|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 38
"You'll not answer?" thundered Coroner Busby.
"Mr. Coroner," began Raymond, rising, "is it legally necessary that she
answer? Remember, she is here without proper legal council."
"Silence! I--ahem--yes, she must answer, or I shall have to commit
her, as a witness if for nothing else. Girl, are you going to answer
or not?"
"Sure, an' Oi--"
"Chief, will you call a policeman?" went on the coroner, turning to the
chief of police.
He was a fairly good judge of human character. At the sight of the
bluecoat the domestic wilted and began to sob.
"Ohone! Ohone! don't take me to prison!" she wailed.
"You prefer to answer?"
"Yis, if Oi must. But Oi think Miss Margaret the swatest little
lady--"
"Never mind that. When did the girl and her stepmother quarrel last?
Come now, tell me the plain truth," and the coroner put as much of
sternness as possible in his voice.
"Well, thin, if yez has got to know, it was on the marnin' av the
murders, sur," sniffled the servant girl.
"When was this?"
"Right afther breakfast. They had some words at the table, too."
"What was said? Repeat the exact words if you can," and the coroner
leaned forward expectantly, while many in the courtroom held their
breath.
"Mrs. Langmore said she wished Miss Margaret was off the face of the
earth, an' that she'd be afther seein' that the dear girrul wasn't in
the house much longer. 'Twas a very bitter scene, an' me heart wint
out to the dear girrul--"
"And what did Miss Margaret reply to that?"
"She said it was her father's house, an' she would stay as long as her
father wished her to. An' it was her father's house, too."
"And after that?"
"A whole lot more followed, which Oi didn't catch, fer Oi am no
avesdropper. But Oi did hear Mrs. Langmore, in a perfect rage, cry out
that she'd kill Miss Margaret if the girrul didn't moind her."
"And then?"
"Miss Margaret said she would do as she pl'ased--that she was her own
mistress--an' Oi was glad to hear her say it. Mrs. Langmore went on
wid her quarrel--sure, an' she had the divil's own tongue, so she had.
Thin she must have caught hould av Miss Margaret, fer Oi heard the
girrul cry out to lit go or she'd stroike her down. Thin there was
more wurruds, hotter an' hotter, an' Mrs. Langmore said she would make
the girrul mind as sure as fate, an' thin Miss Margaret got roused up
an' she said fer Mrs. Langmore to beware, that she had Southern blood
in her veins, an' she wouldn't be accountable fer what she did, if her
stepmother wint too far."
There was a pause, and a murmur ran the round of the little courtroom.
The testimony seemed to be highly important and many shook their heads.
The girl and her stepmother had certainly had a bitter quarrel, the
girl had hot Southern blood in her veins, and the bitterness had ended
in the tragedy. In the minds of many it was only a question of what
the extenuating circumstances might be.
"Was Mr. Langmore present at this quarrel?" asked the coroner, after
another pause.
"He was at the breakfast table, but afther that he wint to the bank."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|