The Mine Master's Heir OR THE REAL JOHN SMITH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 284, 10 August 1910, Page 4

The Mine Master's Heir OR THE REAL JOHN SMITH.

(All Rights Rcservvu.;

—_+ -By HBDLEY RICHARDS,

Author of "Out of Darkness," -" A Day of Reckoning," Etc. PART 23. '"He's not much to look at ; and Thwaites described the man. As she listened a look of intelligent flashed into her eyes, and she exclaimed : "The tramp whom John thrashed !" "Yes. He was trying to kiss me, when my husband appeared. Of course, he wasn't my husband then. It was the first time he ever spoke to me, and he saved me from the wretch. It was awful the thrashing the man got ! I expect he is trying to pay John back." "I see—the liar ! He told me he'd seen Smith making love to you, and it was really through him you became acquainted. Now, Jessie, let me take you back to the cottage. I swear I'll tell what I saw, and your husband will be set free very soon."

At that moment the shrill whistle of a train could be heard. '''l've missed the train, and I did so want to see him !" she said. "You'll see him before long. Take my arm, lass." Jessie put her hand on his arm, and they passed through the gate. "And grannie knew that you were married, yet let me suffer torture !" he said as they walked softly across the fields. "She had promised not to tell," Jessie answered. When they came in sight of the cottage they saw grannie standing at the garden gate, and as they drew near she said : • , "So you've found the lost sheep?"

"No thanks to you," he. replied, curtly ; and as Jessie entered the cottage he turned to her, saying, "Promise me, my lass, that you will not go into Middleham, but stay here and get strong." "I promise, on condition you tell what you saw."

"You may trust me," he said as he turned away ; and the girl went wearily into the cottage. But in spite of the fatigue she felt as light-hearted as a bird, because she knew that before long her husband would he free.

Thwaites turned his footsteps in the direction of Witton House, and he had got nearly to the place where the path divided, one portion going to Lower Witton and the other tc the upper part of the town, when he saw Jake Brady coming towards him at a leisurely pace. The sight of the man—whose lie about Smith had caused him ' to remain silent when he could have freed the accused from his terrible positionroused all the fury in his nature, and, pausing, he' cut a thick stick from a tree, and he had just removed, the branches when Jake came up tc him, saying :

"It's been a wonderful fine day." " Yes ;" and as he "Spoke Thwaites stretched out his arm and caught the other man by his shirt-collar.

"I say, what are you after ?" exclaimed Jake as he tried to wriggle himself free.

"I'm going to give you a thrashing, but before I do I'll tell you what it's for. You remember telling me that you saw John Smith making love to my daughter ? She tells me that the only time you saw them was when Mr. Smith thrashed you for trying to kiss her. .Well, I'm going to thrash you for that, and me believe the man was villain enough to try and steal the girl from her home." "I'm sure- he did, and I did you a good turn when I set you on his track ; so let go," said Jake. "A wife leaves father and mother for her husband, and she's Smith's wife."

"I don't believe it. Let me go," cried Jake.

"No, you don't helieve any one can behave decently, you scamp. You've nearly made me a murderer, and I'm going to pay you off ;" and the stick fell smartly on Jake's back. "Let me go !" he roared.

Again and again the stick fell, the cloth 'of his coat was ripped, and the waistcoat torn down the back, and Jake howled like a beaten cur. "You can go now, and I advise you to clear out of Witton as soon as the assizes are over," said Thwaites as he turned along the path that led to Witton House. On arriving there he asked to see the master, and was told by Giles that it was impossible. Mr. Thompson had been down for the first time that day, and had just retired, being fatigued.

"Then may I see-one of the nurses? I have a piece of news that I think the master would like to hear." Giles hesitated,, finally going to seek one of the nurses, who returned with him, and Thwaites at once said :

•"I should be obliged if you would tell the master that I've found out that Mr, Jack had nothing to do with my daughter leaving home, She's married, and her husband is the other one —Mr. John Smith. I thought it only right to let Mr. Thompson know as Mr. Jack isn't the scoundrel I made him out to be." " I think Mr. Thompson knows that," said the nurse, quietly.

- "Still, you'll tell the master what I say. I've vilified him, and I want to own up that I was wrong. Of course, though Mr. John Smith has acted fair py my daughter, there's

been some tricky, underhand work. Ic di'.ln't want Mr. Thompson tc now he'd married her,; and, tc ncak the truth, I'd rather the lass iad married a decent working mar that I could trust."

The nurse- nodded. She admired (.his rugged, upright man, who was so anxious to atone for the mistake he had, made.

"I will tell Mr, Thompson what yo"J nay," she said as she turned a-.vay ; and Thwaites went towards the dcor.

"I'm glad you've found your girl But it's a poor bargain for her, being tied to a man accused oi murder," said Giles as he opened th< glass door. Thwaites passed into the porch, then he turned round and faced the butler

"He'll be proved innocent. Just read the evidence at the trial ;" and with these words he left Giles tc surmise what he meant, going quick ly down the steps. * =6 * * * *

The court at Middleham was crowded. The trial of John Smith foi the. murder of the woman at the old quarry had aroused great interest in the district. Standing in the dock, the prisoner looked grim, but no coward. It was afternoon. The last witness had been Jake Brady, who had given his evidence with as much ease as he had done at the inquest. Moreover, the counsel for the defence had elicited the fact that the prisoner had once inflicted sumnc.ry chastisement upon him. Altogether his evidence had not done as Tiuch injury to the accused as peole had expected. At that moment an officer of the court v, hispercd a few words to the prosecuting counsel, and almost imnediately Nathan Thwaites was callad ; then, after he had been sworn, the counsel said :

"I understand you have some evidence to give ?" "Fes, sir. I saw what happened at the quarry pit. May I tell it my own way, sir ?" "Yes;" and the counsel looked puzzled, not knowing whether the 'man was a witness fcr tho Crowr cr for the defence. But in a moment he forgot to speculate, as he listened to Thwaitcs, who said, in a voice that was heard at the very end of the crowded court :

"My lord, the tale I have to tell is one that will show me up in a bad light ; but I shall tell the whole truth. The night the woman whe called herself Madame Lottie met her death I had teen preaching at Beldon, and I stayed to have suppei at Parmer Dean's. My nearest way home led past the old quarry, and just as I came in sight of it I saw a man and woman standing on the path that wound round it. The moon was at the full, and I recognised Mr. John Smith. He was a man I'd a bitter grudge against. 1 believed he had lured my daughter from her home, so whan I heard that the woman and he were quarrelling I made up my mind to wait and see the ur.shot of it, as I thought it was a lonely place for a woman tc be in such a man's power, particularly if he wanted her out of the way. My .lord, I heard th?ir conversation. This Madame Lottie claimed to be his wife, but he told her straight that he'd proof she was a wife when he married her, and she didn't deny it, but started on another track, reminding him of things he'd done in Australia that she could prove, and she told him if Mr. Thompson knew about them he'd never get a penny. She wanted him to give her money to hold her tongue, and she taunted him enough tc ma'ie a man's blood boil, at the same time telling him if ho did hei any hurt the people where she was staying would set the police on, They'd just come to an arrangement. .He was to let her have twenty pourdc, and more when he got Mr. Thompson's money, when she put her hands behind her, and taking gold of the railings, she tried to vault on to them. There was a crack, and before any one could have stretched out a hand to save her, she fell backwards into the pit, giving an awful scream. Mr. Smith looked down. I believe he'd have saved her if he could, and after he had gone I had a look. But she must hTve been killed instantly ; there was no chance of saving her. And that's the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," said Thwaitcs", turning to face the jury. "i lm counsel for tho prosecution rose. "lYhy have ycu kept this to yourself until now ?" "Because I wanted the man to be hanged ; but last week I found my adopted daughter., and she told me that the prisoner had married her." The face of the man in the dock betrayed surprise and anger. "Let me see. You said you had been preaching that night, and you tell' us that fresh from such a service you decided -to remain silent about what you had seen, and let a man who was innocent suffer the extreme penalty of the law ?" "Yes, sir, that's true. I made up my mind deliberately and of set purpose. T wanted my revenge. My lord, I believed Mr. John Smith had ruined my lass, body and soul, and I made up my mind he should f)ay for it," said Thwaitcs, turning to the judge.

"And now you know the prisoner ti?is married your daughter, you want to save him. I ask, if you think we can rely upon your word, particularly when the prisoner denies having l.een near the quarry ?" said the counsel.

"You can prove the time I left Dean's farm, Mr, Dean saw me on to the path that leads past the juariy. Gentlemen, I am speaking the truth ;" and Thwaites looked at the jury. 'ilie counsel for the defence rose.

"My instructions were to admit that the prisoner met the woman the uii.'.ht of her death, and the

statement I had to make was identical with the one given by the witless."

The judge then briefly summed up. There was no doubt he believed the evidence given by Nathan Thwaites. Then the jury withdrew, but after ten minutes re-entered the court, and the foreman announced they were unanimous in a verdict of not guilty.

Before the judge left the court Nathan Thwaites was called, and he received a severe reprimand for withholding evidence that might have caused a man to suffer tht penalty of death, "in which case you would have been a murderer," said his lordship, '"I know it, my lord, and I deserve every word you have said. But I lusted for revenge ; the devil had got hold of me," replied Thwaites.

CHAPTER XXX. THE PUNISHMENT OF JOHN JEVONS.

"Thinks I've had enough, docs he?" said John Jevons as the waitress placed a small quantity of brandy en the table, having delivered her master's message.

"All right ;" and Jevons poured the brandy into a glass, and adding a very little water, drank it off ; then as he set the glass down he muttered :

"Tarnation ! Does the man think I'm going to sit here without a drop of anything_to drink wait for the news ?" Then, half-tipsy as he was, he shuddered as he remembered that the news might be that his only son was sentenced to death. "I must have a drink ;" and putting on his hat, he went downstairs and out of the house. Now, Jevons was well seasoned, and could walk steadily when he had had as much drink as would have floored an ordinary man ; so when e a little way down the street he turned into the Black Cow-, he had no difficulty in getting supplied, and he stayed there drinking until the landlord gave him a hint that he thought he'd had enough. So leaving the inn, he walked on, fairly steady in his gait, and on reaching the Wheatsheaf, he went in.

The landlord of the Wheatsheaf was very busy—the bar was full of men who had just left work—so, unnoticed, Jevons managed to get a liberal supply of brandy, varying it with a glass of whisky. - Gradually it mounted to his head ; and when the landlord, noticing his condition, declined to, supply him with any more, he swung the glass aloft, then aimed it at the landlord, who dodged his head, and the glass fell to the floor, smashing into a thousand pieces. The landlord stepped from behind the counter.

"'Out you go my man !" he said, in a firm tone, as he laid his hand on his arm. The drunken man wrenched himself free.

"No, I don't go out, Joshua Bell, and if you try to put me out I'll show you a thing ar two ;"and he struck out with his arms, dealing one man a blow on the. face that loosened a tooth, and giving another a black eye. The two men turned on him savagely, but Jevons stepped 'back, flinging his arms about as he said : " Aha ! You want to tackle John Jevons, do you ? Yes, you may well stare, you thick-headed louts ! I'm John Jevons, the man who rode Charley Dykes down, and he's a gibbering idiot. I'll make gibbering idiots of the lot of you—every mother's son of you—both outside and inside," he said as he glanced towards the doorway, which was now crowded with men.

As he spoke he flung his arms round and about, -back and behind, like lightning, keeping every one at bay. "I'm the renowned John Jevons, the man who was tried for the murder of Charley Dykes sweetheart, and if Thomoson had had his way I should have swung for it." Then he stopped suddenly, looking round at the men, who were regarding him with amazement. "Which of you said my son would swing for the quarry murder ? Because it's a lie — a d d lie—and I'll kill the man who repeats it," he shouted. "Come, my man, whoever you are, you'd better go," said the landlord, in a conciliatory tone and keeping his distance.

"I'll not go till I've drunk all the brandy you've got. Didn't 1 toll you I was John Jevons, and about Bridget ? Well, I'm not going to tell you how she got into the water. There was an awful fuss about itall over a woman, and they're as plentiful as blackberries." Then he Looked around him. "Do you want to see how I rode Charley down ?" And as he spoke he sprang on to the counter with the agility of a cat ; then lifting his feet, like a horse pawing and prancing, he shouted, "I'm going to ride you all down, and moke gib* bering idiots of the lot of you." (To be Continued.)