Brothers searching
the vicinity of where the body was found came (by chance
again), across a cigar case lying partly open, under the
snow, some six feet away from where the body had lain ;
and not far from the place where it had first fallen.
George Elvidge found it. As he was dragging his axe
along the ground he brushed off the snow by accident and
saw it lying there. Upon it, written by the hand of the
dead man, was the name —
* F. C. Ben WELL.*
This was the murderer's one fatal oversij:;ht, the one
thread that led to the unravelling of the mystery.
Shortly afterwards Joseph Elvidge found under where
the head had rested a pair of eyeglasses and a cio-ar
holder, in which was still the stub of a cigar.
The post mortem showed a healthy, well nourished
body, with no cause of death except the ballet wounds
in the head. Two bullets were found in the head, and
the examiners said either shot would have been fatal, and
there were indications that the shot near the middle line
was the first shot, the other perhaps being delivered
when the deceased was ori the ground. The condition of
the valve of the heart with the arrested throb indicated
that death was insi^mtaneous, which would be the case
with the more central shot. There was found a discolor-
ation in the groin and in the pit of the stomach, proba-
bly caused by the falling forward on the rough ground
after the first shot. Drs. Taylor and Staples furnished a
written document containing the result of their medical
examination. They gave as their opinion that • death
was produced by injury to the brain caused by two pis-
tol shots fi "^" "'"''''''' '^^ -oj.^^ 139
than the I'ceastd? efth^^^' ^/^*^ ""known but ofh
produce death' Th!r®'^°''^o^ which wa^^^ffi • . '
by a white clX and ^ ^^^^"^ establishmint mv "J
all that was mortal of F n B.n ,f*I'P*'"» ""ffin held
his death Frt?*P'«^ ^''-uiger who had L"."""^ *
eopaUaTch«rcter\^''«h»rchwi'':^^^^^^^
place, read T'Ci j^.^cr .°',^ -""ttfe
the murde-ed man. '"°'' ^"1 ">« earth oloid over
r r
140
THE SWAMP OF DEATH,
CHAPTER VII.
THE BODY IDENTIFIED BY BIRCH ALL.
The people of Princetcn who took so kindly an inter-
est in tL deceased drew a sigh of relief when on Mon-
day. 24th, two detectives from Toronto appeared upon
the scene to take up the case . • i «««
' Ts^ow that Detective John Murray has come said one,
'we may expect to see this mystery unravelled ; but tor
some days it appeared as if all clues led nowhere and
ended i^ nothing, and all 'positive' identifications
proved the same way, and the murderer, if he had fol-
lowed the newspaper reports of that time, would have
been greatly amused by the cor had ictory stories afloat
At the inquest on Monday the evidence brought out
seemed to cast suspicion on two men well known in
Woodstock, Geo. Baker and Robert Caldwell. ^ A drunk-
en drive through the country one night suspiciously near
the time when the murder must have been committed,
gave strength to the theory that they were the guilty
parties, and some blood found on a pair of boots worn by
li&kev while killing pigs was regarded as iurnishmg
strikinir corroboration. ^ , , . i.r
This clue was being followed by Detective Murray
when he was attracted to Brantford by a report that the
signature ' F. C. Benwell, Bristol, Eng.' had been found
in a hotel register there. While in brantford he heard
that the dead man had been identified by a friend and
starting off instantly reached Paris in tigie to meet and
interview Rex Birchall. , „ ^ ^ • e
We will now return to Birchall. On the morning of
Feb. 28th Rex Birchall went out alone (as Ue iiaa aone
THE BODV IMNTIFIED BY BIRCHAIL. HJ
litile while rltCnefef'" .^^'^ J?""- •>"' «fter a
Shortly afterward wh„„ PI, "' "P'"'''''^ '» 1>« wife
He had read a net^prpertadLro it' ,^<'['''^' "«'"'''•
nea.. Princeton, but KotTeadlhf ^ctt of ""^ '""'"'
:.^'
Detective Murray
onStt r r;",^ iri*txrt-"' -^ '» ^^ »'
before noon, f he fwo men ZZf there was no train
side, and Birchall cXTT.Z^^tC^'^Jt.X^^^^''
'»" >.uey tnen returned to the house forTunchr ""^''"''
142
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
' By the way,' said Birc!iall, ' Benwell has my pistol.
I wish I had it back.'
: I
Did you give it
He had none of
' How did he get it ?' asked Pelley.
to him r ^
' No/ Haid Rex, smiling, ' he took it.
his own.*
They talked over their plans and Birchall suggested a
change. He and Mrs. Birchall would go up to Paris,
which he had been told would be as near tlie place as
any, and Pelley could go to New York and investigate
the matter of that telegram from Benwell— the telegram
that Pelley had i)reviously asked several times to see, but
had never seen.
' You go and see if Benwell is at the ' Fifth Avenue
Hotel,' said Pvex, ' and I'll pay all expenses.'
The two searching parties set out, the Birchall's leaving
first, Pelley went to New York, inquired at Fifth
Avenue Hotel but could find no trace of Benwell. He
also called on Mr Maloney, and asked him to cash a check
of Birchell's for $30, but did not press the matter when
Kr. Maloney told him he did not know Birchall well
enough to be justified in doing so. Pelley said that, after
all he thought he had money enough to get to Niagara
Falls. He went out, but returned in the afternoon and
purchased his ticket. Then he produced a copy of a
Canadian newspaper and .showed Maloney an account of
the finding of Benwell's body.
'It's terrible, if it's ti nc,' he said, very much downcast.
Pelley waited in Now York during all that day because
he had arranged with Birchall to telegraph him if ho
found Benwell, and Birchall was to do the s ime. Pelley
sent a message but received none from Bin^liall, and tired
and discouraged returned to Buffalo, and from thence to
Niagara on Sunday morning.
The Birchalls' journey was much more successful. They
arrived safely at Paris and diove to Princeton, a,id there
Birchall saw Constable Watson and "'i^J> ^''^^ o,.ior.r,^^
THK BODY IDENTi:xED BY BIBCHALL. US
tt td^tTiii^pX^rr.^' ^^^ -^ "-^ "
seen him at the Fal s wTeni L i?^^""^'^' ^^ ^^^ ^^^^
don to purchase a fkrm «T. '?^^'^igone west to Lon-
Woodstock anTparirVet;',"K"u'",-u*« ^''^P «ff«t
fr m London. ^ '^'^^ ^° ^*^^ ^^ard from him
whlrtmlt^e'sp^o"^^^^^^^ ^^ ^ad a friend
case, and gave a descrh.tion Tft ^\ ."?"Jf °" ^^^ ^^^r
answered^ the -riltrltS'^Bil^^^^^^
they were both of indeDondonf Tn! ■^^"cnall said that
had gone to London Z had ^^^t^^^^^ ?' ^'"^''"
Swarts asked to seo fh^ uiT , ^^ '^^ ^im from there.
must have 't. when he had - T\^'}"^'^^ «aid his wife
8ucces8fu.My. T^en whpn^J . 'J h.s pockets foritun
hotel and i^tch it he remen^h.' f '.I'^/J^o to Strowd's
the Falls. He said thaUhTtf^ ^^f • ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ it at
some baggage checks askl^Al'/^''^^"?.^ nothing but
taken from his trfnksInlUt", 'T "^^'^ '^""^« ^^
He said that Benwell Ld io " J >^- '^^''"'''^'^ ^"^ ^""•
might get the thin^ "" ^^""^ ^*"* <^^« ^eys that he
Birchall and his wife drove back fn Po • . i.
eleven that night, and next Tv w f ^"^ ^^ ^^<^"<^
Birchall returned alone anH H.7 ^^'Tu^'' *^^ ^"^ ^^^ven
day in the little pSonlrnr ""V^f hlusteryMarch
Yes, that's the man ! '
taken to a telejal,h „£ sfviL"^ ^"'"'^"'° ""^ ^"^
man's relatives Oon^faKi^ w ! . ^"^ the young
graph blanket h^^htk .is"^^ J W «- ^ ^1-
write the despatch, but BirZn'iuf 5 *^^^ «%«d to
" '-^'^""cu, aaymg that as
144
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
T! II
it was then Saturday and despatches would not be
delivered on Sunday, there would be no time gained by
sending it and he would wait till ho reached the Falls.
. Watson accompanied him to Pari.s, and on the road he
asked Watson to take charge of the case and that he
was willing to spend considerable money in having the
culprit hunted up. At Paris they met Detective M»irray,
who had hastened over from Brantford. Birchall
, refused at tirst to talk, but afterward agreed to do so,
'and spoke as follows, as given by Detective Murray
under oath at Niagaia Falls :
' Birchall identified the body of the dead man as that
of F. C. Benwell, who had come out from England to go
into business with him farming, and when asked by the
detective if he had been in the business before, he said
no, but had been in the sheep ranch business in Aus-
tralia, and they had come out to this country to see if
they could find a suitable place to raise stock. When
asked if he had ever been out in this country before, he
said yes. He and his wife had been out as tourists, but
that they had not been west of the Falls. I showed
him the cigar case, and ssked him if it vas Benwell's
signature. He staggered, and, turning to his wife, said,
"Here, dear, is that like Freddy's writing?" She
replied that it was. He told me that Benwell's father
was an officer in the army, but could not give me any
further information. I asked if Benwell had ever been
in the army. He said he did not think so, but his
brother had.'
* Birchall told me,' the Detective said, ' that on Mon-
day morning, February 17, he, his wife and Benwell
went down to visit the Falls, and stayed there till the
afternoon. Mr. Benwell had told him he was going on
to London to see a friend, and would write to him, and
that he and his wife returned to Buffalo on Wednesday.
He had received a letter from Mr. Benwell from London
with the ticket and cheques of his baff^ajre. for him to
THE Iionv IDENTIFIED BT BIBCnALl. 145
l«r.i.^ 1 i. -x P , ^ "'^ ^^»'l "I'm to Birchall Ro
The following statement was civen bv Tli,v.hnii .
newspaper representative :-He said^Tho ,1 , " '","
name is Fre.L 0. Benwell, of London E J 'ncl HeT,:
oiucer m tlie British armv. Mr Bpnwnli \i. n u ^ .
Canada and biTl farm Aff^^ '""-''"^'^ to Jocate in
—se anu .c. lu my cnarge two trunks, i received by
III
III
^1
1^1 11
.146
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
mail last Wednesday week from London, Ontario, a ticket
to release two chests which are in the express office
here in bond. I first saw his name in connection with
the Princeton murder in a newspaper. I went directly
to Paris, leaving here at 2.45 p.m., and arriving at Paris
about half-past five. I drove to Princeton and viewed
the body this morning after it had been exhumed, and
recognised it to be that of Fred. C. Benwell that accom-
panied me from England. I know that he had from $50
to $100 with liim when he left i^e, also a watch and
chain. Taking everything into consideration, I feel he
has been foully murdered. He was a man of temperate
habits. I knew of him personally six or seven months
before we left England, but knew of his family some time
before that. Mr. Pellev left here yesterday for New York.
He has been with me here since Benwell left for London.
He went to New York in search of Benwell, who had
friends in New York. I could not say how much money
Benwell had when he arrived in New York. When
Pelley returns from New York we will consider what we
will do with the remains. Most likely his friends in New
York will be consulted. I have made several trips to this
country, buying horses and shipping them there, which I
intended to do on this occasion, Pelley coming with me
on the same errand. It was through no inducement from
me that Benwell came to this country. I saw Detective
Murray at Paris to-day, and gave him all the information
I know about the deceased. There seems to be a deep
mystery enshrouding the death of poor Benwell in a
foreij^n land, and no doubt the detectives > will ferret the
whole affair out and expose one of the most cruel murders
tbftt hfts taken place in Ontario for some vears
• THE ARREST AND COMMITTAL FOR TQial. 147
CHAPTER VIII.
THB ARREST AND COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL.
Birchall and his wife returned from Paris nn «^«f„ a
and when they arrivad at thpir {^7^- \ Saturday,
tive Thomas H Sn- chlf nf^^^n ?^.^^"'"' ^^*^c.
there and whohlr^e^ent:'^^^^^^^^^
cept young ^Hr^ sl^a ^.etrri^e" aTt ^^ ^"^^^^
pected to return earlv in f^! !! ^^P^®^' ^s he was ex-
flyer arrived aT 7 30 he stenneTTFi; 7^-''' '^' ^''^
taken to Police Magistrate Fn?r J^^ V"^'"' ^"^ ^^s
consultation wlslfd t Wn P^^^ P"^^*^
Then Pelley verv ^rar^n^ 7 "^
'do you know 1"*" '°"» ^'^"■"' -^ed Mrs. Birchall.
^^7i^r^,:^,^ '^^^^^- ~ed
informed I>fm that two nSs If t «''"'"lf« Customs.
with the address ■FcTenweirl^""' ^f'^ ",''°'"'
name on th« .;,„„ „3„e '.„■!!*?''*"■ f ™Pared with the
■ """"■ -^=6 xu.uuu near Ui« My. and, wiieu
' I' 4-1
.-].
148
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
asked if anyone had calJed for the baggage, said, ' Yes
a party of Englishmen stopping at Baldwin's.' '
Young found they had left town, and starting out
traced up the party from the Buffalo end of the case'
and then returned to the Falls, and on Sunday mornincr'
soon after Pelley's return, arrested J. Reginald BirchaU
on suspicion of murdering Benwell.
Birchall asked Pelley to send for Mr. I. F. Hellmuth
of London, who had been a fellow passenger on the
Britannic, and he did so at onife, and the barrister
arrived on Monday to defend him.
Birchall was searched and upon him was found blank
cheques of the Niagara bank; a receipt from Wells, Fargo &
Co., dated New York, February 14, 1890, given to F. C.
Benwell for one trunk and one box marked 'F C Ben-
well, personal effects to be forwarded to Clifton,' a gold
pen and holder, 95c. in silver, an open-faced watch with
a curb chain, a bank book on the Niagara Falls Bank
N. Y., good for $152, a bunch of small keys (ten in
number), a penholder marked 'Conny,' Sept 15, 1869.
A pair of folding pocket scissors were also found.
At the cell Birchell admitted leaving Buffalo and
going as far as Niagara Falls with Benwell, but did not
wish to make any statement. Detective Murray, who
had amved, asked him if he was within a radius of ten
miles of Woodstock, Eastwood or Princeton on Monday
and he declined to say. In taking the keys and bonded
receipt from prisoner, he' seemed very much concerned
about it, but he did not say how he had come by them.
The arrest caused great excitement and it immediately
became known through the proprietor of the Imperial
hotel that Birchall was there the year before accompanied
by his wife, and stopped at the Imperial hotel, registering
as Mr. and Mrs. Somerset, arriving at midnight and
remaining a day or two.
11, ■^^^1.^^®^''^^ ^^^ received on Monday morning from
the father of Benwell, dated at Cheltenham, asking' if if
THE ARREST AND COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL. 14!)
was true his son had been murdered. He had aenn . ...
port .f the finding of the cigar case near the body
Detore and after the murder; she was detained under
pohce surveillance at Baldwin's, but after two exhau ti ve
examinations, liberty was allowed her ^
ag^nsthtr*^' ^'''^^' *^' ^'^""^ j"'^ ^^"^^ " No Bill"
. A press despatch from Niagara Falls on March 4th
gives a famt Idea of the sensation that the case made a^^
'The Bn-chall arrest is opening up one of thp durVoc*
m 'u„ ..ibtory of Ontario. Detective Murray since
his arrival last evening, has been hard at work on
the case. It seems that Douglas Raymond PeTley the
young Eng ishman who has b?en up to last evenfncr in
moTnY I^at ^"h'^ 1 ' "I" T""' ^ «'-tement in "^u tS
morning that will plainly show that there has been a
deep plot concocted in England where unsuspecttn^oun^
men were lured into agreements based on the bi<? profit!
ma paying business at Niagara Falls, alleged to he own^^
and conducted by Birchall." Pelley can plain V see how
he has been gulled, and considei/himsilf a fuckv man
that he did not meet the fate of poor Benwell as two or
three times he can recall having been taken to suspi^iVas
places by Birchall and something occurring to iXcen?
whe;:%"iSlld^' r''^^^^ ^^^^^- - -Se
wnere ±ii chall had enticed him down a stairway leadinr^
aown to the edge of the Niagara river. HeTropposTt?
the Wesley park, a man coming up at the time noTuU
prevented hun Irom being mSrdered. The inducement
of Birchall was hat they could have a better vTew of
the river from the water's edge. On another occasion
while down upon the SuspensioS bridge suggestions were
made to him. following which he could JfwiT. k!!!
siioveU mto the seething rapids below. Th7 whi^ffj;
1 1
% -.}
If
Jl
'^
m
150
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
seems to point to a Regular organized gang in London
Eng and, of which Birchall is the prime mover.' '
At eleven o clock on Tuesday. Birchall was brought
NkgaLS " P'"'' magistrate Hill, at
hoVllftT^ ""^^ P^^'5^ ^" ^ ^^^^' ^^^^^^ *^« witness-
box and looked pale and appeared nervous, although he
answered the magistrate in a firm voice as follows :-Am
nn Ittr ^ T' y"^^ ^""^ ^^ ^^»^c^^' Lancashire, have
no particular business or home other than London Eng.
£i o^ 11 '' ^?^- ^ ^^^^ '^^ occupation, am married,
have a college education, belong to the Church of Eng-
The magistrate then read the charge against the nri
«oner o wilfully and feloniously murderin| one ^ed^C
Benwell, on or about the 17th February, in or around
noTgunty "magistrate asked if he was guilty or
5k^ ^fP^^^^ ^° a hurried voice, * Not guilty.'
Ihen begMi the taking of evidence, and on March 12th
magistrate Hill committed the prisoner for trial at the
ofLTT^^'''^^^^^''^ jurisdiction in the County of
?tth A ^^^J!?^g^«fcrate, continuing, asked the prisoner
L \r ;^y^^"^g, *o say in his own behalf. He was
thLf'lT *? /P^^'5 ""le«« he liked, but if he had any-
den"!ltMltriaT ''' ''^'" '°"" ^"' used as evii
partStitt'"'^-'' have nothing to say at this
tak''eth'4'e%& "'^^^' °^^' *^"^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^
.oh^Z^'^^iJ^'''?^' ^^^ *'« y«" ? ' «aid Bex, gay as a
schoolboy, 'Fine day. I have just been admiring that
'?dtrget^it1>'^' ""^^^"* *^ '' y--> -heJe
umLXli^l!!!'J!;5".'^ you^aid Murray. ^ Oh I that
j^.« vivJVjunfOVl WJ UlC
uy tt xnena.
THE ARREST AND COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL. 151
about him. ^ ^"""^ chatting pleasantly to those
the grave of Benw.ll 1 concluded. On March 8th,
body%rouc°htfor?h Til ''"'" '^^J^' «P^"^^ ^nd the
that covered the eaHh OuL « ^^^\«f ""« of snow
round the grave waHW far \ '''''^''^ ^?d assembled
The coffin LdfcenSdan^nl^'T^^ ^^ ^- ^^"^y-
side the grave, the ZLZe^^^rtTt^^^^^^^
features exposed. When Pellpl ^/ii: i^ ^® P^^^' ^^^"^^
he bent ove'r the coffin "vfs^J^ affS "?Th '^ ^^^
well, poor fellow.' he said Ti.t i ^^^^ ^^ ^en-
awed and silent For «^n .1 P^^P^^' ^^^^^ around,
brotlier, who he fa?rt w. "• m ^?^-^^'^ 'eft himself and
said his brothei had J ' Manitoba, very well off. He
BetSf tic h^^^rot;^"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 'H^'
me that Mr. Birehairs Zt£??- '?•- ^'■'' ^'■•<='>='" told
elled about. KrehaH toH mli'lTf v''?"^'*"'^ ^"^ t™v-
to Princeton, bit he kntw^rt ^'1^ "^"^^ ^"^ "P
to where the murder wL'l^l" tT 'il^.r?^''-^'^"""
ropoiitan Hotel, in New York.l ttd 'C XhSl'l^i-
*
W'i
152
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
ifjSlE
-I r
Nb!
prisoner if he saw, Mr. Pickthall come down stairs. Ho
said No, you must be mistaken.' She said no, she
was not. I on one occasion asked him where his stock
of horses was He said safely housed in Toronto, and
told me he had ridden a horse in a race only open to Ca-
nadian breds, and won. Mrs. Birchall told me that Mr.
Birchall told her that Benweil, when identified by him
was dressed in different clothing than what he went away
I
■ I
Pickthall.
in. She also told me that the place around Pine Pond
was infested with tramps, and no doubt they had stripped
iZ ^- 'fr^^'^i '^ "^^« ^' ^^« f«"^d i^n, and that a
lady living there had saved her life more th^n once with
?«?k Vk ^^ constantly in her home. Birchall told me
ne had been out on several occasions for the last six or
eight years, and mentioned to me on board the steamer th^
Hi i
THE ABKKST ANB eo,«„., ,<,, ,„^
place called Pine Pnn^ , •
said that it was a deZhifT\^'' P^^^^ ^^ business an^
would drive four in S "[P^^^^ ^^^ » pcnic and\r
also nientioned about^nI7^'^?•""^^^•«^'nel^^^^^^^
was looked unnn o *\ P^^^^ <^^^^ed Drumbo w" '-5"^
man said to h_l| and tLT i'^''"™ *« '^"s goint T."
put you off at D;ZtT ""■"^"""'"epjied. • Ci?5'wm
wto the cause of the de!lh S^A""^' ^«S». *<> iChe
dead in the bush near Prifceton *''" y"""? »«" tlZd
sees swamp. Jot 22, conSon o m"'T^'y """^d He" -
now appeara to be Frederirfc- r. ' ^'^"J^^™. whose name
their oath present thartho s^idT"]^ «f"^^'Uoo:
Benwel came to his death hv ? Vodenck (Vnwallis
his head from behind one It /° ^''*''' ^''"ts fed tato
neck and the other a JUtle L^' T" ">« "ape of "he
ear. e ther of which wTL^"'^ ^"^ '''"'™ 'he ]ef?
your jurors have reaW tn ^ ?' '" <=*»«« death • and
that the said shots ^e™ fir d iJT' .'""' ''<> '^^t^
-Birchali. alias Somerset Jtluj,^,*'^^ hand of Re«„«M
uUy and feloni„"s?^to coitu f'5'° P^POse an^^
-l|th day of February, 1830 ann:^'""' ™. °'- "'"'"t^he
FIc-ence BirchaU, wife of k Tf *''^ of opinion th»f
wa. accessory to the mtl^Xr^the ^^ «"«haa
Hob. B.^H^^oHt^^^^^
^li
'hi' II
*i^
^ 111
154
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
Wl
CHAPTER IX.
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL.
In his cell in the basement of the courthouse, Rex
Birchall was very pleasant and jovial. He informed an
officer that he sent letters from Welland jail to his sister,
Miss Maud Birchall, Rainhall, near Liverpool ; to his
brother, Rev. Oswald Birchall, Lechlade, Gloucestershire,
England ; and J. F. Lynch, 49 Cleveland-square, Hyde
Park, London ; and that his father was the Rev. Joseph
Birchall, rector of Church and rural-dean, and had died
during 1878.
To a newspaper man who asked after his health he
said:
* Well, I have been first-rate, th mk you. They have
used me very well, and I have found some very good
friends up at Welland. Several Church of England
clergymen called on me, and we had social chats, and it
helped to pass the time very agreeably. I hardly thought
such a notorious character as I have been made to appear
would find any friends, but it seems so. You see I am
attracting co. siderable attention. In court to-day I felt
as if every eye was on me. Even the ladies seemed in-
terested -they are not so heartless as men, you know —
(with a laugh). — I have just been arranging to take some
articles of clothing with me to Woodstock. Tell Murray
to get my hold-all with the straps on it, you know ; and
tell him they only sent me over one sock. I had my few
things done up in a paper parcel, and the paper burst, and
the hold-all will be just the thing. Good-night, old man,
there is no use in being down-hearted, you know. One
minute a man is on the top of the heap, and the public
They have
very good
I England
lats, and it
ily thought
3 to appear
u see 1 am
i-day I felt
seemed in-
Du know —
take some
ell Murray
enow; and
ad my few
• burst, and
t, old man,
low. One
the public
IN PRISON 4ND ON TRIAL. jgg
way of the world. Good-nigh^.' ''^ '^°^- ^"^ ''^'^ ^^^
WOODSTOCK JAIL
him with a mattress, and he had ^^^""Sfl^cted to furnish
his handsome overcoat as a pU W vf '° ^ ^'""'^ ^ith
clothing looked seedy and full Af ^^."-^ "^^"rally his
bright and cheerful and kli.i ^^nkles. He wa"
furnishing him wilrsoiSllff ?!?5 ^^e mistake in It
furnishing him with soS-"* Z""^' *^^ "^^^
sleenon. He U"^ --^-^^^'"^ ^^*<^e^' than
* - ~^e n«^ u^ ^laie to eret brfi«.tfocx ^
•-•wciiu CO
'if .. ■■
Pl-I'l
ast. as the train
II"!
f
n
fl
■ ]
IL.
k
156
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
was due to leave at 7.45. He left the court-house un-
noticed. He was heavily handcuffed, and wore brown
kid gloves on his hands to protect them frora the cold
and the chafing of the wristlets.
At the station Rex an! Detective Murray had sand-
wiches, boarded the train, and reached Woodstock at
J 0.32, where a large crowd assembled to see the man
who, a short time ago, had played such a brilliant rdle
in Woodstock.
When he arrived at the jail he shook hands with Turn-
key Forbes, whom he had known well under difl'erent
circumstances a year ago. Indeed he shook hands with
every one in the jail he met. He talked freely and fre-
quently, and examined the names in the jail register with
considerable interest. He walked cheerily and quickly
to his cell and bade the detective, the reporters, and
others good-bye with the air rather of a man who was
going on a wedding tour than of a man going into close
confinement. When his dinner, consisting of some pota-
toes, a piece of bread and some scraps of moat was
brought in to him he looked at it with a peculiar smile,
and said, ' Lay it aside, and I'll inspect it after a while.'
He made application to the Sheriff to have his meals
brought in to him, saying that he had plenty of money
to meet all expenses.
He was taken irto the gaol yard in the afternoon for
an airing. While there one of the prisoners, a lunatic,
approached him very cautiously, and, after some preli-
minary remarks, plumped the question, " Did you shoot
the man ? " Birchall laughed, but said nothing.
The prisoner's cell, at the west end of the west wing
of the gaol, was well lighted, but did not command an
extensive prospect. About the only furniture in it was
a small table, on which lay a couple of books, one of
them a Bible. Another cell, opening into the corridor
which leads to the first one was to be his sleeping cham-
ber. The mention of the fact that he would have
-house im-
ore brown
ra the cold
had sand-
ed stock at
e the man
illiant role
mih Turn-
sr diflerent
landa with
ly and fre-
jister with
ad quickly
Drters, and
n who was
r into close
some pota-
nioat was
[iliar smile,
2r a while.*
his meals
of money
ernoon for
a lunatic,
some preli-
you shoot
west wing
mmand an
} in it was
ks, one of
he corridor
ping cham-
svould have
158
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
another cell to sleep in provoked a smile and a joke
about a suite of rooms. When he was about to bo left
alone he took Detective Murray's extended hand and
grasped it warmly,
' I'll do anything I can for you outside of this case,'
said Mr. Murray.
'Thank you, thank you/ replied the prisoner.
' Of course you understand my business/ .said Mr. Mur-
ray,
• Of course. That's all right, thank you.'
And so from March 13th to Sept. 22nd Rex Birchall
remained in Oxford gaol, visited by his wife and sister-
in-law, and by his father-in-law, Mr. Stevenson, during
his brief visit to Canada to comfort his daughter ; also
by friends, and all the while preserving the same easy,
cheerful spirit, full of life and good humor, never com-
plaining, never showing anxiety. Kind and generous to
his fellow prisoners, sprightly towards the officials, affec-
tionate towards dumb brutes, he showed himself in his
dreary prison life. He ate and slept well, read and wrote
and sketched and maintained throughout a self-control
and composure wonderful in a man awaiting trial for his
life.
On Monday morning, Sept. 22nd, at eleven o'clock, the
great Benwell murder trial began in the Woodstock town
hall, which was used as a court room, the new Court
House not being completed. Mr. Justice MacMahon took
his seat upon the stage at the south end of the hall. On
the right of His Lordship sat County Judge Finkle, and
to the left and in rear of his ' bench ' were a dozen or so
ladies. Immediately in front of the stage, on a raised
platform one foot high, sat the officers of the court and
the Crown lawyers. First in importance was B. B. Osier,
Q.C., the senior Crown officer. Beside him sat Mr. J. R.
Cartwright, Q.C., Deputy Attorney-General of Ontario,
while across the table was Mr. F. R. Ball, Q.C., Crown
Attnrnftu- for OvfnrH Def-Aofi^To Tr»V»r« lVyrp*>T>aTr ca^ «<• *V./»
and a joke
t to bo left
[ hand and
: this case,'
er.
id Mr. Mur-
BX Birchall
and sister-
son, during
ghter; also
same easy,
lever com-
ijenerous to
icials, aff'ec-
iself in his
I and wrote
self-control
;rial for his
o'clock, the
stock town
new Court
^ahon took
B hall. On
'inkle, and
dozen or so
>n a raised
court and
B. B. Osier,
t Mr. J. R.
)f Ontario,
.C, Crown
o
f
Q
Q
o
d
on
9
160
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
two feTitwav' ^»7T? 'r^^--^- ^' ^«" =>™«>er table,
Detutl'^'tV'''*?"? ^""^"^^ ^»^ •"•""ght into eourt by
Era P^irT/'''!'^ ^"i <='''^f °f^°'i-=« Young o^
fheT™th " Vwif™""''" '?*™S been driven over from
pulelinto tt Cck-Tthro'Sr' T.'" ""^i^'y
mediately surroundatby htli^ttdfSsrafff CCe"
somewhat pale, wa* freshly and cleanl7shaven and 1 is
a^SdTt tat ^p^ist""^!" ^^U Je^Ceiliy
ertLv^re'oi^:^tr?r"^^^^^^^^^
ca tne same coolness he had shown ever since his arrp^f
He was neatly dressed, his clothes being caXlytXd
eXrwa. a'^blate^ffit ^^ ^^' ^'^^""^^ ^"^ ^^^^^^'"P
nnJ^ft"^"''^^-^^^''^^^ ^""^ '^«^" ^"' t^e prisoner arraio-ned
and the indictment read, the plea of « not ^juiltv' uttfred
firmb^ and then the case for the crown walened by
Mr. Osier, who gave a masterly rdsum^ of the evidence to
be advanced, and the theories of the crown wL'ch were to
be substantiated by witnesses.
fi P!r,^'"*i'^" witnesses numbered 70, 66 of whom testi
fied; the first three being Wm. McDonald of farm-Dun
iame ; Doug .s Pelley and Mr. Cbas. Benwel theZther
of the murdered man, who had come from SiXd in
the place of hi.s father. Col. Benwell, who was "ll TWs
witness idei .fied the clothing found on the bodv as hav
irig belonged to his bmt,h«v 0^.1 „i.. .u^ ^, .7^ ^^ ,^7
I! r
• 1 1 ; — 7 ."'"^ '-^""""Jg luuna on tne bodv f
ing belonged to his brother, and also th. r.Z7il
W PBISON AND Olf TWAl, jgj
-the state of the body that it t^^M.TS *° P™™ ^om
as from Monday toFddavfn/L. °'" '"'^'' '"'n ^o ion..
Pearanco that ifdid wlZfouSd o"n";f •"'"' p«ent the ap!
agreed as usual, and each hnd „„• ' "' ''"'"* "J^tore dis-
the.ropinionsup. Theweatheron r;]"'"'l'°""« '» b^'ek
exposed formed also anTmr,™.?. '^''?>'«"'a"hebody was
ber of witnesses were "alTe&l'^rf ' '"!'' " '"«'= »»>"■
cross-examination of ^v^tn!:. , -^ '" ''•»' alone. The
Wy of the muXd ,tran;t?^'"S.'°P™vetheiden!
'rom Niagara to the swamp of Detlf "'"!""■ °" ^^e way
on the return journev w«'J *"'' ""'' °f *e Prisoner
came out from theUency of F^rl'^^n 1 ^^^^' ^^^^ he
^ration agents, as a°S pupTr W^' V^T ^ ^^•' '^^^•
him with a farmer named wT' t' ^^^Donald placed
ham Township but fZ •*'''''' ^^ thought, in Dere-
there He caSe to WoodKkXit^K"^ ^•'J^ ^^^-^^
he had not come to Can^dV? ^' ^'^ ^^^«' ^^^ stated
at witness' house for rtv^ I '^ '^^™- ^^ ^^^'^
board Vith Mrs. Mackar The n • ^'^^ *^^" ^^"^ to
Woodstock four or five inokn.« i P"f ^^^ remained in
ticular business. ^"''' ^"^ ^^^^^ed upon no par-
Mr. Black8tock took f k . -i
questions Mr. McDonS stated fh?t T^ "nder his
ployed for three years in thp f! ^^ -}". ^'^^ heen em-
a commission fromTe ItencvTo ^'^/f^ ^"^^"^«*' getting
He denied emphaticallvTr^A;.t^^ P^P'^^ he 'placed"
- — . He had -tmue?thnS;r;:^l:^t?
fl
m
Hi
,^c4
.III
162
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
fi
I
ii!
four months ago, when it ceased. His last letter about
that time was not answered. He gave the names of
pupils he had placed, one of them being F. A. Somerset.
He remembered Dudley and Graham, but did not know
where they were now. Dudley had gone to PickthaU's
as a pupil, but did not remain. Witness had gone to
Princeton to see the body of Benwell, because he saw in
the papers that It was an Englishman, and thought he
might be able to identify him. He was at Niagara Falls
on other business when the inquest was on and was
called upon to give evidence. He explained how he was
standing on the stadon platform when he was introduced
to Chief Young as one who knew Birchall. He had
never seen Young before. They did not talk over what
evidence ne would give. When asked what they talked
about, a laugh followed, when he answered that they
talked about how pretty the falls were, and so on.
Q.— Did Birchall ever write a letter to Ford, Rathbun
«& Co. ? A. — I believe he did.
Q.— Did you tell him that you did not think that he
ought to have done that ? A.— I do not know what you
are after, but I did not like the letter.
Q— The reason why you did not like this letter is
that having written you thought he treated you uniustlv
is it not ? ■' J j>
A.— No.
Q.--Perhaps it was because you thought he treated
you justly you did not like it ?
A. — Perhap. .
Witness continued in answer to Mr. Blackstock, ' Ford
Rathbun & Co. wrote, calling upon me for an explanation^
and that is how I came to know what the letter con-
tained.
Mr. Blackstock— The charge against you was that
you were swindling those farm pupils ?
Witness— Yes.
Mr. Blackstock — That is the charo-ft tba
was justly made to this question ? °
ay
iter about
names of
Somerset.
not know
Pickthall's
I gone to
he saw in
bought he
^ara Falls
and was
w he was
ntroduced
He had
)ver what
ey talked
ihat they
)n.
Rathbun
k that he
what you
I letter is
unjustly,
le treated
ik, ' Ford,
)lanation,
itter con-
was that
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL.
163'
ne'^X^Z'; 'Zrt2TT^ ^"* ^^ «*-^«d that he
of any account. ""Pleasantness, or at least nothing
Mr. Osier (For the Crown) Addressing the Jury.
^ Q.---pidyou ever make a proposition in M- EJr»K„ii
i-ujomm the farm pupil business? " * ""'"*
A. — JNo, I never did.
i'.l ''
i ■«■"-.
lit
I!
164
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
Q.-— Never talked about it ?
there that Mr. WuL'^V'ZZr^elft. fe ^r S
the commission was not paid because he had W Biroh
sometimes $20 BirchaU mM if ? r"?''?"'' *"* ^"'l
$30, which he neJS iorBir.h»n* '*'' ^"'^""^ ^^
ik^<< o« 1 ^ "«v«r ^ot. tJirchall came in October
S durinc, hi .Tn. ?'"'y ** "'" g*°'''«'d I '«=ted for
aZ'|Spr4"c^^.L"r ^"^ ' "^"' '" '"- '--
tf^^anfat„fS^^7iEH^^
a telen^rain from Benwell orHprJno. ^\Z "'"'^^ "® ,"^^1 §^t
shi^ed to the Fifth Avenue" tt^N t V^^ feS
to Buffalo and got the information on Thursday Feb
27th. I asked BirchaU how BenweU was ^ettinJln^
IN PRISOK AND ON TRIAL. 163
STheZde'd boxe'; 'T' Tl' ''' ^^^^ ^^ --ted
baggage by exDress nptf 1 '^'1 .^^ -«"^^' ^^ward the
that effect Knt onf f ^' ^"^ ^^^ ""Pitied Ben well to
was with anotheT^an on r ""ll^'''^ ^^ ^^ said he
looking for a stable ^'fhh ''^!r ^'^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^r,
Birchan went out in the mo^n n?' *^ ^^^^ February
time, threw me a leLr frmnT ^ and came back after a
ing it he came down and to dZ^^^^^ ""^''t ^ ^^^^ ''^^'
that a cigar case had been fol^ ' 'f-^^ ^^ ^he paper
a man found in the swam nK ''^^\*'*^ ^^^^^ ^ody of
Benwell. It was L:";7e'citd"Lt^' ""T '' ^ ^•
once to see if it was L^en^^^Il's bodt R ' '^^"'"^ ^o at
I go to New York and he and\i« -p ?^«"»^ted that
to the Fifth Avenue Hotel and Tnr-' *." f ^"^- ^ ^^^^
no trace of Benwell It w«. «. ^ '.'^' ,^"* "°"^^ find
telegraph the result^f our vLts Tdfl '^''\^' '^'^^^
no despatch from Birchall oTw 'a .f' ^"^ received
all said tome, ' Do you know Rpf n^' *^^ ^^^h, Birch-
Isaid, ' Why/did v^ou.iveTt?rv>'^^^^^^ "^^ P^^^ol?'
took it.' When T Im f 1 V ^ ^x "" • ^^ said, 'No he
thatBirchaTlhKrnrd ttrt^'T ^^^ ^ -^« ^c^d
as that of Benwell, anStHtth^ t Y^ ^^^ ^'^^^^ified
ing the prisoner and his w^ft *^%^^tectives were watch-
sequently and sawlelo'dy^nd'cS /' "^"""^^^ ^^^"
Q.— Whose were they? "" ^'^^^^^es.
Tht^ThtXhi wltslre"f ^'^ ^^--* ^^ —
wearing. ^"^^ "'^ °^^« 1^^ was in the habit of
ed;|^ifs^i^i^^-^^^
afiected by something Mrs Bi?ch« n^o ."^.^i.^o^^ewhat
Benwell in a rather u^favoVS e^f "h^^^,^ ^^^^ P^^^^^
of Pelley's original evidence was fark.Jlt '"'*''" ^'^"'^^
Charles Benwell brother nff^ caietully gone over.
witness. He told ^f h^^Lfher't f ''T^' T^^ *^^ "«^<^
inaries to his cnmJn' V^' ^'?^A'^ ^'^ ^ra^ and the prelim-
^ V. v^axiuau. it was an affecting
m
f
III
■1
It n«.
■'i 'f 'I
166
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
S WiVk'
scene wheu Mr. Osier handed the witness decease
oil case which wa,s found in Birchall's poss^^ssion
r.o .; n T r^^/<^" ever seen this gold pencil ca,^e and
penholder before ? ^ f
There was moisture in tb* witness . .es as he answer-
ff{ . u """^ y^^' ""^""y °^^"'^'- I rei .cuber/ he went an.
that he used to carry this pencil case peh (she .Wncr it
apart from the r^^st of the piece) in his pock .t. This w.s
rven to my brother on his birthday by a lady i^iend of
ms. Tlmmnae, 'Coanie/ was his pet name, the name
by which v.v kna;ir \nm m the family. It was a short
name for Corn\va!a«.
Be recogi)i&;-J ^he waterproof as one bought to be sent
out to his bro^^n while in New Zealand, but wldch was
not sent. In, Lather wore it. He also recognised other
articles Bhovvn him as having belnnged to decea s^d.
• S, 'V^^^^^y ^^^ morning session was devoted m hear-
ing the doctors who made the post mortem examiration,
and their theories as to how long the body of Benwell
tiad lam in the swamp before it was discovered about
11 clock on the morning of Friday, February 21st.
J he drift of the crown in connection with the examin-
ation oi the doctors was quite apparent. They wished
to prove that :
Benwell, being murdered on Monday, Feb. 17th. lav in
the swamp until the following Friday.
puring Monday night there was a heavy sleet storm,
followed on other days up to Friday with more sleet, rain,
snow and cold weather.
The right arm of the body was so elevated when found
that the sleeve of the mackintosh was filled with ice.
which subsequently became so solidified that it took
nearly 1^ hours to remove it.
That if the body were not in the swamp on
night, during the aforesaid storm of sleet, that i
sleeve would not havft been filled with th« frt
found therein.
'"■ iQday
oat-
jl sleet
I
t
c
i
I-
t
r;
b
g
ft— I
m
9
li
» m*
«:*.'.
M
168
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
Therefore, that Benwell was really murdered during
the Monday in question.
Dr. Taylor was the first witness. He told about
visiting the swamp on the day on which the body was
found, Feb. 21. He saw the body next morning again.
The face and hands were dark-coloured. After being
thawed out the colour of the face was more natural.
Witness thought the body had been in the swamp per-
haps four days, possibly a little more. He described the
discovery of the bullet wounds, one on the left side be-
hind the ear, with inverted edges, and the other imme-
diately behind the head. On the left side, too, were
found about forty grains of powder imbedded in the ear
and side of the face. The hair above the wound was
singed.
Mr. Osler placed the waterproof worn by Ben well on
a constable and turned up the collar, exposing the bullet
hole in the cloth. Witness said one of the wounds in
the head corresponded in position to the spot which the
hole in the coat-collar reached in the constable's head.
The bruises on Benwell's body were caused either imme-
diately before or within two hours piter death, ai^d might
have been produced by a fall, a pinch, or a olow. A
body standing upright and falling upon an uneven sur-
face would be likely to produce the marks. An attempt
was made, but unsuccessfully, to shake the doctor's testi-
mony with respect to the sleet storm of Feb. 17th.
Dr. A. B. Welford, a young physician of Woodstock,
was also examined at length as to the post mortem. It
came out in his testimony that the right sleeve of Ben-
well's waterproof and undercoat were filled with sleet,
irozen so solid that it was impossible to separate the cloth-
ing from the flesh, even after the body had been in the
undertaker's room thawing out several hours. The doc-
tor next spoke of the discolorations on the groin of the
deceased, and testified that inasmuch as inflammatory
-j-i 1 1 — i. ^/>4- iw^ thia A\attn]r\rsLiyr\r\ pnuld not have
T imtne-
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL. 169
houra prior to ^d I! !,„,. ^T°'^, ^presented by U
been dL at lea^-^is lot"' "''^^^ ^'^'^ ^^e man^hal
body, thinking iTm-Jht^fL A^'^'u'''', *" »^« "^«
We„ ,ad :^'l^^^-rZ^-^--t
thfCiaUf Kd'lTnd^.h""''^'"'' '=°'"^*»'y- ''-bribed
the body. nfSlirwtt BirSrvistd'^b^""™ "'
he was not there more than five SuLind in ^T."
Wv^ous and uneasy. He did noTst^t dt^S^a'^;
WetThif county Cd St Thot""" ""^ ^'^"^^ "^
ford, were called to prove th»t„?^' *'''''''°''°*'Stam-
or Somerset had owned a farm ^° Person named Birchali
FalLs. ™ ' - '"« vicinity of Niagara
Then followed evidenpAna '.«*«i
had sent to himselTf "mNia^am S^Tff' hatBirchall
Pearce, teller in tho R«ni- „f °m™ Buffalo, and Fred
N.Y Us -J^od'tX aforFlbl^'Jfe ^^'"'
m« to deposit slip ^IZTm teTatSR-Tl;
his occupat on and ho rAnlfo^ ikt* ;'™^^,^^i^ed Birchali
for the Iglish goverament ' ''' ""^ ^"^'^^S horses
io,fSS?:^;Xt^t'»'«stCoUege,Domi„.
prove the chaJa^ter of^f ,Sf. Jl'^j'.';;'"- -"« "-"ed to
the murde... The blotterbeiri^i^lhe'-JS",:-^ »j
- i ■ 'i
It
170
lE SWAMP OF DEATH.
obseiviition signs, with the tran«lation thereof, was pro-
duced. The record?^ proved that at 8 o'clock on the even-
ing of Feb. 17th, the rain commenced to fall, and it rained
without cessation until ; . . :t morning. There was
a pretty heavy storm, 34-luOths, or nearly one-half of an
inch, being the fall. It gradually became colder, with
frost en Tuesday, the 18th, and at 9:30 on the evening of
Wednesday, the 19th, rain and sleet fell. At 5 o'clock ou
the morning of Thursday, the ''Oth, snow began to fall
and the register shows that it was drifting. It was also
gusty with drifting snow on Friday morning, tht 2Ist, the
date of the discovery of the body.
Mr. IliiRSEE was called and described Pine Pond and
Mud Lake to the jury and said Birchall had told him that
he knew the locality, that he had been through there
' sporting ' about four years previously He tL not know
who owned the land on which Mud Lake was located, but
had iieard some one say his brother did. Witness des-
cribed a number of little lakes similar to Mud Lake in
the locality.
To Mr. Blackstock witness said that ladies generally
nccompanied Birchall on his trirs. Witness ofiered Bir-
ihall $100 if ho would sf 1 his farm to some of his Eng-
lish frienr' 4. F . Hers( said he thought there were a
couple of boats at Pine Pond when Somerset was tl. n-e,
and when one of them disappeared witness had remarked
that he thought an Indian had stc ' on it and taken it to
Mud Lake.
Joseph Piggott, a farm^ of Blenheim, kne^v prisoner
in 1888-9 as Lord Soraerb^c ile had seen i.im in May,
1889, driving towa'c. ^in*^ Pond, which is 1^ miles lis-
tant from tLe place ere le body was ound. In Oct.,
1889, a fire occurred m^ the swamp, which bun, d down
the timber and blocked the trail to Mud I e. The roots
of the saplings were burned through to the extent of an
acre, starting fifty feet from the second concession road,
S^^t- -rrrinri V^a-rtr all fho canlincrn Hnwn. Tho
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL.
in
parfoMhi"?i*A^^-^ 'Pi T^^'^ ^^« ^^^y ^«^^ fo,ind was
K blekeYthetair' ^' "" "^^'^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^'^^ «-
durwTJh^';-''''^ ayeoman of Blenheim, testified that
SL tl l"^,'"^'''" "^ the winter of 1888-9 he saw
of j'S r " ''"''' "\^"''^^ '^^^"^^-^t- '^ the Swamp
fur her ; the swaZ "T'/ 'Ti ^?^'^-}r ''^''''
slpJah r.n\h t . f^^' ^^ described the tra as an old
S'^No Hiffi 'u'^' "^'^ ^>^ ^""^^^'^ t« roach Mud
Mudlt;^^^ was exponon.ed by witness in
Mud Lake by this trail in June last.
reach injr
Oonductor Poole.
LotCt\n'^MT Tt H'?""^'* '" ""ontively. Miss
i^ocKHait an inklligent-lcoking woman was a stron.r
Feb 17?h ShI I T^""k accommodation going west on
weJ] in it P • «»bsequently identified the body of Ben-
weiJ in the Princeton cemetery as tiuit of one of the men
whom she had seen on the train
''f fij;l\?J5 ^«:.'^I^' --, .-ides near Ingersoll.
„ ...„^^ ...^ .uuuccor roole 8 tiain on the morning
was
'•*
172
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
of Feb. 17, joM- neyin^ from Brantford to In^ersoll, where
the tram arrived shortly after 12 o'clock. This was her
description of the two men she says ; Both medium size •
one man was dressed in an ordinary coat, and wore black
a^trachan cap similar to that produced. He sat next to
t/ie window on the south side of the train. The man sat
with Ins back to me. Ills cap fell of once, and he tamed
round and this was the only glance J caught of his face.
y.— Looking at the prisoner, how far does he correspond
with the man you saw ?— A. His fnce looked thinner
then than now, judging from the profile I saw.
Witness then desciibed the clothing of the other man.
He wore a stiff brown hat and cape-coat similar to hat
and coat produced. Witness thought the man who was
with prisoner wore glasses while reading a paper. She
heard one of the men say • ' They offered mo five hun-
dred dollars. His companion answered him, but she didn't
catch the words. She also heard one of them sayin.r-
He might become accustomed to it,' and the other (the
prisoner) said they might be late reaching some place that
night. Ihese were snatches of the conversation between
the two men which witness heard. The men ali<rhted
from the train before it reached Woodstock, but wftness
did not know at what point.
There was a ripple of expectation throughout the
crowded court room when the name of Miss Ellen Fallon
was called. This lady was dressed in deep black with a
black straw hat. Miss Fallon was, as far as known the
M^^ ^^^?^' ®^*^®P^ ^^^ murderer, who saw Benwell alive
Miss Fallon hves with her mother in a small house 288
feet from the second concession and just about 300 yards
west of the entrance to the swamp. She testified that
the house was only a short distance from the swamp
'Jc^ nearest to the swamp except a small hut occu-
pied by Mr. Stroker. She remembered Feb. 17 from the
13ake house ball at Princeton that night. She was seated
at tne window knitting when she saw two men passing
r
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL 173
east along the road Th« « 1
overcoat !nd mT^ J^l' ^''^ gentleman wore a cape
man. They wer^waW ofZ^ ^^?1 «^ ^'-' "^
«ide of the road, and in Ct o ' J" -V"^ "'^ '^'^"th
over to the north. It wasafht?! ^"T ^'^"'^^ c'-o-^^ed
one o'clock. The hm,It""*''''«''«fchou-I,t about
?-o^I and tho windoTat^^rhi^h^^f ''' '''' ^'^^^
in the east side. She ^ould havet? iT ?'^''"^' ^'^"^
e»ly direction to see the «,.ot who -o ^?^ '" ^ '^^^'th-
men- The rail fence anj son e h,' i' "^^'^'^^^ ^^^^ ^wo
View a little. ** '^""^<^ oushe.s obstructed the
was hving with her g Sul^ather r " ^'\V'^' ^^'' «J^«
Eastwood, but was now i^vin^ ' .k'^'^u Haywood, at
Niagara Falls. She W the l.;^^ ^^^'•. ^yl.noh, at
to.her grandfather's pkce severS T"''' ^l,'^^ i^ad come
prisoner eamo there he was wTthJi?''- « ^^'' ^''^ ^^me
and M,, Dudley. HecdTeL^e aT rf f^^' ^"^ ^"^'^
Mrs, Somerset and Dudley wftnA ^^^^'vvards with
hini when he came, and she kll T "''^ ^« ^P^^k to
went by the name of Sonierset and'T ""^ 3"^^' ^^^^- ^e
Q.— Did you sec thp r rf ^"^ I.ord Somerset.
Prisoner can'le up L'tCdThook h^l^'-, ^ ^ ^ ^^Y-' «-•
do you do ? ' He lauXd T ^^"'^' ^"^ «aid ; ' How
-e r ^ ^^^^"ght it wfs st^^ir;^ ■ 'J^on't you know
erset or Dudley ?' and he sa ^ ' "^ 'f '^ •' ' ^^ ^^ Som-
told me that hi had been In the 'C?h' !"^^"^'^ ^^^^
with some horses and was l^inWo w 'r'^ ^" ^"^mess
gage and he would return !nd ^ ^« Hamilton for his bacr.
-g my grandfatherrwhon-?hr'upi>'^"!?^^''Cmean.
Prisoner had a cic.ai' in h,^ «n '^ u *° ^^" governor),
accompanied the p- Loner int"^ h'' ^".' ^^ ""''' ""^^t. i
bought a ticket fo? Hamilton 1^.^'^^^^°°' ^^^^^ ^e
the platform with me Tll7 rl^ r^^'"" ^f,^^^^ «"t on
^le. Harry Jones, Station,ri!.^?..^i«"^r"',Mary Swa-
wooa ttt the station. I wen't Vn t C T .^""^ *^^'"^^ ^ay-
went to the station to mail a let-
.1
i1
Tr
174
THa SWAMP OF DEATH.
I !>
ter. After mailing it I went to Mr. Haywood's store and '
left 4i dozen eggs there.
Mil Blackstock : Where are you living now, Misa
Smith, and who with ? A.— At Niagara Falls with Mr.
Zybach, photographer. v
^igggBC&
/TtfT5^—
Miss Alice Smith in the Witness Box.
Q.— When did you go there ? A.~Last May.
Q. — And do you live in Zybach's house ? A. Yes.
Q.— Who else lives there ? A.— Miss Tucker.
Q.— Zybach is separated from his wife, is he not and
ym and Miss Tucker live tliere with him ? 4.— Y«° "^r
IN PIIISON AND ON TIUAL.
175
store an«]
r^nrlJli-- Fu - "'^ there IS somethincr very im-
poi tant in the question I don't think it should be askJd
men repeated the question and witness answered 'No'
^. — 1 his statement of vours wiHi r/.or.c^<- + .t, \
and Nnr^r. .„^ ^ i. , "^ "''^ ^^'^'^ ^^^P^ct to the basfffawe
him good day and knew him well ' '^' ^ ^'^^^ ^^^^
band, Nigl.t PoUocm:m Blounrof Niilara ' ""'' *■"'■
elsewhere, to secure honest employment. ° ' ""^
I he crown occupied four full daysin puttino-in its evi
dence, the defence, in less than a dav pn. ^ ^ ip I"
MrBfa'^'? 't ^^ '^^ witnessed a^d'^i; ^^y ^^Ig^^
Mi_Blackstock arose to give his address. ^ coming
Throughout the trial Birchall had taken an interest in '
the proceedings more like fhif- nf « .», /*" "^»;erest in ,.
vitalfy concor^ed, had ^tnTo emoti^rt" Tn r.T
sketched, wrntn ,inf„s ap-i -."-. ?"'■"" ""^ <^°<=l'
iu>y and the crowd. wi meases, tHo
!■?
I
176
IfflE rjWAMP OP DEATa
ple^Ln of ht ??* «^^P^.«^w«» the night before the com-
£nst ?L i *''^S ^^.^3^""" judgment told him that
wTs but a/«T ""• T^T" ^^^'""'^ ^^"'> his defence
tTou^hifnlL^ barricade of sand. He was grave and
thoughtful, and hia smile came less readily to his lips but
il' ""m ^^^/'r "^^^^«d «r broken in spirit ^'
When Mr, Blackstock rose to address the urv the
court room was as still as death. There was not aYound
acTo7?Lr tf ''"• . A^ *'/ ^" '^'^ -d th^Tnterctuai
lace of that eloquent pleader rose before and scrutinized
each juryman in turn, a cold chill parsed over the ^t
audience, and all awaited eagerly^^the utterances of the
man who had undertaken the%rduous task of tryil to
restore to the prisoner his liberty. The eves of Mrs
Bircball as well as those of her husband were riveted
upon the speaker, but as he uttered the fi^srsenlence
they both turned and looked straight at the jury The
prisoner sat m the dock with hif legs crossed and hi!
to'ta "aT ''"^""f ''^ -^^^^^"^^ -^ aKgrhereem'ed
BlacksL\'«T ^^*r'^^° ^^y ^^^^ *hat fell from Mr.
juiymen, the lack of emotion in his countenance was
most wonderful. As the counsel went on in his strZ
eloquence, pausing here to indulge in bitter sarcasm at
the expense of some of the ageiSs of the Crown now
a«ain m caustic invective, and the next moment strikT
a note that played upon the very heart-strings of S?
listeners, the effect was thrilling indeed. Although every
person knew that he had a hard battle to fiirht to Z
acute observer it was evident that he w^ThtitTt
aSt'ed'lrh "^'^^'^^' I' ^ ^^««^ difficultTas \e
acted fraudutnHv 1^°^^^^^^ ^ave in some instances
actea traudulently, that his word on some occasions had
not been reliable, but he argued that the pSner at the
I the com-
him that
i defence
rave and
lips, but
t.
ury the
a sound,
ellectual
utinized
ae great
2s of the
ying to
of Mrs,
riveted
jentenee
y. The
and his
seemed
•om Mr.
s of the
ce was
strong
3asm at
n, now
triking
of his
h every
, to an.
ting it
;se. He
stances
ns had
at the
d been
IN PBISON AND ON TRIAL. 177
ll^f^t^^^^ Mr. Black-
she take in the proceedinT?^ ,1 ^'u"?"^ ^^ ^^^^^rest cVu]
hot torrents to h^er held fnd\'^^^' ^^?1 ^^"^^ ^"«^' in
nead, and a moment later leave l^er
Mr. Blacketock (Oounsel for the Defence), Addressing
tlie Jurv.
( f
A
(''W
178
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
ot her face S„ Z'iv« i!:-TP''""''''f'"''"°°«'P'''t
conclude hUr^erf'tlfX^^^^^^ «"? was about to
strain of elmmn^ol^^t ■ 5 *. "fvellously energetic
in the soul offis Bhchln f?!*" *■?" '"*'« *''^' l'"™«d
Should the iurv h«l,il t- ?." *''? P"S'"ier in the dock,
innocent ^Ctotr'afc „?/!•• ''f ""e prisoner, an
tain revealini hi, iL?, ™ "I'' ''""> 'o™ ^ack the cur-
in pathetic tones for S,e !?.!? °"'A "^ ""*' '° t^en.
it would be too iSe '*''"'™'"=^ »' ''^f husband, but
her^'feml'thinre tF'' ^"^ V"!^''''^'' «°b shook
cheeks of hersiLter wlteTy '°Th:^ the burning
looked blanklv out EffhlS'^ , P"™"«- m the dock
aftet^^:^^ f ai-n-^^^^StSef ^»-
distatoS^tv^t'bS'^h^ '"•'""' f"-' -'«"y.
the prisoner the S,Wn,'^ ^"7 "^""^^^^ ag^in^t
came the iudae'schale a fi^I 7' >>y evij,„^^ ,j,^^_^
mony, earisffSLf plain' Id i„"i ""= °' "-^ l^^^"'
telling strongly against ^be^;^'::,^ '" "' ™''^ """'"'^'^^
iS rF -r --"/-t^^^^ of cir.
proceeSrfolf„ws°" "'^^ ""''* """c'luaiated with him,
^il'l:\ZZL7l^ r?±ri?T' - — «on
i '^---'xici, because we cume
I
c
I
c
t
t(
tl
IN PRISON AND ON TRIAL. lyj)
^vitness is Alice Smith Nol\t '''''^' ^^ '^he first
the man. She says she know M ^^'^'' "" *^"««"Ption of
come there with ]irunLrnTat;/f'''«? ^^ "«^^ *«
?n company with Dudley Sn thp 1 '^ Woodstock, and
. into the station vard af Vn 1 ^^^^^f ^^lon when he came
her. She did no^ tcoifze h? t '^''^ ^'^^^' ^^^
whether it was Dudley or So.r,!^n. *^IV' ^"^ «^^ ^^ked
er^ounsel alleges t you fndf.?- ^""^V *^^ P™««-
Smuh knew Dudley because h.^ '"°"^^ *^^<^ ^^i^e
house as well as the prLoner ^ ^ ^ ^ ^''^*^^^ ^^ *^^^
that Dudley was th^eirthl; n, ^^"'^ ^' '^^ P^^tence
ccn.es back to this, Who was ^1?.^^"^' ^^^ *^^ ^"^^^ion
Ahce Smith on that occasTon ^^0^'' •" ^^^^^^^ing with
tion of him, showinc. thlTlT. \ ^ ^'""^^ ^^^ ^ ^escrip-
that his boots were muddv 1 \TTu ""^'^ ^^"ed up.
cap he wore. She saTs th^V ""^ '^" ^'^^' ^^^ ^he kind of
iPoke of going to Kami ton to '7^'?'^"" ^^^^ her he
*ie was dealinlin hordes in th' f * ^/-^ ^^^^^S^' «^nd that
-as coming u^p to see theVo vino f^r'' '°\'^^^ ^«
he usually designated hk-^Ind?.;/ "SI"" ^^ ^hich
was in the statfon and saw hlTuZ' , ^^^ «^3^« «he
ton. Was it the piTsovJ^l ^ ^ ^'"^^<^ ^^^ Hamil-
and did he buy a tkket fmK '"-u '''" ^^^^^ ^hat day
^ays shesawtheprisoni^^:^^^^^^ Miss CromweH
platform. ^^'^''^^ ^^^^^^g to Alice Smith on the
and'gi^r^^^^^^^^^^ r ^^" ^^^ *~ rolled up
clothel Sh^e'savtst tasTtt"? t^^-P^-" of hL'
buy a ticket f lU • .Iton 'Ind i 1 ^^'°"' ?^^ «^^ him
connection wi.h Hays JwdZ> tol ^'"^ .^"^P^^tant in
two witnesses Ha.e^f trey areVl^' f.^^ these
IS the evidence ^' Ja.ml'11 .^ *he truth. There
tells you about the da^he fet T'^/^ *^-^> -"
piisucci tail
pay to Mr. Dunn. th. .."."„ ._.
saw
180
i' ;
TflE SWAMP OF DEATH.
Tt s^rerrhen ih^ ^-^' '^'''' '^'^ aftunoon does it
Hav Z iLi '^''''''? P^^"'^" ^" *he morning ?
persons on. T? f/"""" ''f '^" afternoon train, knew two
Duffy was the news ao-ei t ■ 1ip rliM r,^f ^^ it,
o-pf nn of Tr« + j'^o^^'^.. "earn not see the prisoner
pnsonor purchased a novel of him, and that he aftenv a ds
which he Zked i™,t trai^ '"HrhX'cn "' * "r^
v,ith the prisoner, who statLd that" hifna^e Z'Ci'th
and he was gonig to Buffalo to meet a brother Then we
have Mr Phemister. Ho tells you the trSu amved a?
7.24., fourteen mmutes late, and twenty luinu es a ter this
tell ■^"Xfr •'T?'if '' "'"'r ""'' ''iumed n me '. bL!
h/ve t„ r? * „ "' ^^ ■"""" *"* "'o™' 'hat they wouTd
nSo. er ^ " H "'' ""Y "'Sht. If you decide that the
CtW h • ,1 "*" *'■? '^»"'" I'y ""> J^»lb that moin-
w^r,l! tv, "™ 8°'"g "'""g the concession lines to-
W in the?'?"'^' ""^ •,''"' "^""^ "»* ""'- "ho came
bac.. in the afternoon and got on the train in Eastwood!
J
I
IN^ PRISON AND ON THIAL. jg,
P'i^^e:tl^^^^^^^^ \v-y sen-ous as-
his direction, and he star^v] nT l^J^^JP^aroreand under
a stranger, who hlftt'teTt 'th" ^^' ?°^'^^«^'
had^tot^fcef^^^^^^ -- -I-i whnt
dissatisfied with the farm l.f ^''^^ ^'^'^ ^^'' »^'^" ^as
condition from L^n^Ten ' f^'"; J"\' ^" «"«^ ^-^ f^^arful
that it was not fit o t«l? f- '"t*^" ^^"*^« «^ ^ tenant-
thatBenwell wa dis^utted ir'' TI ^^"^ ^«' -nd
with Macdonald, who C renrp.l)?," ^ u"^^ ^^^>^ ^^'^^
that he had given Ben wS \T ^^""^^^ to be on the farm
who he could^ee inZwest YoTr '' -f^-^P^-ns
no farm, no manager aJd thprlf '^^^'"ber there was
made in regard to whari.«\ /T ^^ statements he
fabrications,"having no founds H^^ ^f" ^^^"^ ^^''^ P^^e
course, they mav b?. fl,? 1- ^'''" whatever in fact. Of
guiit/of m^L^d:^, unltsstou^ the prisoner no
ney which it is siid he dfdTake U '' '''^' '^'' J<^«-
when they come to the Falls tht' r^J^ i' ^"^ " ^'^"^^mber,
day, when Benwell's ba^^al w«^ T i"^^^' ^" ^^'^ ^ues-
tom house, and beforelfpSeH/^^? "'^^ ^^ the cus-
opened. The prisoner had nn! -^ ''"'i'"'^" '^ ^^^ to be
well's baggage,VsTeL>t^^^^^^^^^^ kp« of Ben-
him upon removing to his rodginl and ^- ^"^»"»^ ^^^
to bear this in mind. On thp i q? ' ??^ ^^ '^ important
m the postoiBce, No 313 was ren "/.^ T'''^ this box
Now, what was theprisonrdS i>W.*^AP°^'^
was no farm ard no hMc,- ^ ^'th that box ? There
ing day he wrote Col'^BenTeSTrfy' ?" ^^^ '-'^^-
r«ad and commented ufon making*' V •''^^"^ ^^« ^^^n
regard to the position of ^Z^ T'\^''' statements in
that you should bear awav^.'^' ""^'"^ ^*^ ^^ important
This letter does not beaTTnvdaf/w •? ^^' J^'T-room
of the Niao^a- iToiil - .^S^ date, but it bears thosf^mr.
° ■" -^"^ F"--"^ee on the 20fch of the month','
182
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
which would be the day that Benwell's baggage had been
taken from the customs. He told him that an examina-
tion had been made by his son of the books of the con-
cern, and that he was satisfied with them ; that articles
of agreement had been drawn up between the son and
himselfasto the interest he should have; that he had
consultad a solicitor in London in order to satisfy himself
tl.at he would be secure in partnership that was beiog
entered into ; that the sale was to take place in a very
few days and that the son was to be interested in that
sale, It the partnership was carried out, and Col. Ben well
was to send a draft. He tells him how it is to be sent
m the name of Birchall and Benwell.
If this was a partnership and the money was sent to
the partners, and deposited in the bank, either partner
could draw that money out of it, just the same as any
partnership where the moneys are deposited in the bank
and unless there is a special agreement known to the
banker that only one of the partners shall draw cheques
on that account, any member of the firm can draw a
cheque and what funds are in the bank to the credit of
the farm, and that member is entitled to have the firm's
cheque honored on the bank in which the funds are
deposited, so that if it were the case that Col. Benwell
should send the draft, as asked for, and if it got there
prisoner could draw the money. I tell you that as a
matter of law. Now, what was the idea of that letter
being sent there ? What was the object in sending it ?
You can only gather the objects from the terms of the
letter itselt and from the circumstances surroundincr the
case. It speaks of a farm— it speaks of another ''piece •
of property that he had spoken of to Col. Benwell as
being acquired for the partnership concern, and he says
in this letter that his son will write him likely by that
mail, or something to that effect. Now, what was his
object in writing that when there was no firm ? How
could the son write in respect to a firm transaction when
\
POUND aWLTV, AND CONDEMNED TO Drg. 183
said in the letter Tnre "ard to Z"' ""■ """ y^^ '^'^•'
the business, the pr "onefmust I, » ?"' "'Vi'"^ *''""'
utterly imnossible IVn th» , '"'T" *'"'"' '' ^as
defrau^d hifrw for U^WfiT :rth" '"'^"'^■'' '"
have written any such letter at .11 Tl * • I"'?""';'— t"
before you, and die sug^e tion is mJ„ Tk 'f "'''"' L' P"'
regardsthisfand it is for vou fnl *^' ^^ ^'^^ ^^'^^^
th? facts as they strike vol? ^^^^raw your inference from
of the jury, I have nofMn; i a^ ^^l^^^ts, gentlemen
upon ti e^videnceTs iTa ^eL^ete yoVl^lH,''^
comments I conclude my task mI ^lir • I^}^ .*^^°^^
that, is only to put be^oi^e you it' 1^7' Thf^T"" ''
for you, you are to find upon them! ^''' *'"
CHAPTER X
FOUND GUILTY. AND CONDEMNED TO DIE
still a chanca Thr.J^'f^ ^F.^^'* "P hope-there was
• '""" "- suspense was leaifui, but
1S4
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
f
worse still was the shock when the sheriff came to sura-
mon the prisoner back to the court-rooin to learn his
At 11.30 the door of the court-room was thrown open
an.l an excited mob made a rush to get inside. Tho hall
was crowded to the doors, and when Birchall walked
til tnly down the aisle, every face in the hall had upo i it
a Jook of intense anxiety
j Through nervousness it took th(; constable some min-
! utes to remove the handcuffs, but the prisoner sat there
patiently, though his face was terrible to look up. n His
eyes had a wild, dazed, strained appearance, though aside
from this he strove to suppress all signs of the excitement
that racked his system.
His counsel, Mr. Blackstock, was not present, he had
been taker ill immediately after tho jury retired The
judge on tbf. l-nch was paler than usual and inastati of
almost ra>rvous prostration. He had hardly expected a
verdict ,o 8<>(>ii, and every word he spoke was in husky
tones. ^ It wan a painful duty he had to perform, and it
was evident that he was deeply moved.
When the prisoner had been unhandcuffed and order
restored, the clerk of the court rose and asked the foreman
of the jury if they had decided upon a verdict, and the
answer was ' We have.'
' What is your finding ? '
' We find the prisoner, Birchall, guilty.'
Each juryman was requested to rise and separately
asked by his Lordship whether he found the prisoner at
the bar guilty or not guilty, and the answer, given in a
clear, confident tone, was in the affirmative.
Mr. Osier— I move for the sentence of the court.
There was an awful silence, during which every eye
was fixed upon the prisoner, who, whatever emotions may
have been raging in his breast, kept now a clear eye and
a calm fac^.
y
«' tlio court sliould not £, r,„ ,'"="»". "-''y the sentenca
of ....-de,- „f „ ,,ii'h yo« hav„ f "P°" I' • f<" 'h« felony
1 he answer cau.e n? clear tnn. """^ieud/ "^
I.^:^ ^-Piy that I an.„otgu„ .^nt Sr»v
, The siJence. deen n« if «, i_ « '
beyond measure!^ '^ ""^ ^^^^^^^ b^'came oppressive
,^^:^Wd.^..,,ravea„dsoIe.n voice thenaddressed
jne to pL'nponVou'lrseT.' ^""/"^ ^"^^ -st upon
Many of which you have hf '"'' ^^ ^^« c°*»rt for ?Se
«aylfull^eoncu/intt4C I can onTy
by the juiy on the indi Jn . f ^'''^ ^«« been returned
been defended ^ia" ^efZt''^^^^^^^ You have
point connected with th. dpf ^^ f"^ ^bere has been no
broij^ht before the jury an /"r 'Y ^'' "«<^ ^^'^ fu%
the fervor und all t^e^aSitf tu^"'^"" them with aJ^
comnjand, anc' whiJe I «ay th^/ t ^'""^?» "^ture could
inevitable conclusion thaYht 1 ""^>^ ^^^ ^^^o that the
not only of the jury but oHl '"/'^'^^^ ^^ the mind
bstened to the tril^^^hlt ^^^^ '^"'^ «"« ^boTas
ditated and carried out the mlrTr o?"''^^'^ ^^^ P^'^^^-
bad been entrusted to you bv /n °i ? ^°""& "^^n who
of his patronage. It was v^.^i^^""^ ^^^^^^ «« the hei?
duty to have looked after IT/ "^".'^ ^°^ 3^°"^ bounden
standing that, without an^ comnr^?^^'^ ^"^ NotwTth
Svo'^V^ '^\^ ^i« bfeTndTeCth:^'^ yourpart,you
that you thought wa^ to be obSL^ i! "^^^.^^ble rewlrd
of blood money which you wouU f by a,ki ^^^ .
was to come from EnglJnd Tnd 1^'* ^^ ^^^ draft that
tZkt'fy '°^^ possesLn of %tP'-P'^'^,^hi^^yo«
i^nink that a young man wif ? *? , ^^ melancholy to
with opportunities\ht;?h':f .!^? .^^"^-tion you posi..
^ """ "" -"""^'^ you must have had
^^ J
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)
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(716) 872-4503
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186
THE SWAMP OP DEATH.
w"ff ''J''"^^° ™**^"*^ interests, should so far have
^.T^"" ^f^^^ .^ P"^'"^ *^^ <^°"r«« which you have
tTe bloornf '^?n ^^^" P^T'^^ *° ^iP y«"r ha^d into
the blood of a feUow-man. It is melancholy to think
that within such a short period aff .r you beime a mar-
ned man and became connected with an estimable and
respectable family you should have brought this trouble
and disgrace upon them. I can hold out to you no hope
whatever of any commutation of the sentence I am
about to pronounce. There is, I may say to vou but ^
short t me in which you can be perm'ltte^ to^^ and I
earnestly implore you to take advantage of every hour
th?nn?nfT ^ T^' y^"/ P^^«« ^y supplicating ?he
throne of Heavenly grace for forgiveness oi the offences
committed by you in the flesh. unences
'The sentence of the court upon you is that vou be
taken hence to the place from whence you ^i^e and
that between the hour of eight o'clock in the mornW
and SIX o clock in the afternoon on Friday, the Uth daf
of November next, you be taken to the place of executbn
r«n ^ the waUs of the gaol, and that you then^'
hanged by the neck until your body be deL, and may
ine iiord have mercy upon your so'^l '
t.^}r^^^ 1*°°*^ ^'^'^ ^ ^^^ ^^^'^ while the terrible sen-
it«« nT ^''°§ P.^'^^ l^P^'^ him, but with downcast
eyes only once daring to look at his Lordship.
When the judge had concluded, the prisoner sat dowa
lable and twitching nervously. AU present looked with
pityingeyes at the unfortunate young man as he sat there
with a dazed, hunted look.
« Ja^!^^l''T''u '^?'^''\ f°^ ^"^^ ^f *he reporter came
He was handcuffed and led back to his cell, and onoo
he was heard to say just before entering the jail j
Inia IS a nice how-d'ye-do T
AND LAST.
187
CHAPTER xr.
AND LAST.
r^^Te'^^^^^^^ been one
^^pse patience seemed exCstl^^ *. ^""''^ ' ««« »«an
^aiting for the door to open an f-.T^'^ ^'^^^^ ^^' hours
aivrays managed to get wWi M '*^ ^"^"^ persistency
«pectecles. could lookstrlH u^.'^hr'' '^'^"^^^ ^3^ blul
a full beard and a ^iiuS r *'^<^,Pnsoner. He wore
th?ugh his appearanc; walLhl'" M^ J"''"^" ^^'^ and
quiet ,n the extreme. ^^^'' °^^' ^'^ demeanor was
^^^^^:^^^^,^ veryias, ti. Be.
chai\t^?:„^: *;^^^^^^ hanged. Rex Bir-
«ine is still shining- '• ^°"' ^"^^^^ «tar haa waned
Ihe -earliest train nevf r»« •
Woodstock a tall s Ld!^ "doming carried a^wav Trom
Plexion and sof tValll^'^.s^^^ \^^^ - oZ ZZ
and who was known to th« .^„? '^"^'"^^3^ handsome
Philip Dudley, of Oxford ' '^"'^ *^«^« ago ^
^"ting he slipped them in,? r^"'"^ "differently at^the
a hotel, and, entering th. Ir- ^"' P'^'^'^<^ ^nd went on to
an order for'a subStiai ^7"" °"'' «^^ ^^^ -^ g^^'
-u':^!?' ^ he waited, he nr^.'r..A .u. _
..-.a
■,ji 'I
Mi
188
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
name caught his eye, a name that for years had never
been absent from his thoughts, ' Marion Somerset.'
The notice was among the deaths and was as follows :
'Died.— At The Elma, near Oxford (saddeuly), on September 15,
Manon, only daughter of the late Jarvia Sorneraet, aged 23.'
' Dead ! Dead 1 My Marion ! and on Benwell's birth-
day ! ' he said, vaguely. ' Benwell's birthday ! She died
of a broken heart'
He got up from the table carrying the paper open in
his hand and, wandering in a dazed way, he walked along
the street and crossed a bridge and following the road-
way went on, hardly conscious of where he went.
Many carriages with gay parties passed him. Vans,
some full, some empty, rattled by, but Dudley took no
notice. Following the intricacies of the roadway round
the state reservation, he paused once or twice where views
of the cataract were possible, and then continued along
the beaten track. At the first bridge leading to the Three
Sister Islands he leaned upon the railing for a long, long
time gazing with a sort of hunger in his look , e tur-
bulent waters—just a step, one step, and i.. .> could
rescue^him, nothing could save ! A carriage driving up
disturbed him, and he walked on to th« farther island,
and there under a tree upon a large boulder sat down
and watched Uie swirling, struggling waters.
It seemed very quiet, even though the rush uf the waters
was maddening, and voices seemed to be whispering,
whispering he hardly knew what. But presently, from
the far distance, as it seemed, he heard real voices,
human voices, and turning he saw, quite close to him, a
man and woman, lovers, evidently, who stood, oblivious
of his presence, admiring the view.
* Oh, Brian,' a soft voice said, ' if I could but know for
sure of Walter's fate ! Do you not think for sweet pity's
sake Mr. Birchall would tell if he Knew ? Why should
be mind, now that the law has done its worst to him ?'
•*Ufl
AND LAST.
189
Philip Dudley Sed ?n h'- T *° "»»" '»">•'
dulled his eyes ' ' * '^ «'«"» of madness
and skill and siS^i But he ?s Wk ''^^^'-^^ «"«■
^ave any of the trouble of decide I'H' a^I "'" °«"
has some one to love him .nil , ^ ^l- *" '''® ' And he
comfort of a wom^Vr? S'\h.n, He ^a. the
He^**7re" '"'°"' I lovedt dead T "°"""S-
do^^^bS:"™"'^ ""P- -^ '-ed away and sat
shoulder but he shrTk froth J'"' ''"" ''*"•* "'»»''«
■mJ't"'"'r'''''*"'*I''"fedherr ,
grnvTlyltttmi:" 'rXo^'t'S,''' ^"-' '-king
to have lost his reawj,^® face of the man who seemed
wastairoH. tt had'kSt' *^ '^•""' '^ """r ''
her lover, did you knowl) or ff -f 'o™": (^^■"'ell ^a,
mistaken identity anS iT^as hfr LT 'K' "''' «'<»y "f
erset, who had done the d^S ''Y5!5"'°r',*''« "al iSim-
kill hor; he whispered • but wh,„ ? ""^ ^'""' '' "<>"«
knew, I lied to hef-I told Lr ! "*"'* "'"^ ^w and
'ay in M but Reggie S^me'set- "" •"" ^'"*''» -h"
^A ««, u„,H broke from his lips, and he went on
4)
im
^'i
u
190
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
W „?»?* i! j''^" '? "">'■■ ■■oom talking of Philio Dud-
oJW that hSt"^' ^"l'" """y/"' met.\„d of X jea
iia-u/ oomerset, too, will no more return • he will Av«r
be among the missing, as I shall be/ ' '^^ ^^^'
inat was all.
Whether Dudley's threat meant self-destruction orsim
^ly disappearance from their ken they kX not H«
b,^nf "id^i*^" ^'""^ "P ^'' •'''«'• ""■'y » -"y'tor will
I (■
ler brother,
has broken
9r; she was
y she would
I not leave,
Phihp Dud-
of the jea-
y that now
i note was
8.
igara's un-
but one of
e will ever
ion or sim-
not. He
Qtly quite
learn no
rster will
if A
Benweir.ar.v..tiW„o.tea,
:ii' (i
- ^^w*" J
'ML
ADDENDA.
THE e£NHfEll~||JllftOEfi.
-'JCettlTot^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I.. Nov..
this remarkable case .-T ^^^ circumstances of
a^l the circumstancls, the prL„„'ty' *"" '"'«'' - ■■ '
ta th.^ ■'■!' '"''"''f « able le»Ll f *''''«<'■ ''6 had
"e evidence adduo^^i- by JS:
s
,-li
194
THK SWAMP OK DKATH.
Crown in the four days which it occupied in tlio jiresent-
ing its case was circutustantial, hut it was a chain no com-
plete as to be perfect and incontrovertible by the defence,
nnd, as was pointed out by Mr. Justice MncMahon, cir-
cumstantial evidence is the very best kind wliich can be
offered. Strikin^r at the root of the matter, the Crown
began witii laying bare the conspiracy which Birchall
hatched to induce farm pupils to come to Canada. It
shewed by Felly's evidence that he intended from the
very start to swindle any young men whom he might
lure into his net. Then it 'traced the negotiations with
Colonel Benwell which resulted in his son being entrusted
to the "kind" and "affectionate" care of the rascally
swindler. The party was traced across the Atlantic to
New York, and thence to Bufl'-ilo. All the way over the
ocean and up till the moment Birchall and his victim left
the hotel at Buffalo, scores of little points were brought to
show the swindling nature of the whole scheme. ° Step
by step, by witnesses \. nose stories held together and
could not be shaken, the two men were traced from
Niagara Falls to Kastwood station, -where they wore seen
to alight. Thence they were followed along the country
road where they were seen by several witnesses ; across
the fields, where they were seen by more, and where
their tracks were left and remarked upon by three wit-
nesses. These tracks were traced to where they entered
the portion of the swamp south of the 2nd concassion %ie
which cuts through the dense forest, and the trail was
again taken up at the point on this road where the men
were seen at about the time they emerged from the
woods. They were followed eastward along the road till
they were last se:n by Miss Fallon within half a mile of
the place where the body was found. Miss Fallon, it will
be remembered, was looking from a window in her
mother's house, which stands back a few j-ards from the
road, and watched the two men walk along till they were
hidden from her view by a clump of bushes on the road-
}s ; across
THE KXKCUTION.
the
195
^^oginning of the
«ide. ^ ni« ciun,p of bushes is
t. iaUr^^hi;? Z^'^^^;^' ^"«»^t out at the
two men to tho nek^hboM ff ^^^^^ ^''^"•"g ^^ tho
Fallon swore at tho tnlur V"*' ''^ ^''^ •'*^a"^P- Miss
that the tw^^^^n'^e' rg^ n^^
not say that she vecoaS nL f.u^''^^' ^""^ ''^'^ '^'^'^
asked if she did. Shf hillv 1 ^^T' u"°' ^'^^ «1'^
ance but if the croln C%tTt\'''f ''^^'''"
woud have been brought LriuLvIu f'^"? Point
Birc'a ( urino- bi« f«..^ • , '^^ ''allon had know^
was a dinr^l^ooln ^n^^^^^^ jn Woodstock. Zl
occasions J.ad waited on him nf .1 . m^^'' ^'"^ «» '"auN-
•ecognisod hin, as he waJS ,nu' ^'i^J'' ^^l^' ^"^^"^^^
well and nientione.l tl^e fLlf ^ T ^^^ '^^^ ^^^^^ Ben-
was not nskod the ouest on .^^^ "^?'^^'•' ^"^ '^^ «he
j^^^ question at the trial she said noth-
wi'l'hiir X!^t^'"'l '^^^^ *« E-^-ood.
<or several minS ' ith n '^^ VT''"^' ^"^^ talked
Wn on his prevTouT^^^^^^ ^h'"^ '^^^^ ^^«'» he had
Falls and to LffZ H s 'subsZen^''^^ ^^^ '' '^'
possession of the dead "„.r^^^"^"^ "movements, his
count for the rn:^^^'^',^;:^'^^^ t^^ '' «-
tiunks, and Ids contradicton stnil^* u ,*i^^^^' ^''^ ^he
*n why he had pa, tTd w th^ B.n i/° ^'"^ «^ ^^^ rea-
with force. Sev?eral f^l Benwell, were all presented
Birehall had .en to LS rth ^'% T^"^^^ ^-hict
and to ]ead him to supp^^^^^^ ^f "{ ^^ the scent
to New York TkI^P ^^' B^nwell had eone haoh-
written tl tlonlmtTse^lr^^^ ^ '^" ^'"er
der, in which Birchlll Tr«L i ?w ^*^' ^^^^'' the mur-
satisfied, and aSinf L/fK'"^ ^^''^ ^^""^ ^^nwell was
The d^fence^d 1 !• ^ n^ "'''"^^ ^^ «ent out.
told his wit Ln v'h fl^ ""'.'""» ^ «ff^^- Birchall
almost on thl?2V"ri.^>%^'^"t stories that thev Til
--i.....x. vx uirowing up the case. " """
i
100
THE HWAMP OF DBATH.
The lino adopted l.y liin council was chiefly to break
down the Crown's theory, but though some of the wit-
nesses were slightly rattled, the general effect of the tes-
timony was unchanged, and the Crown's case was not
broken at a single point. Evidence was put in to show
the unreliability of identiHcation, and how easy it is to
make mistakes in identifying strangers.
Some stress was laid upon two sets of tracks which
entered the swamp at one point, led up to where the
body was found, circled round and came out at the spot
where they entered. Another point strongly urged was
the testimony given by two physicians, Dr. Mearna. of
Woodstock, and Dr. Richardson, of Toronto, who gave it
as their opinion that the bruises on the body of the dead
man were inflicted several hours before death, in which
case the Crown's theory, that Benwell was shot about
noon just where the body was found, would fall to the
ground. Evidence was produced to show that no trail
ever existed into Mud Lake at this point. 7 his was done
to contradict the Crown's theory that Birchall knew of
a trail and proposed to take his victim into the swamp,
shoot him clown and cast his body into the lake.
A number of witnesses were called to prove that soon
after midnight on the morning of the 20th, three days
after the murder, two men named Caldwell and Baker
were driving about the country, and it was sought to
impress the jury with the idea that these men might
have had something to do with the murder. In cross-
examining the Crown witnesses who had seen and hand-
led the body the counsel for defence tried to make it ap-
pear that the condition of the clothes and shirt front
were such as to show that the body had not been in the
swamp as long as the Crown claimed.
From start to finish the case for the defence was la-
mentably weak and the jury could do nothing else than
return a verdict of guilty.
TUB EXECUTION.
THE EXECUTION.
191
;-• ""o murder or trcdfiiiplr r' » •/,, -'^s^ "*acmaiion.
I^eath. in Blenheim 't^wn.hip'w^" '" '^'' ^^^'^'"P "^
presence of about two huXd^sC^f'"^^^^^^^ '" *^^
was very impre-ssivo and w«. n«?f^ ?^^''- ^'^^ execution
every detail.*^ ' ' """" ^''""'e*' ^"t thoroughly in
Kver since the day of his nrrpsf th
a nerve that is the wonder of f ^"'''°"^'' ^-^^ibited
he falter during the peHod w In r'^^'^"'. ^^^ °»ee did
examination, not a tTelV^ ^ ,«^''^' "/"'^^ ""''^'^^^^^^
and painful trial : and Xn 1.^1^ '"'''" '^".""^' ^'^^ '^4
Minister of Justice tLrnl? '^''' '^^^^^ed from the
cheerful and composed an^l.r^'.T ^' ^" ^"^^ he was
-nd without the Ee;t t iceVf" ^'r •'**^' ^'^^ ^ ««^ile
of a man in the interva be^l T^'""^; '^^« «Peetacle
•Sitting down caludy to wrtelZn'' "pI^-'^?^^ ^•^^^"^'-'^
and impressive ami .*T, ^istory of his life is unioue
who if L wa^iora'dtZufct' fl^^'^' - "-an
the back. OS the Crown prrj^to ^ot^f' ^- ^^"^^^" ^'"
of his peers, he was cerLTnlv irajl ! ^^'^ ""^ ^"^"^''^
m Its most humiliatin ' form unZ r^"?'' ^" ^^^^^ ^'eath
the trial and final day? peoDle m«Tn. -"^'f u throughout
hreak down. Those who^saw hin. I^'"^^ *^^^ ^« ^^^^d
hetter. He was not In oidLr ' "^'?^' ^^ ^^"^ ^°ew
of paradoxes, and never^t^^S^^^
THE NiOHT BEFORE THE EXECUTION.
^^^oHU^^ -as admitted into
er^^i. XL. ' .^^' ■L'ean Wade wajo .,«i 1 . "_
198
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
The parting betvVeen husband and wife was very touch-
ing. As Mrs. Birchall was being led out on tlie kindly
arm of Mr. Arthur Leethara, she burst into a terrible fit
of weeping and moaning aloud, and would insist upon
returnmg and having a last look at her husband through
the door. Birchall stood at the door, gazing lono- and
lovingly down upon her, and, as she turned back waved
his hand and said, ' Good-bye, Flo. Don't take it too
hard. God bless you.' Rev. Dean Wade remained with
hira in conversation until about four o'clock, when the
prisoner expressed a strong desire to see Turnkey Forbes.
Mr. Forbes went to his cell, and Mr. Wade retired for a
short time. The prisoner had quite a chat with Forbes
who was very much affected, and left some orders for
him, as one of his trustees, to be carried out. When the
interview was going on Birchall appeared at the cell door
and called to Sergt. Midgley, the night guard, with whom
he was very intimate, and told him that he was going to
bequeath to him a swor I, which will be sent from Eng-
land, and a gold pencil for Mr. Midgley's son Fred.
Birchall ordered a light luncheon at midnight, but as
his wife was then with him he did not eat anything. At
six o'clock in the morning the cook, Mr. Whitehead,
brought the prisoner his breakfast, ' Good morning,' said
Birchall with a forced smile. The meal consisted of three
poached eggs, some toast, some blackberry preserves, and
a cup of coffee. He ate the eggs and some toast, but he
did not touch the preserves. At seven o'clock the barber
arrived and shaved the prisoner. His friends were then
admitted to bid him faiowell.
A SHIVERING CROWD.
Out in the gaol yard in the cool frosty morning half a
luindred reporters moved restlessly about, some dreading
the approaching ordeal and others eagerly waiting to flash
the news across two continents, andconclude their work
'^^.
sry touch-
he kindly
:errible fit
isist upon
d through
long and
ik, waved
ike it too
ined with
when the
y Forbes,
ired for a
h Forbes,
Drders for
^hen the
J cell door
ith whom
going to
I'om Eng-
•ed.
it, but as
hing. At
hitehead,
ing,' said
i of three
rves, and
t, but he
16 barber
'^ere then
ig half a
dreading
? to flash
eir work
THt EXECUTION. jg^^
thither princinallv from , ? o"'"a;y spectator, clrawn
nervous movemenf r]vf^r,A:„r. u ; ' P^'^ *"ces and
anxious to TnTst' wh^ftfer^tuTd'nrrSl ' T' ^^^
vindication of the majesty of UiHaw fZ ^ ^!l"' ^
whose hearts were noM.PnH-nl l i Y," . ^^ ^^^^ <^here
for the execution and -- ^^^' """ approached
not strung to tWrut^s ^^ '^'^'^ ^"l^ "^^^^'^ ^-«
. that made the Xle con^^^^^^^^^^^ i ^^^ l^aje been the cold
everv time thpLl ^°5^?^^^^ ^^»ver, and start nervously
of coiouHn K^^^^ r r "^'' ^"^ ^h^ <^h4i
to indicate that the ne"' ^^^^^^^^^
tremors than the coll f]7no- ?T *^ ^^ ^^th the
imagine would ave beL.^li^ k" P""^™ "'sht easily
THE SCAFFOLD. '
corner of a gloom vvsrd ^tll ''"''''"'g >» 'he gloomiest
in contrivan%:Ts^^„'''o',-iiX«>« Th : Tn^lT
grow abun^dantly eTsewher^ st.fr"!."^"^^' *'''«'>
for the grave haVaSy b'eenfomSced S*""'"".^
r vT7!"y ?»" ^l-^ »ight;» frost:XaTmeut«r,".f
1f
200
TRE SWAMP OF DEATH.
scaffoid two operators of the Commercial Cable Co stood
eaning against the wall with instruments in hand ready
to wire to England the moment the drop fell, while insMe
the building operators of the Great l^orth-We terfsa?
B^han S Vr r^'^ '' ^^'^ ^^^ continent how
liirchall died. Half a dozen constables, armed with lono-
e'rtVoTdTsoXtt" ^^""\.^^^^ ^^^^^^^^' -^ ^--oTh^
erea words, so that they might not reach the ears of thft
victim, ordered the crowd backwards jntil the^ewas an
umnterrupted space for the use of the solem Zees ion
so shortly expected. Birchall must have been well iTked
during his confinement, because constables and g^^^^^^^^^^
with years of experience and hardened by constant inter-
cZZr^tl^lfT'l r'""'. '""'"'y in\nd out ofthe
corridoi with heads bent and tear-stained cheeks and
Trdl \Te T ^"-TP-^-l^y to say a f'^Lble
wora tor the doomeu telon. In the strencrfh nf iha.\r^
sympathy they forgot the Dismal Swamp ^^^^^^^
?he bnril''f^r'-^'""f ' ^" ^vho.ebrain^vas imbedded
to hkirt?/ ^^'u '"[ ""l'^ voluntarily sacrificed his soul
to his greed for gold. And it seemed well that (he prisoner
was able to draw from the hearts of these lon.-expei-ienced
npn^f ? 'ii .u^"'^ '"^ ^'' agonizing distress he sorely
needed all the sympathy, all the affection, and al'the
tenderness and care that could be shown him. He was
on the brink of eternity with the guilt of an awfid crLe
upon his soul, and those who wept and prayed or C
Inlff^A ' ^l executioner, after seeing that the
^rnS T? ll'^^^l''^'' f?r its victim, RadcTive quietly
F'nTr. .i^^K' '"^''^ '°^'"^"^'' ^^^^^-^ he informed Gaoler .
Cameron that he was prepared to execute his commission.
innf ffl '°'k ^u ^^. ?^ "^'^^^ *^« appearance of a
(pilous ruffian, but he evidently believes that his mission
18 that of a public executioner. Coolly and deliberately
J...—..... „..„u .,tepa hu iijconaea to take, and when
IS
h
THE EXKCUTION.
201
jre was an
by Rural Dean Wada ^ " ''"'"^ offered up
THE SUMMOxXS.
berkin^'/i!'^''' ^^^^/«g' P^P'^ty Sheriff Perry, Dr. Cliam-
sSw *,^; "^^^, P»*'««" ^n«Pector, and ex-ch ef of ^0
the^J«ffnl!l' ^'Z'^'^^^^' ' ^0 y«» intend to say anvthina on
the^seaffold; ff so an opportunity will be^^iver^'oS to
have nUin, to'LfoTthl^tlli^^^^ ^^ "^"^ ^^^"
Kev. Mr. Wade, who had spent the whole nio-ht with
« i.e ..ached the threshold, and thenrtJmirg'sS^X
«i
202
THE SWAMl' OF DEATH,
!
\ i
his executioner, he bowed his head and dumbly held out
his hands. Radclive quietly slipped behind him, and
grasping both elbows drew them sharply back. In an-
other instant the leathern strap was passed over the
doomed man's arms, and he was secured in such a manner
that he could freely move his arms from his elbows down,
ut above those the limbs were powerless.
biiichall's coolness.
While this work was in progress Birchall betrayed no
emotion except that of curiosity. He leaned backward '^^
and turning his head sideways, watched the hangman's 5* "
nimble fingers with a curious expression on his face. As r :
the hangman moved so moved the prisoner's head from '.
side to side, watching each movement over his right and "
his left shoulder intently, as if he was desirous of master- -
ing the secret of the executioner's work. His large full
eyes, with pupils somewhat dilated, followed every move, L
and when Radclive straightened up he wheeled round ^
and cast a mute and appealing glance to his old-time "*-
chura. NJ
'Yes,' said the Deputy Sheriff, reading the glance.
' You can take his arm, Mr. Leetham, and remain with U^
him to the end if you wish.' clft
'Yes,' said Birchall, ' take hold of my arm, old man, and U>
walk with me as we used to do in the old days to-
gether.'
Rev. Ml-. Wade, wearing his white surplice, led the way
to the stairs, followed by Deputy Sheriff John Perry, and
ex-Chief Stewart, the prisoner coining next, with Mr.
Leetham on his right hand and the day guard, George
Perry, on his left. Following the prisoner were Inspector
Chamberlin, Gaoler Cameron, and three constables, and
last ot all came the hangman, whose coolness was only
c.,v.,v.,evt Dj tuu jnisuiiui a excroramary composure.
Down the winding stairs and into the western corridor
f'
\ ■"«
THE EXECUTION.
203
imbly held but
hind him, and
back. In an-
issed over the
such a manner
s elbows down,
11 betrayed no
tied backward,
the hangman's
1 his face. As
sr's head from
his right and
^ous of master-
His large full
3d every move,
i^heeled round
his old-time
A
CP
•^<
? the glance,
remain with iP
1, old man, and U>
old days to-
e, led the way
hn Perry, and
ixt, with Mr.
2^uard, George
i'^ere Inspector
>nstables, and
less was only
r composure,
stern corridor
the solemn procession moved through a line of terror-
stricken prisoners, among whom was the man McCabe,
who has been thrice tried for murder, and who twice nar-
rowly escaped the death to which Birchall was so steadily
march in fj.
' When the wicked man turneth away from his wicked-
ness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is
lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.'
Clearly and distinctly the trembling words of the
preacher fell upon the waiting crowd, and wich one accord
the spectators fell back to make way for those who came
in sorrow and in mourning.
THE SERVICE FOR THE DEAD.
While the preacher was reading the prayer Birchall
appeared in the doorwa}^ and his first glance was at the
crowd that awaited him. Instead of features distorted
with fear the spectators beheld a flice on which lingered
a slight smile ; a face pale in its ghastliness, yet firm,
with head well thrown back, and form as upright as a
soldier on parade. One glance he threw over the yard,
and then his eyes involuntarily turned to the northeast
corner, where they rested upon the dread engine of death.
The slight breeze that prevailed swayed the ropes, and
the chain attached to the weight clanked noisily against
the iron, as if greedy for its victim. The preacher* read
on, although at times his voice failed and the tears blind-
ed his vision, until he arrived within twenty feet of the
scaffold, when he stopped, and raising his arms pro-
nounced a gentle benediction upon ihe assembiaffe.
' Man that is born i,r a .v.vm.tu hixcl. 'imi a .>hor6 time
to live.' The dean s vcnce failed him, anrf ho J.jaiied
heavily against Gaoler Cameron for .suppoj't. At this
moment the appearance or the preacher aiid prisoner pre-
sButed a singular contrast The una, grey-haired, and
feeble, mutely ncviuj; ]a aiM.-. ' jr his voice was gone.
i '
^^%^
204 -''^'^■
THE SWAMP OF DEATH.
and tlie other, with chest thrown forward and v\a[d totii,
takmg m with his eyes every piece of the fataf ran to
. which he was so soon to be introduced. Gaspinrsobbinl
ana half-shoked with the words he tried Jha^ to'S
the prisoner's spiritual adviser read the Collect, biH when
he commenced the Lord's Prayer his strength seemed to
return and his voice grew firrner. although he fa Uei^d and
turned his head away trom the gallowl as h7col luded
he pathetic appeal for mercy. ^Stepping fomani a a
signal from the executioner, Birchall placed himTelf .mder
he gallows, and than without a tremor looked ihwa"d^
If desirous at the last moment to understand its peculiS
mechanism. Twisting his head from side to side Hke a
bird, he examined the pulley and the nnn^TLIr
weight, and then bending^ligily foJtrd ^ w W
something to his guard. In response the Cf stepped
forward, and Birchall, ki«sing him quietly on the ^Hns
straightened up as if he had%lrawn\streJgth from the
Z7tlT f ™ ^^"^- .^"^^ ^' *'^^ executioner 4s pull
ng the black cap over the doomed man's head the Vtter
half turned and asked of the man who was about to k^ll
; Do you mind shaking hands with me ? '
H. ^f f v"" ^ ']'''' ?P'''^ Radclive, walking to the ^ront
He put his had m that of Birchall's, who gave it a heartv
shake, saying, ' Well, good-bye. old fellow? ''^^''^'^y
Solemnly the sublime words of the Lord's Praver rana
out upon he keen and frostv air. the preacheK ^^cf
strengthening as he proceeded,'but suddenly the^^^Ta
deep hush, and almost in a whisper came the words
Forgive us our trespasses.' ^
THE END OF ALL.
the^lXi'^i ^*?r ^u.*^ PreaeW were turned upon
the scaffold, besido which stond fha >,v;^ ^„_..."*7
with one arm upraised ready to "send tee7;wri:;;j"To
■•<;>
ii
:*-
and rigid fotm,
3 fatal trap to
sping, sobbing,
hard to ntter,
llect, but when
igth seemed to
he faltered and
s he concluded
: forwar(j, at a
hireiself under
ked u|>ward as
id its peculiar
to side like a
loose and Llie
he whispered
Dean stepped
V on the lips,
Igth from the
oner was pull-
lead the otter
i about to kill
J to the front,
ve it a hearty
3 Prajer rang
3acher's voice
'' there was a
e the words
turned upon
sxecutiouo'r
Ion's soul to
i')
TIIE EXECUTION.
205
ft'^^'^^y- J^^ prisoner stood close to the upriijht on the
in^ Th In^^r '' 'r T^'f ^^«' ^^^ -P^ d'rawn taut
tfl p^ r ""^^'^ ",^^'' *^^ ^^^^ ^ar- Close to his side
stood Radchve so close that he was prepared to support
the prisoner if necessary, which it was not, and^Tm
-mediately m front were congregated those who weTe
authorized ta take part in the proceedings, the reporters
the o'uI^Se.'' ''"' ^'''""^ *^^ ^^^^'"^"^ «^ ^ ^^^^ol
to lo tir'wTfbT '''" ' /^' T^ «^ ^^' «P^«ker seemed
to go out with the word., and as he uttered the final
cltckfn. sound'^Th" ^"^"V^'^""'"' ^^^ ^^^ ^
ciicKing sound. The executioner stepped quickly back
and as the ponderous weight fell Birchlll's body q\,icklv
foa d TW '"' '^'\"P 'I if propelled from I fp ng^^
boaid. There was a rebound of several feet and then /or
tbe space of half a second the body remained rioJclbut
tais condition was quickly followed by convulsive move
mg attempt to breathe. His chest heaved and his le^rq
cuiai contraction grew weaker until at last the bodv
swung limply to and fro, the face ever turn L tow^
mfni ?l.i 1 7 V ' ^"^ '.* '"^""^ ^^^^ again and again
until the ast glimpse showed a partly veiled face w i h
the head turned to one side and almost resting on the
shoulder, the trunk st'" ngid but the limbs limn ind
dl^r W. ^^ '^' la«fc moment, and justaTthe or^d was
drawn by the hangman, then, was a slight smile on the
follrnance' '"'"""^^ ''''' °" ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^--^^red .