jr
10 THE OMATIA DAITLY 111313 : SUXDAV , MAY 7 , 1890. a
V
eniif ®
i
AUTHOR
OF
"The AGATHA WEBB.
Leavenworth
Case , " JUy.ANXA KATHA1UXE OllEEN.
Sr < ) | iHlM of I'rpcpilliiB Clinp < cr .
Just nftcr a bnll nt the Sutherland man-
nlon Agatha Webb nnd h r servant nro
founil Oeatl , and PhilemonVobb , Agatha's
luubnml , who for years has been KrovUtiR
ilcmrnteu , Is discovered nslcop at the dinner
table. A traos at blood on hfs sleeve points
io him ns the murderer. Agatlia W 1)b ! ?
known to but few as a rich woman. Miss
3'iiKe. the niece of Sutherland's housekeeper ,
persists In remaining nbout the Webb
premises and discovers blood on the grass.
The money drawer Is found to bo. empty nnd
robbery la added to th mystery. Frederick
Sutherland , a wayward youth , calls hla
father to witness nls determination to bn a
liettcr man and promise * not to marry Mw !
I'IIRC , by whom he has been fascinated. Mips
Page talls Frederick that nho followed him
the night of the murder nnd knew where ho
bud crrctfil $1.000. Stv gives him a week
to declda whether to marry her or bo pro
claimed a the murderer of Agatha Webb.
It Is learned that the money was In now
bills and the keeper of a small store pro
duces one that a strange man gave 'ilm late
the night of thc'inurdcr for a loaf of bread.
A detective arrives from Uoston and ro-
IKjrto , "Hlnuilp case. .Murdered for mon"y.
Plnd the man with the ( lowing beard. "
HusplPlon falls upon on. ' of the Hubel broth
ers. Frederick visits the hollow tree. The
money la gone. Wattles , u JiotHon gambler ,
nrrlves nnd demands } 9JO of Frederick In
jiaymont of gambling debt. I-'r-derl-k
secures a check for the amount from his
father. The Xabcl brothers are found dead
of starvation , ono of them clutching the
loaf of bread , the oth = r a blood-siulnexl
knlfo The Hostnn detective declares the
jnyslery solved , but young Sweetwatcr ns-
tonlshei the company by n nw chain of
evidence , pointing to another perpetrator
of the terrible crime. This time Amabel
J'ago la suspected. Swtetwator finds the
money where he has seen Miss Page hide It.
SIlss 'Pago Is confronted by the detectives
nnd olllc rs and tells what she saw thn
night of the murder. Frederick nverhonrs
the talking and Joins the gioup and Mlrs
J'age tells lust enough fn that a later con
fession will Implicate Frederick If ho re
fuses to marry her. On the following day
occurs the funeral of Agatha V/obb , and
late that night Mr. Sutherland Jlscovnrs
Frederick we.ping over her grave. On the
way homo he learns nf the death of
Philemon , Agatha's husband. Swectw.iter
utispects and follows Frederick and Is thus
discovered by Mr. Sutherland. Fredcr'ck
rtlarcs a package of old letters Into Agnea
Jlalllday's hands and his father seelta an
explanation. Agatlia Webb's will Is pponed
nnd by Its terms Mr. Sutherland Is ma-le
'xccutor und Frederick solo heir of J100-
000 estate. Swcctwater reasons that Fred-
crick Is the murderer , but bocnu r > Mr. Suth
erland once saved his life Swectwiter Is
unwilling to give evidence. In otdcr to
3tecp his secret ho plans to leave homo ,
nnd , In auspicious hast ; , pretending to bo
In search of an Important witness , boards
on outgoing steamer bound for Brazil.
CIIAl'TISIl X.VV.
Mr. Sutherland was right. Swcetwater
did not return with the pilot. According to
the latter there was no Sweutwater on board
Hid ship to return. At all events the mi
nutest search bad not succeeded In finding
lilni In the cabins , though no ono had scon
him leave the vessel , or , Indeed , seen him
nt all after his hasty dash below decks. It
was thought on board that ho had succeeded
In reaching shore before the ship set sail
nnd the pilot was suitably surprised at
learning this was not so. So were Sweet-
water's friends nnd associates , with the ex
ception of a certain old gentleman living
on the hill nnd Knapp , the detective. He ,
that Is the latter , had his explanation at his
tonguo's end.
"Swcetwntor la a fakir. Ho thought ho
could carry off the honors from the regular
force and when ho found ho couldn't ho
quietly disappeared. Wo shall hear of hltn
again In the Brazils. "
An opinion that speedily gained ground ,
BO that In a few hours Sweetwatcr was all
tout forgotten , save by his mother , whoso
licart was Illled with suspense , and by Mr.
Sutherland , whoso breast was burdened by
Kratltudo. The amazing fact that Frederick ,
the village scapegrace and Amabel's reck
less , It aristocratic , lover , having been made
the legatee of the upright Mrs. Webb's
' eecret savings , had something to do with
this. With such a topic at hand , not only
the gossips , but these who had the matter
of Agatha's murder In hand , found ample
material to occupy their thoughts and
tongues , without wasting tlmo over a pre-
BUinptuous busybody who had not wits
enough to know that flvo minutes before
nailing tlmo Is an unfortunate moment In
\\hlch to enter a ship.
And where was Sweetwatcr , that ho could
not bo found ou the shore or on the ship ?
"Wo will follow him and see. Accustomed
from his youth to rarablo over the vessels
while In port , ho know this ono as well as
ho did his mother's house. U wns , there
fore , a surprise to the sailors when , shortly
nfter the departure of the pilot , they came
upon him lying In the hold , halt hurled
under a box which had partially fallen upon
lilni. Ho was unconscious , or appeared so ,
und when brought Into open light showed
marks of physical distress and Injury ; but
his cyo was clear nnd his expression hardly
an rueful as ono would expect of a man
who finds himself cnrouto for the Brazils
with barely a couple of dollars In tils pockei
nnd every prospect of being obliged to work
before the mast to earn his passage. Kven
the captain noticed this and eyed him with
eomo suspicion. Hut Swcetwnter , rousing to
the necessities of the occasion , forthwith
ehowed such n mixture of discouragement
nnd perplexity that the honest sailor was
deceived and abated half nt least of his
oaths. Ho gave Sweetwatcr a hammock and
admitted htm to the mess , but told hltn
that as soon ns his bruises allowed him to
work ho should show himself on deck or ex
pect the rough treatment commonly bo-
Btowcd on stowaways.
It was a prospect to daunt sorao men , but
not Sttcetwater. Indeed It wns no more
tlmn ho had calculated upon when ho lett
Ills little savings behind with hla old mother
nnd entered upon this enterprise with enl )
n llttlo change In his pocket. Ho had uiv
dertaken out of love nnd grntltudo to Mr
Sutherland to rid Frederick of a dnngoroua
witness nnd ho felt able to complete the sac-
riaco , Moro than that , ho was oven
Btrnngcly happy for a time , The elation of
the willing victim was his , that U for n
few short hours ; then ho began to think of
Ills mother. How had she borne his sud
den departure ? What would she think had
befallen him , and how long would ho have
I liuvo been iiilna rASOAUKTS mill 01
a tulld and oOrailru IniaiUe they aru tlmiily won
derful. Mr UuuiiUlor unit 1 vrt > ri > bothered with
lick ttomaub anil our lircatli wuicrr luul. After
taking a f w Ontcu of CiucaroU no liave Improved
nuulorfullr , Tliuj atn a im-at help In tlio tamllj. "
WiuiEi.uihA NAOLL.
1137 llluoulioiue St. , Cincinnati , Ohio.
rieaoant , 1'alatablo. 1'otenl , Tnite need , Do
Bool , Merer Sicken.VeaUin , or Gripe , lOc,2iottte.
. . . CURE CONSTIPATION. . . .
fr.ill.r Vtmtti ! ? . j. rtU t . llc.lrt.l. M. Tcrt. 8l >
lift Tfi RIP Hold and iniamntcrd br oil drug-
' - ' -
HU'IU-UAU Klstaio dujxm'ebaocalUi-
to wait before ho could send her word ot his
safety ? If lie was to bo of real Ecrvlco to
the man ho venerated ho must bo lost long
enough for the public mind to have become
settled In regard to the mystery of the Webb
murder and for his own boastful connection
with U to bo forgotten. This might mean
years of exile. He rather thought It did ;
meanwhile his mother ! Ot himself ha
thought little.
By sundown ho felt himself sufficiently
recovered from his bruises to go up on deck.
It was a mild night nntl the sea was run
ning In smoothly , long waves that as yet
but faintly presaged the storm brewing In
the distant horizon. As ho Inhaled the
fresh nlr the Joy of renewed health bcunn
to Infuse its life Into his veins and lift the
oppression from his heart , nnd , glad for a
few minutes of aulet enjoyment , ho with
drew to n. solitary portion of the deck nnd
allowed himself to torcct his troubles In
contemplation of the rapidly deepening sky
and boundless stretch of waters.
But such crlefs nnd nnxlctlcs as weighed
upon this man's breast are not so easily
shaken off. Before he realized U hla
thoughts had recurred to the old theme
and ho was wondering If ho was really of
sumclcnt Insignificance In the eyes ot his
fellow-townsmen not to bo soucht for nnd
found In that distant country to which ho
was bound. Would they. In BDlto of his
precautions , suspect that ho had planned
this evasion nnd Insist on his return or
would ho bo allowed to slip nwny nnd drop
out of sight llko the .white froth ho was
watching on the top ot the over-shifting
waves ? Ho had boasted of possessing a
witness. Would they believe that-boast and
send a detective in search of him or would
they take his words for the bombast they
really were and proceed with their investi
gations in happy relief at the loss of hla
Intrusive resistance ?
As this was a question Impossible for him
to answer ho turned to other thoughts
and fretted himself for n while with
memories of Amabel's disdain aud Fred-
crick's careless acceptance of a sacrifice he
could never know the cost of. mixed
straucely with relief at being free of It nil
nnd on the verso of another life. As the
dark settled his head 'fell ' turfic-r nnd
further forward on the rail ho was
leaning against , till he ibecamo to any passIng -
Ing cyo but a blurred shadow mixing with
other shadows equally Immovable.
Unllko them , however , his shadow sud
denly shifted. Two men hod drawn near
him , ono speaking pure Spanish and the
other English. The English was all that
Swcetwater could understand and this half
ot the conversation was certainly startling
enough. Though ho could not , of course ,
know to what or whom It referred , and
though It certainly had nothing to do with
him or any Interest ho represented.or under
stood , ho could not help listening ann re
membering every word. The English-speak
ing man uttered the first sentence ho com
prehended. It was this :
"Shall it bo tonight ? "
The answer was In Spanish.
'
Again the English voice :
"Ho has como up. I saw him distinctly
as ho passed the second mast. "
Moro Spanish ; then English.
"You may If you want to , but I'll never
breathe easy while he's on the ship. Are
you sure he's the fellow wo fear ? "
A rapid flow of words from which Sweet-
water got nothing. Then slowly and dis
tinctly In the sinister tones ho bad already
begun to shiver at :
"Very good. The n. F. A. should pay well
for this , " with the quick addition following
n hurried whisper : "All right ! I'd send a
dozen men to the bottom for half that
money. But 'waro there ! Hero's a fellow
watching us ! If ho has heard "
Swcetwater turned , saw two desperate
faces projected toward him , reaped that
something awful , unheard of was about to
happen , and would have uttered a yell of
dismay but that the very intensity of his
fright took away his breath. The next
minute ho felt himself launched into space
nnd enveloped In the darkness of the chilling
waters. Ho had been lifted bodily and flung
headlong Into the sea.
CHAI'TKIl XXVI.
Sweetwnter's ono thought as he sank was ,
"Now , Mr. Sutherland need fear mo no
longer. "
But the Instinct of life Is strong in every
heart , and when ho found himself breathIng -
Ing the air again he throw out his arms
wildly and grasped a epar.
It wns life to him , hope , rcconncctlon with
his kind. Ho clutched , clung , aud , feeling
himself floating , uttered a shout ot mingled
Joy and appeal that unhappily wns smoth
ered In the nolso of the waters and the
now rapidly rising wind.
Whence had como this spar In his des
perate need ? Ho never knew , but some-
wlioro in his rcmoto consciousness an Im
pression remained of n shock to the waves
following his own plunge Into the water ,
which might mean that this spar had been
thrown out after him , perhaps by the al
ready repcntnnt hands ot the wretches who
had tossed him to his death. However it
came , or from whatever source , Jt had nt
least given him nn opportunity to measure
his doom and realize the agonies of hope
when it alternates with despair. ,
The darkness wns Impenetrable. It was
no longer that of heaven , but that of hell , or
BO It seemed to this dazed' soul , plunged
suddenly from dreams of exile into the
valley of the shadow of death. And such a
death ! As ho realized Its horrors , ns bo
felt the chill of night and the oncoming
storm strlko its piercing fangs into his
marrow , nnd know that his existence and
the hope of ever again seeing the dear old
face nt the fireside rested upon the strength
of his will and the tenacity of his life
clutch , ho felt his heart fall , and the breath
that wns his life cease In a gurgle of terror.
But he clung on and , though no comfort
came , still clung , while vague memories of
long-ago shipwrecks and stories told in bis
youth of men , women and children tossing
for hours on a drifting > plank flashed
through his benumbed brain and lent their
horror to his own sensations of apprehension
and despair.
Ho wanted to live. Now that the dread
specter had risen out of the waters and had
his clutch on his hair ho realized that the
world held much for him nnd that even In
exllo bo might work nnd love nnd enjoy
God's heaven and earth , the green fields and
the blue sky. Not such skies ns were above
him now. No , this was not uliy that oVerarched -
arched him , > but a horrible vault In which
the clouds , rushing in torn masses , had the
aspect of demons ready to contend for him
with these other demons that with long
arms and irresistible grip were dragging at
him from below , 'Ho ' was alone on a whirl
ing spar in the midst of a midnight ocean ,
but horror and a pitiless Imagination ifiade
this conflict mere than that of the elements
and bin position and isolation beyond that
of man removed trim his fellows. He was
almost mud. Yet he clung.
Suddenly a better frame ot mind pre
vailed , The sky was no lighter , save as the
lightning came to relieve the overwhelming
dnrknctfl by n Btlll more overwhelming glare ,
nor were the waves less Importunate or his
hold on the spar more recurc , but the horror
ror seemed to have lifted and the practical
nature ot the man reasserted Itfelf If only
for a passing moment. Other men hail gone
througn worse dangers than these nnd sur
vived to tell the tale , ns ho might survive
to tell his. The will wns nil ; \\111 nnd nn
Indomitable courage , and ho had will anil ho
had courage , or why hart he left his homo
to dare a hard and threatening future purely
from a sentiment ot gratitude. Could ho
hold on long enough daylight would come ,
and If , as in this calmer moment ho realized
ho had been thrown into the sea within
twenty hours nfter leaving Suthcrlnndtown ,
then they must 'bo not far from Capo CoJ
and in the direct line ot travel from Now
York to Boston , ncecuo would come , and it
the storm which was breaking over his head
more and more furiously madu it dlfllcult
for him to retain his hold It certainly would
not wreck his spar or drench him more than
ho was already drenched , while every blast
would drive him shoreward. The clinging
wna all , nnd filial love would make him do
that , even In the semi-unconsciousness which
now nnd then swept over him- Only would
It not ho better for Mr. Sutherland if ho
should fall and drop away Into the yawning
chasms of the unknown world beneath ?
There were moments when ho thought so ,
and then his clutch perceptibly weakened ;
but only once did ho como near losing hla
hold altogether. And that was when ho
thought ho heard a laugh. A laugh , hero In
the midst of oceanl In the midst of storm ! n
laugh ! Were demons a reality then ? Yes ,
but the demons tic had feared were ot Ills
own Imagination ; It had a face of 'Medusa ' ,
swcetneta and the laugh. Only Amabel'w
rang out so thrllllngly false nnd with such
n diabolical triumph. Amabel , who might
be laughing In her dreams at this very mo
ment of his supreme misery , nnd who as
suredly would laugh It conscious of his suf
fering nnd awnro of the doom to which his
self-sacrlfico had brought him. Amabel !
The thought ot her made the night moro
dark , the waters moro threatening , the fu
ture Ices promising. Yet ho would hold on
If only to splto her who hated him and
whom ho hated almost as much aa ho loved
Mr. Sutherland.
It was his last conscious thought for
hours. When morning broke ho was but
a nerveless figure , with scnfjO enough to
cling , nnd that was all.
CIIAl'TUIt XXVII.
"A man ! Haul him In ! Don't leave a
poor fellow drifting nbout like that. "
The speaker , n bluff , hearty skipper , whose
sturdy craft had outridden ono of the worst
storms of the season , pointed to our poor
friend Sweetwater , whose head could Just
bo seen above the broken spar ho clung to.
In another moment a half dozen hands were
stretched for him , and the Insensible form
drawn In nnd laid on a deck which still
showed the results of the night's llerco con
flict with the waters.
"D n It ! how ugly he Is ! " cried one
of the sailors , with u leer at the half-
drowned man's faco. "Didn't plcaso sorao
merry lass In saving him ! Ho's fit to poison
a devil fish ! "
But though more than one of them
laughed , they gave him good care for all
that nnd when Swcetwater came .to . life and
realized that his blood was running warm
again and that a gray sky had taken the
place of darkness and a sound board sup
ported limbs which for hours had yielded
helplessly to the rocking billows , ho saw a
ring of hard but good-natured faces nbout
him nnd realized quite well what had been
done for him when ono of them said :
"Thero ! he'll do now ; nil hands on deck !
Wo can get Into New Bedford In two days If
this wind holds. Nor'west , the skipper
shouted to the man at the tiller. We'll
sup with our old women in forty-eight hours
at Now Bedford ! " It was the only word
Sweetwater heard. So , he was to get no
further away from Sutherlandtown than
that. Evidently Providence had not meant
him to escape. Or was It but trying his
fortitude ? A man as humble as ho might
easily bo lost even In a place ns small ns
New Bedford. It was his Identity ho must
suppress. With that unrecognlzea he might
remain In the next village to Sutherlandtown
without fear of toeing called up as a witness
against Frederick. But could he suppress it.
Ho thought ho could. At all events ho would
try.
try."What's
"What's your name ? " were the words ho
now heard shouted In his ear.
"Jonathan Brlggs , " was his murtibled re
ply. "I was blown off a ship's deck in the
gale last night. "
"What ship ? "
"The Proserpine. " It was the first name
that suggested Itself to him.
"O , I thought It might have been the
Hesper ; sh"o foundered off here last night. "
"Foundered ? The Hesper ? " The hot
blood was shooting now through his veins.
"Yes , we Just picked up her name board.
That was before wo got a hold on you. "
"Foundered ! The ship from which ho
had been so mercilessly thrown ! And allen
on board lost , perhaps. Ho began to realize
the hand of Providence In his fate.
"It was the Hesper I sailed on. I'm not
Just clear yet In my head. My first voyage
was made on the Proserpine. Well , bless
the gale that blew me from that deck. "
Ho seemed incoherent , and they left him
again for a llttlo while. When they came
back ho had his story all ready , which Im
posed upon them Just eo far as It was for
their interest. Their business on this coast
was not Just legitimate , and when they
found ho simply wanted to be set on shore
they were quite willing to do this much for
him. Only they regretted that too had only
$2 or so and his own soaked clothing to give
in exchange for the motley garments they
trumped up among them for his present
comfort. But he , as well as they , made the
best of a bad bargain , ho especially , as his
iclothcs , which would bo presently bcattered
among half a dozen families , were the only
remaining clew that connected him with
his native town. Ho could now bo Jonathan
Brlggs , Indeed , Only who was Jonathan
Brlggs , nnd how wns ho to earn the dinner -
nor for which ho felt himself at that mo
ment famishing ?
At the end of a couple of days ho was
dexterously landed on the end of a long
pier , which they passed without stopping ,
on their way to their own obscure anchor
age. As he Jumped from the rail to the
pier and felt again the touch of terra flrma
ho drew a long breath of uncontrollablu
elation. Yet ho had not a cent In the world ,
no friends and certnlnly no prospects. Ho
did not even know whether to turn to the
right or the left as ho stepped out upon the
docks , and when ho bad decided to turn to
the right as being on the whole more lucky ,
ho did not know whether to risk his fortuiib
in the streets of the town or to plunge at
nnco Into one of the low-browed drlnklnn
houses \\doBo signs confronted him on this
water lane ,
Ho decided that his prospects for a din
ner 'were slim In any case , and that Ills
only hope for breaking fast that day lay In
the use ho might make of one of his three
talenta. Either he must find a fiddle to play
on , n carpenter's bench io work nt or a
piece of detective shadowing to do , The
last would bring him before the notice of
the police , which was just Hie thing ho
must avoid ; so it was fiddling or carpentry
ho must ceok , cither of which would be
difficult to obtain In his present garb , But
of difficulties Sweetwater was not a man
to take note. He had undertaken out of
pure love for a good man to lose himself.
Ho had accomplished It , and now was he
to complain because in doing so he was
likely to go hungry for a day or two ? Noj
Amabel might laugh at him , or ho might
fancy she did , while struggling In the midst
of rapidly engulfing waters , but would she
laugh at 'him now ? He did not think she
would. She was of the kind who some
times go hungry themselves In old age.
Some premonition of this might give tier a
fellow feeling.
Ho came to a etund before a little child
Bitting on nn Ill-kept dootstup. Smiling at
her kindly ho waited for her first expres
sion to sco how ho appeared In the eyes ot
innocence. Not so bad a man , It seemeil ,
though his naturally plain countenance was
not relieved by the seaman's cap nnd
knitted shirt ho wore. For nho laughed as
she looked nt lilm , nnd only rnn nwny be
cause there wasn't room for him to pass
beside her.
Comforted n little , ho sauntered on ,
glancing hero nnd there with that sharp
eye of his for n piece of work to bo done.
Suddenly ho came to a halt. A market
woman had got into nn altercation with nn
oystormnn , and her stall had been upset In
the contention , nnd tier vegetables were
rolling here and there. Ho righted her stall ,
picked up her vegetables nnd fruit nnd In
return got two apples and a red herring he
would not have given to a dog nt home.
Yet It was the sweetest morsel ho had ever
tasted , nnd the apples might have been
grown In the garden of the Hcspcrldes
from the satisfaction nnd pleasure they
gave this hungry man. Then , refreshed , ho
dashed into the town. It should now go
hard , but ho would earn a night's lodging.
The day was windy nnd ho was going
along n narrow street , when something
floated down from a window above past his
head. It was a woman's veil , and ns ho
looked up to see where It came from ho met
the eyes of Its owner looking down from an
open casement above him. She was gesticu
lating and seemed to point to some ono up
the street. Glad to seize nt anything which
promised emolument or adventure , ho
shouted up nnd asked her what she wanted.
"That man down there , " she cried ; "tho
ono in n long , black coat going up the
street. Keep after hltn and stop hltn ; tell
him the telegram has come. Quick , quick ,
before ho gets around the corner. Ho will
pay you ; run. "
Sweotwater , with joy In hla heart for R
cents was n boon to him in the present con
dition of his affairs rushed after the man
she had pointed out and hastily stopped him.
"Someone , " ho added , "a woman In n
window back there , bade mo run after you
and say the telegram has come. She told
mo you would pay me , " ho added , for ho
saw the man was turning hastily back with
out thinking of the messenger. "I need the
money nnd the run was a sharp one. "
With a preoccupied air the man thrust
his hand into his pocket , pulled out a coin
and handed U to him. Then ho walked hur
riedly off. Evidently the news was welcome
to him. But Sweetwatcr stood rooted to
the ground. The man had given him a $5
gold piece Instead ot the nickel he had evi
dently intended.
'How ' hungrily Swcetwater eyed that coin !
In It was lodging , food , perhaps a new
article or so of clothing. But after a mo
ment of Indecision which might well bo for
given him , he followed speedily after the
man nnd overtook him Just as ho reached
the house from which the woman's veil had
floated.
"Sir , pardon me , but you gave mo $3 In
stead of 5 cents. It was a mistake ; I can
not keep the money. "
The man , who was not Just the sort from
whom kindness would be expected , 16oked
at the money In Sweetwater's palm , then at
the miserable , mud-bespattered clothes ho
were ( he had got that mud helping the poor
market woman ) , and stared hard at the face
of the man who looked so needy nnd yet
returned him ? 3.
"You're an honest fellow , " ho declared ,
not offering to take iback the gold piece.
Then with a quick glance up at the window.
"Would you llko to earn that money ? "
Swcetwater broke out into a ( smile , which
changed his whole countenance.
"Wouldn't I , sir ? "
The man eyed him for another minute
with scrutinizing intensity. Then he said
shortly :
"Como upstairs with me. "
They cnteied the hoiifx : , went up a flight
or two and stopped at a door , which was
slightly ajar.
"Wo nro going into the presence of a
lady , " remarked the man. "Walt here until
I call you. "
Sweetwater waited , the many thoughts goIng -
Ing through his mind not preventing him
from observing all that passed.
The man , who had left the door wide open ,
approached the lady who was awaiting him ,
and who was apparently the same ouo who
had sent Sweetwatcr on his errand , and en
tered Into a low but animated conversation.
She held a telegram In her hand which she
showed him , and then after n little earnest
parley and a number of pleading looks from
them both toward the waiting Bwcctwater ,
she disappeared into another room , from
which she brought a parcel neatly douo up ,
which she handed to the man with a strange
gesture. Another hurried exchange of words
and a meaning look which did not escape
the sharp cyo of the watchful messenger ,
and the man turned and gave the parcel Into
Sweetwater's hands.
"You are to carry this , " said he , "to the
town hall. In the second room to the right
on entering you will see a table surrounded
by chairs , which nt this hour ought to be
empty. At the head of the- table you will
find an armchair. On the table directly In
front of this you will lay this packet. Mark
you , directly before the chair and not too
far from the edge of the table. Then you
are to como out. If you sco anyone , say
you came to leave some papers for Mr. Olf-
ford. Do this and you may keep thi ? 5 and
welcome. "
Swcetwntor hesitated. There was some
thing In the errand or In the manner of the
man or woman that ho did not like.
"Don't potter ! " spoke up the latter , with
an Impatient look at her watch. "Mr. Git-
ford will expect these papers. "
Sweetwater's sensitive fingers closed on
the package ho held. It did not feel ilko
papers.
"Aro you going ? " nskcd the man.
Sweotwator looked up with a smile.
"Largo pay for BO slight n commission , "
ho ventured , turning the packet over nnd
over In his hand ,
"But then you will execute It at once , nnd
according to the Instructions I have given
you , " retorted the man. "It Is your trust
worthiness I pay for. Now go. "
Swrctwatcr turned to go. After all it was
probably nil right , nnd | 5 easily earned Is
doubly J5. As ho reached the stalrcaso ho
stumbled. The shoes he were did not fit
him.
him."Ho
"Ho careful there ! " shouted the woman In
a bhrlll , almost frightened voice , while the
man stumbled back Into the room In a haste
which seemed wholly uncalled for. "If you
lot the packet fall you will do Injury to itu
contents. Go softly , man , go softly. "
Yet they had said It held papers !
Troubled , yet hardly knowing what his
duty was , Swoctwater hastened down the
stairs , nnd took his way up the street. The
town hall should bo easy to find , indeed , liu
thought ho saw It In the distance. As ho
went ho asked himself two questions :
Could ho fall to deliver the package , accordIng -
Ing to Instructions , nnd yet earn his money ?
And was there any way of so delivering It
without risk to the recipient or dereliction
of duty 'to the man who had Intrusted It to
him , aud whoso money ho wished to earn ?
To the first question his conscience at once
answered no ; to the second the reply came
moro slowly , and before fixing his mind de
terminedly upon It ho asked himself why ho
felt this was no ordinary commission. This
be could answer readily enough. First , the
pay was too large , arguing that cither the
packet or the placing of the packet In a
certain position on Mr. Glfford's table waa
of uncommon importance to this man
or this woman ; secondly , that the
woman , though plainly and Inconspicu
ously clad , had the face of a more than or
dinarily unscrupulous adventuress , while
the mttn was one of tlioeo eaturnlne-faced
THE WONDER OF THE DAY
DO yOU realize What thiS means ? No trouble to use Dainty Dyes , They do perfect work in a
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articles of the home do it quickly , in beautiful , fast and fashionable colors at trifling expense.
SOLD BY ALL , DRUGGISTS AND OliNURAL DEALURS , Price loc , .
& /-'a/a' ' & ' yTV < v a/fc' t > ' a/
one3 wo sometimes meet , whoso first lool :
puts us on our guard , and whom , It wo
hope nothing from falm , wo Instinctively
thun. Third , they did not look llko Inhab
itants ot the house and rooms In which ho
found them. In the few minutes do had
etood in the doorway ho had noted other
things besides those we have named. Ho
had seen that nothing was to bo founn
there beyond the usual objects of furniture
to bo seen in nny decent lodging house
room. Not n trunk , not nn article ot
clothing , nor nny of the little things to bi >
found vticro a woman expects to spend c
day or even an hour. They were transients
consequently , nnd perhaps already In int
act of flight. Tihen ho was not sure , but
Jio wns almost sure that 'ho ' was being fol
lowed by ono or both ot them. He had fol
lowed people himself , nnd something In hla
own Ecnsatlons assured him thnt tils move
ments were under surveillance. It would ,
therefore , not do to show nny consciousness
of this , nnd 'ho ' went on directly nnd ns
strnlght to his goal ns his rather limited
knowledge of the streets would nllow. Ho
was determined to earn this money nnd to
earn It without disadvantage to nny one.
And ho thought ho saw his way.
At Uio entrance of the town hall ho hesi
tated an Instant. An officer was standing
In the doorway. It would bo easy to call
his nttcntlon to the packet ho held nnd nsk
him to keep his eye on It. But this might
Involve him with the police , nnd this was
something , ns we know , which he was moro
than anxious to avoid. He reverted to ills
first idea.
Mixing with the crowd just now hurrying
to and fro through the long corridors , ho
renched the room designated , nnd found it ,
as ho had been warned ho should , empty.
Approaching the table , ho laid down the
packet Just as ho had been directed , In front
of the big armchair , and then , casting a
hurried look toward the door and failing
to find any ono watching him , he tonic up a
pencil lying nearby nnd scrawled haslly :
across the top of the packet the word "Sus
picious. " This ho calculated would act as
a warning to Mr. Gilford In case there \\as
anything wrong about the package , and pass
as a joke with him , nnd oven the sender , If
there was not. And satisfied that he had
both earned his money nnd done justice to
his own apprehensions , ho turned to retrace
his steps. As before , the corridors were
alive with hurrying men ot various iigcs
and appearance , but only two attracted his
notice. Ono of these was a large , In'el- '
lectual-looklng man , wha turned Into the
room from which he had Just emerged , nnd
the other a short , fair man , with a counte
nance lie had known from boyhood. Mr.
Stone of Sutherlandtown was within ten
paces of him , and he was as well known 10
the good postmaster ns the postmaster waste
to htm , Could any one have foreseen such
a chance !
Turning his back wi'h a slow slouch , ho
made for a rear door ho siw swinging In
iind out before htm. As ho passed througd
ho cast a quick look behind him. Ho had not
been recognized. In great relief ho uislied
on , knocking against a man si'.audlng against
ono of the outside pillars.
"Halloo ! " shouted this man.
Sweetwater stopped. There was a tone of
authority in the voice which ho could not
resist.
( To Bo Continued. )
The diamond anniversary of the American
Sunday School union will be held In Phila
delphia May 24 and 2 ! " > . The work of the
society for seventy-five years , In part. Is
ns follows : Sunday schools organized ,
100.828 , containing 578.GSO teachers and
1,070,348 pupils ; 224,841 cases of aid to
schools , having 13,333,9GS members. Nearly
four schools a day organized for every day
of the last soventy-fivo years. Value of
publications distributed by sales and gifts ,
over $9,000,000.
The government has officially recognized
the Mormon religion by appointing Ellas
Klmbatl , a Mormon , chaplain of the Second
corps of engineers. He was commissioned
In 189S.
Uev. Charles A. Brlggs of Union Theo-
loglrtil bemlnary Is to bo ordained as a
Protestant Episcopal clergyman on May 14
In St. Peter's Episcopal church in West-
cheater , Pa.
Ilev. Dr. Joseph Parker , who from his
pulpit damned the sultan BO vigorously the
other day , paid a visit to this country a
few years ago and preached In several
cities , but did not make much of an Impres
sion.
sion.A
A fashionable church in Louisville , Ky. ,
the Walnut Street Baptist church , of which
Hev. Dr. T. T. Eaton Is pastor , has adopted
resolutions practically dismissing from the
congregation all members who have any
connection whatever with the manufacture
or sale of Intoxicating riquors.
Hov. Tucker Wilson , pastor of a Baptist
church In Munclc , Iml. , has established anew
now record , having Immersed eighty-seven
newly converted members of his flock In
twenty-seven minutes , or at a rate greater
than three a minute , and that without any
assistance.
Uov. John ti. Dubo of Inowadl , Umkomas
valley , Natal , who renounced his rights to
the chieftaincy of a Zulu tribe to become
n Congregational minister , has sailed for
his native country , whore he will take up
the work of missionary , for which ho has
been fitting himself In the United States
for three years. lie will found an industrial
school for Zulus.
Cardinal Itamporia has Informed Arch
bishop Chapollo that the Very Hev. F. Bar-
nada , canon of Santiago cathedral , has been
appointed archbishop of Santiago. He Is a
native of that city , was educated nt Sala
manca , nnd Is considered the most distin
guished natlvo clergyman of Cuba. Ho
speaks English well , and Is a great admirer
of American Institutions.
Uev. Dr. Do Costa of the Church of St.
John the Evangelist , New York , has made
an appeal for the closing of places of amuse
ment on Sunday , on the ground that without
considering the religious side of the ques
tion , the actors need reel just llko other
people. After enumerating the evils of the
Sunday theater the preacher says they maybe
bo summed up under the bead of overwork.
Ilov. Wilson Carllle , rector of St. aiary-at-
HIII , London , Is an up-to-date prlcrt. Ho
takes a trombone with him Into thu pulpit
and when the singing becomes bplrltless he
llvcna It up with a few blasts on that Instru
ment. During the greater part of the serv
ice the church Is darkened and the hymns ,
prayers , sacred and other pictures nro
thrown by limelight on a huge screen sus
pended across thu altar. Betides an organ ,
there la an orchestra composed of Blrla wear
ing surplices and college mortar boards.
In support of the statement in Governor
llollins' proclamation that religion is on the
decline In Now Hampshire , It Is stated that
the annual minutes of the New Hampshire
Methodist conference an official document
show by actual figures a decline In all do- |
partraents of religious work , ns compared i
with the previous years , and this includes j
membership of churches , Sunday schools , 1
contributions for missions , etc. It Is not ,
probable that this decline la confined to * '
.ho Methodist denomination.
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your money than any other cigar on the market to-day.
Jt is Pcrfccto shape and 4 . ( inches long. You can get more bulk for
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Its manufacturers make over ninety million cigars a year the largest
cigar-making plant in America. No small manufactory could begin to make
such a cigar as the CAPADURA for less than the retail price of ten cents.
One trial will convince you of that fact.
He sure to sec that the pouch , as shown in the cut , is intact and bcara
the name of the makers.
For sale at all cigar-dealers' .
The CAPADURA cigar is made by Kerbs , Wcrthcim & SchifTcr ,
New York.
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