Won by Crime by A. Frank Pinkerton

Author:A. Frank Pinkerton [A. Frank Pinkerton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: F
Publisher: SAGA Egmont
Published: 2020-09-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter IV.

The next morning a small band of soldiers, headed by Henrique Ferriera, wound their way toward the humble home of Jarima.

On arriving, they found to their astonishment the door fastened close, and no one to answer their knock.

"Never mind, break it down," Henrique said, roughly.

In obedience a few heavy blows fell on the woodwork, which soon gave way beneath their force.

Stepping over the scattered splinters, Henrique saw a sight which filled him with horror.

Crouching on the bare floor, her hands twined convulsively in her long hair, was a woman, with three sleeping children leaning against her.

On a hard straw mattress, almost in shadow, lay Jarima, his face covered with blood, which oozed in streams from his mouth.

Henrique gazed for an instant on the awful sight, then turned towards his men.

"We have arrived a little too late; blind men cannot see, or dumb ones tell tales. Some horrible wretch has done this deed, fearful of his betraying them. I wonder who?"

The woman, when questioned, could tell them nothing. She only knew her husband had been brought home in his present condition at daybreak, and remained unconscious since.

"I regret to say it is our painful duty to take him; every care will be given him. He is suspected of having murdered Luiz Falcam."

"No, no; you are mistaken! It is some one else, not he. Jarima was much too gentle to kill any one!" the woman cried, passionately.

Her prayers and supplications were unavailing. Henrique was obliged to do his duty, and bade his men take the suffering man to prison.

Some hours later, as Diniz stood in his room, just before setting out in search of Henrique, that man entered the house, followed by several soldiers.

"Diniz Sampayo, I arrest you on the charge of having stolen a poignard, set with jewels, from Manuel Tonza de Sepulveda."

Diniz started, and flushed angrily.

"I steal? When you know it is the weapon I bought from Phenee, the Jew, as proof against the murderer."

"So you said; but we have heard another tale to that. Anyhow, if you are innocent, you will be set free as soon as you are tried."

"But the man Jarima? Have you not been for him?"

"Yes, but he is useless; when we arrived, some one had been before us, and not only blinded him, but cut out his tongue, so that he could not speak."

"How horrible! How could any one have been so cold-blooded?" Diniz gasped, turning pale.

"Evidently it was done for some purpose. But come, Sampayo, I cannot wait here."

"Will nothing I say convince you I am innocent? If innocence gives strength, I shall soon be at liberty."

Henrique smiled scornfully, and hurried the young man away.

"You will not be alone; your prison-cell is shared by another—Phenee, the Jew. An old friend of yours, is he not?" Henrique asked.

"Friend—no! I have only spoken to him once in my life. What is he arrested for?"

"Being a receiver of stolen goods," grimly.

Diniz thought suddenly of Miriam, and wondered how she would bear this blow. Her only relative and dearly-loved parent torn from her side, to linger in a damp cell.

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