United States or Zambia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"The night succeeding the affair, whilst the Dean and O'Farroll were still in jail awaiting the inquest, a party of undergraduates were discussing the situation in Maguire's rooms, when the door burst open, and into their midst, almost breathless with excitement, came a measly, bespectacled youth named Brady Patrick Brady.
"'Hulloa! the latter exclaimed, looking not a bit disconcerted, 'that's a curious mode of making your entrance into my domain! Why didn't you come by the door? "'Because, O'Farroll replied, pointing to a patch of soot near the washstand, 'I followed you. Own up, Dicky Belton. You're the culprit you did for them all. And Belton laughed.
"All the College was agog with excitement. No one could believe the Dean was a murderer; and it was just as inconceivable to think O'Farroll had committed the deed. And yet if neither of them had killed Anderson, who in God's name had killed him?
He had, without doubt, been murdered. But by whom? Then one of the undergraduates, a bright, boyish, fair-haired giant, named O'Farroll, immensely popular both on account of his prowess in sport and an untold number of the most audacious escapades, spoke out: "'I saw Anderson, about an hour ago, crossing the quadrangle. I asked him where he was going, and he replied, "To old Kelly.
An idea then struck me I would play a trick upon the Dean by hiding in this secret chamber one evening while he was feeding, cutting out the eyes of the portrait, and peering through the cavities at him. And this, O'Farroll continued, pointing at the fallen picture, 'is what he evidently did after I left him. You can see the eyes of the portrait have been removed.
'It's only natural we should think you know something of what happened! "On the arrival of the police who had been sent for somewhat reluctantly for the prestige of the College at that date was very dear to all the premises were thoroughly searched, and, no other culprit being found, first of all Dean Kelly was apprehended, and then, to make a good job of it, his accuser, Denis O'Farroll.
"'Begorrah! cried O'Farroll, 'Hartnoll was after the murderer when he was struck, and shure I'll be after him the same way myself. And before anyone could prevent him O'Farroll was up the chimney. Up, up, up, until he found himself going down, down, down; and then bedad he stepped right out on to the floor of Belton's room.
The police were summoned and the whole building ransacked; but no one thought of the chimney till the search was nearly over, and half the throng overcome with fatigue had retired. O'Farroll was the discoverer. Happening to glance at the hearth he saw something drop. "'For Heaven's sake, you fellows! he shouted. 'Look! Blood! You may take it from me there's a corpse in the chimney.
"The Dean hardly seemed to realize the situation. The dignity of office blinded him to danger. "'What do you mean? he spluttered. 'I know nothing of what happened to Mr. Anderson! Really, really, O'Farroll, your presumption is preposterous. "'There was no one else in here but you and he, Mr. Kelly, O'Farroll retorted coolly.
"At this remark, despite the grimness of the moment, several of those present laughed. "'Come, come, gentlemen! one of the officials cried, 'this is no time for levity. Mr. Anderson has been murdered, and the question is by whom? "'Then, if that's the only thing that is troubling you, O'Farroll put in, 'I fancy the solution is right here at hand, and he looked significantly at the Dean.
Word Of The Day