Since then, the detectives have
followed all his movements and know just how much liquor he drank
and to whom, in tipsy bravado, he showed the contents of his
pockets. But he wasn't so far gone as not to have moments of
apprehension when he thought of the dead man lying with his feet
in Dark Hollow, and of the hue and cry which would soon be raised,
and what folks might think if that accursed watch he had taken so
innocently should be found in his pocket. Finally his fears
overcame his scruples, and, starting for home, he stopped at the
bluff, meaning to run down over the bridge and drop the watch as
near as possible to the spot where he had found it. But as he
turned to descend, he heard a team approaching from the other side
and, terrified still more, he dashed into the woods, and, tearing
up the ground with his hands, buried his booty in the loose soil,
and made for home. Even then he had no intention of appropriating
the watch, only of safe-guarding himself, nor did he have any hand
at all in the murder of Mr. Etheridge. This he would swear to;
also, to the leaving of the stick where he said.
"It is understood that in case of his indictment, his lawyer will
follow the line of defence thus indicated."
"To-day, John Scoville was taken to the tree where he insists he
left his stick. It is a big chestnut some hundred and fifty feet
beyond the point where the ravine turns west. It has a big enough
trunk for a stick to stand upright against it, as was shown by
Inspector Snow who had charge of this affair.
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