Page:Life, strange voyages, and uncommon adventures of Ambrose Gwinett.pdf/6

6 as I entered, I was accosted by the publican's wife, in tears, "O! cursed wretch, what hast; thou done? Thou hast murdered and robbed my poor dear uncle, and all through me who put thee to lie with him! But where hast thou hid his money? and what hast thou done with his body? Thou shalt be hang’d upon a gallows as high as the May-pole." My brother begged her to be pacified, and I was taken into a private room. They then began to question me as the woman had done, about where I had put the money, and how I had disposed of the body. I asked them what money, and what body they meant? Then they said I had killed the person I had lain with the preceding night for the sake of a large sum I had seen with him. I fel down upon my knees, calling God to witness I knew nothing of what they accused me. Then somebody cried, "Carry him up stairs," and I was brought into the chamber where I had slept. Here the man of the house went to the bed, and tuning down the clothes, shewed the sheets, pillows, and bolster died in blood. He asked me, did I know any thing of that? I declared to God I did not. Says a person that was in the room, "Young man, something very odd must have happened here last night; for lying in the next chamber, I heard groanings, and going up and down stairs more than once or twice. I told them the circumstance of my illness, and that I had been up and down myself, with all that passed between my bed-fellow and me. Somebody proposed to search me, severals began to turn my pockets inside out, and from my waistcoat tumbled the pen-knife and the piece of money I have already mentioned. Upon seeing these, the woman immediately screamed out, "O God! there is my uncle's pen-knife!" Then ing