DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0255
THE BERWICK BURR.
243
Jessie's parents were sent for and informed as gently as
possible of the accident, and their first exclamation on reaching
their daughter's side was—" Oh, the villain ! this is Smeaton's
wark!"
Jessie was able to recognise her father, and smile faintly
when he took her hand in his own, but she was too weak to
give any account of the accident or crime till next morning.
By that time the flight of Smeaton had been discovered, and
telegrams despatched ordering his arrest and detention; and
when Jessie woke she found not only the lieutenant of police,
but a magistrate at her bedside, ready to hear her statement
and act upon her charge. Then they all were surprised to
find that Jessie had no charge to make. She would not, by
as much as a look, admit that Smeaton had thrown her into
the water, or even struck her so as to cause her to fall in or
receive the wound on her temple. How had the accident
happened then ?
" I must have fallen in," said Jessie, after a long pause, and
with tears in her eyes.
"Yes, you must have fallen in," impatiently interposed her
father, who positively hated her lover, " or you could never
have been picked out, but was the falling in purely accidental ?
Surely, Jessie, I have trained you well enough in truthfulness
to be able to rely on your answer in a matter of life and
death?"
"Yes, father, dear," meekly answered Jessie, with fresh
tears. " I will always be truthful. But I cannot answer every
question. I would rather die and be at rest."
" If this wretch attempted to drown you—to take your life
—do you think you are doing right to screen him from the
just punishment of his crime?" sternly observed her father.
"Will would never attempt such a thing," warmly answered
the girl. "He has faults—though not so many as people
imagine—but that he would never do. It is not in his
nature."
"The police are after him now, and likely to get him, and
when he is tried you will be forced to speak the truth," said
her father; "you will be the principal witness, and if you do
not speak the whole truth, you will be sent to prison yourself."
" I will never say anything against him though they cut me
in pieces," said Jessie, with a deep sigh. "Why did they iake
me out of the river ? It would have been better to let me lie
than torture me with questions."
243
Jessie's parents were sent for and informed as gently as
possible of the accident, and their first exclamation on reaching
their daughter's side was—" Oh, the villain ! this is Smeaton's
wark!"
Jessie was able to recognise her father, and smile faintly
when he took her hand in his own, but she was too weak to
give any account of the accident or crime till next morning.
By that time the flight of Smeaton had been discovered, and
telegrams despatched ordering his arrest and detention; and
when Jessie woke she found not only the lieutenant of police,
but a magistrate at her bedside, ready to hear her statement
and act upon her charge. Then they all were surprised to
find that Jessie had no charge to make. She would not, by
as much as a look, admit that Smeaton had thrown her into
the water, or even struck her so as to cause her to fall in or
receive the wound on her temple. How had the accident
happened then ?
" I must have fallen in," said Jessie, after a long pause, and
with tears in her eyes.
"Yes, you must have fallen in," impatiently interposed her
father, who positively hated her lover, " or you could never
have been picked out, but was the falling in purely accidental ?
Surely, Jessie, I have trained you well enough in truthfulness
to be able to rely on your answer in a matter of life and
death?"
"Yes, father, dear," meekly answered Jessie, with fresh
tears. " I will always be truthful. But I cannot answer every
question. I would rather die and be at rest."
" If this wretch attempted to drown you—to take your life
—do you think you are doing right to screen him from the
just punishment of his crime?" sternly observed her father.
"Will would never attempt such a thing," warmly answered
the girl. "He has faults—though not so many as people
imagine—but that he would never do. It is not in his
nature."
"The police are after him now, and likely to get him, and
when he is tried you will be forced to speak the truth," said
her father; "you will be the principal witness, and if you do
not speak the whole truth, you will be sent to prison yourself."
" I will never say anything against him though they cut me
in pieces," said Jessie, with a deep sigh. "Why did they iake
me out of the river ? It would have been better to let me lie
than torture me with questions."