登陆注册
4710000000015

第15章

To a person of any age such a sight as that described at the close of the last chapter might well have proved startling. To a boy like Carl it was simply overwhelming. It so happened that he had but twice seen a dead person, and never a victim of violence. The peculiar circumstances increased the effect upon his mind.

He placed his hand upon the man's face, and found that he was still warm. He could have been dead but a short time.

"What shall I do?" thought Carl, perplexed.

"This is terrible!"

Then it flashed upon him that as he was alone with the dead man suspicion might fall upon him as being concerned in what night be called a murder.

"I had better leave here at once," he reflected.

"I shall have to go away without paying for my meal."

He started to leave the house, but had scarcely reached the door when two persons --a man and a woman--entered. Both looked at Carl with suspicion.

"What are you doing here?" asked the man.

"I beg your pardon," answered Carl; "I was very hungry, and seeing no one about, took the liberty to sit down at the table and eat.

I am willing to pay for my dinner if you will tell me how much it amounts to."

"Wasn't my husband here?" asked the woman.

"I--I am afraid something has happened to your husband," faltered Carl.

"What do you mean?"

Carl silently pointed to the chamber door.

The woman opened it, and uttered a loud shriek.

"Look here, Walter!" she cried.

Her companion quickly came to her side.

"My husband is dead!" cried the woman; "basely murdered, and there," pointing fiercely to Carl, "there stands the murderer!"

"Madam, you cannot believe this!" said Carl, naturally agitated.

"What have you to say for yourself?" demanded the man, suspiciously.

"I only just saw--your husband," continued Carl, addressing himself to the woman. "I had finished my meal, when I began to search for some one whom I could pay, and so opened this door into the room beyond, when I saw --him hanging there!"

"Don't believe him, the red-handed murderer!" broke out the woman, fiercely. "He is probably a thief; he killed my poor husband, and then sat down like a cold-blooded villain that he is, and gorged himself."

Things began to look very serious for poor Carl.

"Your husband is larger and stronger than myself," he urged, desperately. "How could I overpower him?"

"It looks reasonable, Maria," said the man.

"I don't see how the boy could have killed Mr. Brown, or lifted him upon the hook, even if he did not resist."

"He murdered him, I tell you, he murdered him!" shrieked the woman, who seemed bereft of reason.

"I call upon you to arrest him."

"I am not a constable, Maria."

"Then tie him so he cannot get away, and go for a constable. I wouldn't feel safe with him in the house, unless he were tied fast.

He might hang me!"

Terrible as the circumstances were, Carl felt an impulse to laugh. It seemed absurd to hear himself talked of in this way.

"Tie me if you like!" he said. "I am will-ing to wait here till some one comes who has a little common sense. Just remember that I am only a boy, and haven't the strength of a full-grown man!"

"The boy is right, Maria! It's a foolish idea of yours."

"I call upon you to tie the villain!" insisted the woman.

"Just as you say! Can you give me some rope?"

From a drawer Mrs. Brown drew a quantity of strong cord, and the man proceeded to tie Carl's hands.

"Tie his feet, too, Walter!"

"Even if you didn't tie me, I would promise to remain here. I don't want anybody to suspect me of such a thing," put in Carl.

"How artful he is!" said Mrs. Brown.

同类推荐
  • 荣进集

    荣进集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 清代台湾职官印录

    清代台湾职官印录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Boyhood

    Boyhood

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 近世社会龌龊史

    近世社会龌龊史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 梅谱序

    梅谱序

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 我短暂的贵族生活

    我短暂的贵族生活

    这是一个关于丢失爱情、期望遗落的故事,它需要安静地体味,人的记忆有时候很古怪,说不准在什么时候,在什么地点就会重复和再现一些东西。
  • 二胎

    二胎

    方淳70年代生,现居杭州,硕士,浙江省作家协会成员,曾出版长篇小说《病人》,另在《作家》《青年作家》《文学界》《西湖》《福建文学》《雨花》《当代小说》《浙江作家》《三角洲文学》等杂志发表小说、散文若干。美莲拿起拖布又把地擦了一遍,土黄木纹的地砖铺了不到半年,看上去还是簇簇新的,地砖的釉面闪着清洁的亮光,花纹是几年前流行的式样,一个方方的菱形套着一个方方的菱形,花哨而生动,空间似乎被线条和色彩充满了。美莲的家,有老式的家具,也有一些新潮的家具。
  • 重生之变成兽爹

    重生之变成兽爹

    “我不喜欢麻烦,相对于解决麻烦,我更倾向于,去解决给我制造麻烦的人。”——万兽宗兽子-养狗大师-秦兽。
  • 校草的专属舞者

    校草的专属舞者

    本文已完结,欢迎入坑☆本文参与言情小说吧新人训练营☆“今晚,我将和莫家千金莫雨柔小姐订婚。”洛克斯自己生日的晚会上面对着媒体大声宣布。在黑暗角落里的她,看着手上自己DIY的礼物,心,犹如被万箭穿过般疼痛。想要离去,却被某人给拼命按住,强迫她看着他们在台上的订婚仪式,看着她们接吻。不是说好要等她的答案的吗?当她准备掏出真心的时候,为什么又给她一个这样致命的打击?摆脱束缚,她伤心欲绝的跑了出去。不料,撞进了一个威严的怀抱。“是谁,把我的女儿弄哭了?”一个低沉的声音打破了宴会的喧闹,也掀起了一场风浪。最后,她和他又会怎么发展呢?片段一:“传说说如果一对恋人坐摩天轮,当摩天轮升到最高处的时候,他们接吻的话,会一直幸福下去哦!”她眼里闪着重重的光芒,看着脚下的美景,“我们会一直幸福下去吗?”“我们会一直幸福下去的,我相信。”洛克斯走到她的身边,捧起了她的脸,狠狠的亲了下去,允吸着她独特的芳香。“会找到属于专属于我们的幸福的!”在摩天轮落地的时候,洛克斯紧紧的抱住她,并在她耳边大声宣布:“因为你是我的专属舞者!”各位新文文《财迷大婶,给我滚》可以看看哦
  • 传奇女医生

    传奇女医生

    也许由于智力发育迟缓,也许由于父母的教育方式欠妥,王芳的成绩总是倒数,但一路走来,每到关键时刻总能化险为夷,最后成为了灭绝师太。她到省级医院工作,结识了好友景云儿,目睹了心内科主任的一段爱情悲剧。当主任殉情之后,爱恋主任的她远走非洲。机缘巧合,刀尖舔血的王芳身家上亿。回国后开启了简单的富豪生活。曾经以为和爱人杜宇是欢喜冤家,曾经以为就此平淡而甜蜜的幸福下去。但是娱乐圈的污七糟八击碎了王芳的憧憬。再次逃避,也为了曾经的弟兄们,她远走非洲艰苦的带着团队成为了横跨亚非的大财团。误会解除,巨星杜宇再次追回了心爱的女人,王芳享受着爱情的滋润,可是杜天王宣布找到真爱,却不是王芳真相如何?尽在传奇女医生。
  • 千言万语

    千言万语

    很久她们没有言语。江边修缮得真是漂亮极了,刘冬好长时间没有来这里玩过,岸边新垒了石级,斜栽了柳树,到底是秋天了,柳树有点残败,虽说仍旧是绿枝萦绕,已经没了精神气,萎靡不振地摆动着,石台上幸亏还有几株桂花,正是茂盛的时节,风一吹过,便有扑鼻的香气,浓郁得有了微熏的感觉。对岸建了排排整齐的楼房,硕大的广告牌矗立在江边,霓虹灯耀眼地闪烁着。江上不时驶来灯火通明的一艘游轮,看得见在甲板上欢歌笑语的人群,令人向往的热闹。
  • 精灵之覆霜踏冰

    精灵之覆霜踏冰

    叶落之时,凛冬将至,人类和精灵从最初便是如此友好吗?人类难道只有科技和精灵这两种战斗和生存的方式吗?少年凛冬在光暗的时间与空间不断穿梭。这是个人与神共同生活的世界,而一种足以对抗精灵能量的力量也悄然而至,共同存在千万年。
  • 圣堂荣光

    圣堂荣光

    第一纪元:中世纪的曙光,骑士大军于血火中缔造新帝国第二纪元:旧纪元依然逝去,废墟上,蒸汽朋克与魔法科学缔造璀璨文明第三纪元:第二纪元还没写完哈~第四纪元:还在等第三纪元...第...纪元:给我个出场机会,跪求!作者君:额,这要看读者大大喜不喜欢了!欢迎加群:68175197(圣堂荣光)(不定期发红包哦)
  • 闲杂余记

    闲杂余记

    看未来,做一条有梦想的闲鱼。不做假佛系少年,斜杠更出彩
  • 走进神秘高僧

    走进神秘高僧

    在这里,我们即将看到:秀丽的山川,古老的城镇,尘封的遗迹,神秘的陵寝;我们将接触到:奇石美玉,奇异建筑,珍贵遗产,传奇人物……它们背后的故事,深藏的历史,蕴蓄的文明,让那些渐行渐远的动人往事重新焕发生机,让那些早已离去的作古先人变得生动可感,在这里,每个人都会获得“不一样”的感觉。