CHAPTER III.
THE DEAF MAN.
The inquest was held, and the jury pronounced the double crime murder by
persons unknown, but with strong suspicion resting on Andrew Zane and an
unknown laborer, who had left Pettit's or Treaty Island, at night, in an
open boat with William Zane and Sayler Rainey. A reward was offered for
Andrew Zane and the laborer.
The will of the deceased persons made Andrew Zane full legatee of both
estates, and left a life interest in the Queen Street house, and $2000 a
year to "Agnes Wilt, my ward and housekeeper." The executors of the Zane
estate were named as Agnes Wilt, Rev. Silas Van de Lear, and Duff
Salter. The two dead men were interred together in the old Presbyterian
burial-ground, and after a month or two of diminishing excitement,
Kensington settled down to the idea that there was a great mystery
somewhere; that Andrew Zane was probably guilty; but that the principal
evidence against him was his own flight.
As to Agnes, there was only one respectable opinion--that she was a
superb work of nature and triumph of womanhood, notwithstanding romantic
and possibly awkward circumstances of origin and relation. All men, of
whatever time of life and for whatsoever reason, admired her--the mean
and earthy if only for her mould, the morally discerning for her
beautiful quality that pitied, caressed, encouraged, or elevated all who
came within her sphere.
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