Radnor was not called again and that was the end of the testimony in
regard to him. The rest of the time was taken up with a consideration of
Cat-Eye Mose and some further questioning of the negroes in regard to
the ha'nt. Old Nancy created considerable diversion with her account of
the spirited roast chicken. It had changed materially since I heard it
last. She was emphatic in her statement that "Marse Rad didn't have
nuffen to do wif him. He was a sho' nuff ha'nt an' his gahments smelt o'
de graveyard."
The evidence respecting Mose brought out nothing of any consequence, and
with that the hearing was brought to a close. The coroner instructed the
jury on two or three points of law and ended with the brief formula:
"You have heard the testimony given by these witnesses. It remains for
you to do your duty."
After an interminable half hour the jury-men filed back to their seats
and the clerk read the verdict:
"We find that the said Richard Gaylord came to his death in Luray Cavern
on the 19th day of May, by cerebral hemorrhage, the result of a wound
inflicted by some blunt weapon in the hands of a person or persons
unknown. We recommend that Radnor Fanshaw Gaylord be held for trial
before the Grand Jury."
Rad appeared dazed at the verdict; though in the face of the evidence
and his own stubborn refusal to explain it, I don't see how he could
have expected any other outcome. As for myself, it was better than I had
feared.
CHAPTER XV
FALSE CLUES
The fight had now fairly begun. The district attorney was working up the
side of the prosecution, aided, I was sure, by the over-zealous sheriff.
It remained for me to map out some definite plan of action and organize
the defence.
As I rode back to Four-Pools in the early evening after the inquest, I
continued to dwell upon the evidence, searching blindly for some clue.
The question which returned most persistently to my mind was "What has
become of Cat-Eye Mose?" It was clear now that upon the answer to this
question hinged the ultimate solution of the mystery. I still clung to
the belief that he was guilty and in hiding. But five days had elapsed
since the murder, and no trace of him had been discovered. It seemed
incredible that a man, however well he might know his ground, could,
with a whole county on his track, elude detection so effectually.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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