Page:Black Jacob, a monument of grace.djvu/22

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jacob hodges.

was a murderer! The groans of his aged victim would not die from his ear! That gory head he could not. forget! The broken and pallid countenance continually followed him! He not only carried in his bosom the conviction of guilt, but his whole conduct betrayed his emotions of remorse and anguish. Twenty-two years after this tragical event, he rehearsed to me its horrid details, and it seemed to pass almost in living reality and freshness before him.

He went to the chief instigator, who had employed him to commit the murder, and told him how he felt. It was not considered prudent for him to remain longer in the place Immediate measures were adopted to induce him to leave the country; but he continued to linger about for some days, hesitating what to do; in part, from the agitation of his own mind, and also, perhaps, to secure his share of the promised reward.

On Saturday, five days after the murder, he was persuaded to start for Newburg,