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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1899)
'JM11S OMAHA DATIAr 15EE : SV TDAY , TSFAY 21 , 18Jt ) ) . AUTHOR OF "The AGATHA WEBB. Leavenworth Case , " By ANNA KATHARINE QREEN. yix of I'recnllnK Ctmp < cm. Just nftcr a linll at the Sutherland man sion Agatha We-bb nnd her norvant nro found dead , and I'hllomon Webb. ARatnas husband , who for years has been Krowlns demented. Is dlncovercd asleep at the dinner table. A trace of blood on hln sleeve Indi cates him as the murderer. Miss PARC , the niece of the Sutherland housekeeper , persists In remaining nbout the AVeul ) promises nnd discovers blood on the Brass. The money drawer Is found to bo empty and robbery la added to the mystery. Frederick Sutherland , a wayward youth , calls his father to witness his determination to bn a hotter man and promises not to marry Miss J'age , by whom he has been fascinated. Miss Page tells Frederick that she followed htm the night of the murder tind knew where ho had secreted JI.OOO. She Rives him a week to decide whether to marry her or be pro claimed as the murderer of AKatha Webb. It is learned that the money was In new bills and the keeper of a email store pro- rtucei one that a stnuiRO men gave him late the nlsht of HIP murder for a loaf of bread , A doteollvo arrives from Hoston nnd re torts , "Simple case. Murdered for monoy. Find the man with the ( lowing beard. " Suspicion f.t-'lH upon one of the Xabel broth ers. Frederick visits the hollow tree. The money In gone. Wattles , a lloston gambler , arrive * nnd demands } 930 of Frederick In payment of n gambling debt. FrJdorlcU nccurcs a check for the amount from hi ? father. The abcl brothers arc found deaO of starvation , one of them clutching the loaf of bro/id / , the othr a blood-stvilned knife. The Hrmtnn detective declares the mystery "olvcil , but young Sweetwater ns- tonlshcs the company by a nsw chain o ! evidence , pointing to another perpetrator of the terrible crime. This tlmo Amabel Page hi suspected. Swsctw.itcr finds the money where ho has seen Miss Page hidft It. Miss Page la ronfronted by the detectives and olllo'rs nnd tells what she saw thn night of the murder. Frederick overhears the talking nnd joins the group and Miss Page tellH lust enough so thnt a later con fession will Implicate Frederick If ho rs- fuses to mnrry her. On the following day occurs the funeral of Agatha. WAbb , nnd late that night Mr. Sutherland Jlscovnrs Frederick we'ping over IIT grave. On the way homo he learns of the death ol Philemon , Agatha'B husband. Kwoetw.iter suspects and follows Frederick and la thus discovered by Mr. Sutherland. Frederick placet a package of old letters In Agnea Halllday's hands and his father "celts an explanation. Agatha Webb'8 will Is pp.'ned and by Its terms Mr. Sutherland Is made executor and Frederick HOO ! heir of a J1CO.- 000 estate. Sweetwater reasons thnt Fred- crick Is the murderer , but bccauso Mr. Suth erland once oared his life Sweetwater Is unwilling to glvo evidence. In otdfer to keep his secret ho plans to leave home , and. In suspicious hast ; , pretending to be In search of an Important witness boards nn outgoing steamer bound for Tlrazll. lie Is thrown overboard that night nnd picked up at dawn by a fishing crow , which takes him to Now Hertford. Food and clothing are given him and he earns Stf by delivering a suspicious box. An accidental chnnco tnkest him on a mission to Boston. The man he finds Is Wattles , the gambler , who wishes Sweetwater to curry a message to none other than Frederick Sutherland nt Sutherlandtown. ClIAI'TKlt XXIX. The round had como full circle. By vari ous chancns nnd a train of clrcumstnnces for which ho could not account ho had been turned from his first Intention and was being brought back stage by stage to the very spot ho hnd thought It his duty to fly from. Wns It fate ? .Ho began to think so , nnd no longer EO much as dreamed of struggling ngalnst It. But ho felt very much dazed and walked away through the now partially deserted streets with an odd sense of failure that poorly compensated him for .the hope now present within him ot seeing his mother again and being once more Caleb Swectwaler at Sutherlandtown. Ho was clearer , howovcr , after a few blocks of rapid walking , and then ho began to wonder over the contents of the letter ho hold , nnd how they would affect Us recipi ent. Was It a new danger ho wns bringing him ? Instead of aiding Mr. Sutherland In keeping his dangerous Bocrct , wns ho des tined to bring dlsgrnco upon him , not only by his testimony before the coroner , but by means ot this letter , which , whatever It con tained , certainly could not bode good to the man from whom It was designed to wrest jz.noo ? The fear that ho was destined BO to do grew upon him rapidly , and the temptation to open the letter and make himself master of Us contents before leaving town at Inst became so strong that his sense or honor paled before it nnd ho made up his mind thnt before ho ventured into the precincts of Suthorlandtown ho would know Just what ( sort of a bombshell ho wns carrying Into the Sutherland family. To do this ho stopped at > the first respectable lodging house ho encountered nnd hired a room. Calling for Iiot water "piping hot , " ho told them ho subjected .tho letter to the effects of steam nnd presently had It open. Ho was not dis appointed In its contents , save that they were even more dangerous than ho hnd an ticipated. Captain Wattles wns an old crony of Frederick's and know his record better ihnn any one else In the world. From this fact nnd the added one thnt Frederick had stood in special need of money nt the time of Agatha Webb's murder , the writer had no hesitation In believing him guilty of the crime which opened his way to a fortune , and though under ordinary * clrcumstnnces ho would , as his friend Frederick already know , .bo perfectly willing to keep his opin ions to himself , ho wns Just now under the eamo necessity for money thnt Frederick hlniBnlf hnd been nt that fatal time nnd must therefore see the color of $2GOO before the day wns out If Frederick desired to hnvo his iinmo out of the Boston papers. That It had been kept out up to this tlmo , argued thnt the crime hnd ibeen well enough hidden to make the alterations thus offered nn Important one. There wns no nlgmiture. Sweotwatcr , affected to an extent ho little expected , repealed the letter , made his ex cuse to the landlord , nnd left the house. -Now ho could see why ho had not been nl- lowed to make his useless sacrifice , All- older man than himself suspected Frederick , nnd by aword could precipitate the doom ho already saw hung too low nbovo the devoted head of Mr , Sutherland's son to bo averted , "Vet I'll that too " burst attempt , , Im petuously ' 'from ' his lips. "If 1 fall , I can but go back with a knowledge of this added danger , If I succeed , why I may still go bock. From some person and from some complications It Is useless to attempt flight , " Returning to the club house ho had first entered In Ills search for Captain Wattles , ho naked It that gentleman had yet como In. This tlmo ho was answered by an afllnnatlvo , Kodol Dyspepsia Cure Digests what you eat. Itartlflclally digests the food nnd aids Nature in strengthening and recon structing the exhausted digestive or gans. It is the latest discovered digest- uiit and tonic. No other preparation can approach it in cfllclency. It in- .A1 AUbUIWtlWI WWV41 UlUllJUVsl * ! 4.1 UUOCUt 61ckIIcadacheGastragiaGrainpsand ] all other results of iiuporfectdlgestloa. Prepared by E , C. Da Witt & Co. , Ctjlcajjo. though he might almost as well have not been , for the captain was playing cards In a private room and would not iiubmlt to an ; Interruption , ' Ho will submit to mine , " retorted Sweet- water to the man who had told him this. "Or wait ; hand him back this letter nnd say that the messenger refuses to deliver It. " This brought the captain out , as ho hnd fully expected It would. "Why , what " began that gentleman In a furious rage. But Swcotwater , laying his hand on the arm ho knew to bo so sensitive , rose on tiptoe - too and managed to 'whisper In the angry man's car : "You are a card sharp , and It will he easj enough to ruin you. Threaten Frederic ! Sutherland nnd In two weeks you will hi boycotted by every club In this city. Twenty- nvo hundred dollars won't pay you for that. " This from a nondescript follow with nc grains of a gentleman nbout him In form feature or apparel ! The captain stared non plussed , too much taken aback to bo oven angry. Suddenly ho cried : "How do you know all this ? How do you know what Is or Is not In the letter I gave you ? " Swcetwnterwith a shrug that In Us oulcl significance uecmcd to mnko him nt once the equnl ot his Interrogator , quietly pressed the quivering llmTj under his hand nnd calmlj replied : "I know 'because I hnvo read It. Hcfon I put my head Into the lion's mouth I think It only proper to measure Its capacity. " And lifting his hand ho drew back , leaylnj the cnptnln reeling. "What Is your name ? Who nro you ? " shouted out Wattles ne Sweetwater wns drawing off. It wns the third time ho had been asked that question within twenty-four hours , but not before with this telling emphasis. "Whc are you , I say , and what can you do tome mo ? " "I nm But that Is nn Insignificant do- tall unworthy of your curiosity. As to what I can dovnlt and ace. But first burn that letter. " And turning his back ho fled out of the building , followed by oaths which , 1C not loud , were certainly deep and far-reaching. It wns the first tlmo Captain Wattles had met his match In audacity. CHAl'THIl XXX. On his way to the depot Swectwater went Into the Herald office and bought a morning paper. At the station ho opened It. There wns ono column devoted to the wreck of the Hesper , nnd a whole half page to the pro ceedings of the third day's Inquiry Into the cause nnd manner of Agatha Webb's death. Merely noting thnt his nnmo was mentioned among the lost , in the first article , ho began to read the latter with Justifiable eagerness. The assurance given 'n Captain Wattles' letter was true. No ilrcct suspicion had as yet fallen on Frederick. As the lover of Amabel Page his name wns necessarily men tioned , but neither In the account of the In quest or In' ' the editorials on the subject could ho find any proof that either the public or police had got hold of the great Idea that ho was the man who. had preceded Amabel to Agatha's cottage. Relieved on this score , ho entered more fully Into the particulars nnd found that though the Jury had sat three days , very little moro had como to light than wns known on the morning he made thnt bold dash Into the Hesper. Most of the witnesses had given In their testimony , Amabel's being the chief , nnd though no open accusation had been made , It was evi dent from the trend of the question put to the latter that Amabel's connection with the nffalr was looked upon ns criminal and as placing her in a very suspicious light. Her replies , however , as under n similar but less formal examination , failed to convey any recognition on her part either of this suspicion or of her own position ; yet they wore not exactly frank , nnd Sweetwater saw , or thought ho saw ( naturally falling to have a key to the situation ) , that she was still working upon her old plan of saving both herself and Frederick by throwing whatever suspicion her words might raise upon the deceased Zabcl. Ho did not know , and per- hnps It wns Just ns well that ho did not nt this especial Juncture , that she was only biding her time now very nearly at hand and that Instead of loving Frederick , she hated him , and wns determined upon his destruction. Heading , ns a final clause , that Mr. Sutherland was expected .to testify soon In explanation of his position as executor of Mrs. Webb's will , Swcotwator grew very serious , nnd , while no change took place In his mind as to his present duty , ho decided that his return must bo as unobtrusive as posslb'lc , nnd his only too .timely reappear ance on the scene of the inquiry kept secret till Mr. Sutherland had given his evidence and retired from under the eyes ot his ex cited fellow citizens. "Tho eight of mo might unnerve him , " was Swcetwnter's thought , "precipitating the very catastrophe wo dread. One look , one word on his part Indicative ot his Inner apprehensions that his son hnd a hand In the crime which has so 'benefited him , and nothing can snvo Frederick from the charge of murder. Not Knapp's skill , my silence or Amabel's finesse. The young man will bo lost. " .Ho . did not know , ns wo do , that Amnbel's , flncaso wns devoted to winning a husband for herself , and that , In the event of failure , the action slio threatened ngalnst her quon dam lover would IDO precipitated that very day at the moment when the clock struck 12. Sweetwater arrived homo by the way of Portchester. Ho had seen ono or two per sons ho knew , 'but ' , so far , had escaped rec ognition. The morning light wns dimly breaking when ho stole Into the outskirts of Suthcrlandlown\nnd .begun to descend the hill , AH he. passed Mr. Hnlladay'a house ho looked up , nnd was astonished to BCD a light 'burning ' in ono deeply embowered window. Alnsl ho did not know how early one anxious heart woke during these troub lous days. The Sutherland house was dark , but ns ho crept very close under Its overhanging eaves ho heard a deep sigh ut tered over his head , and know that some ono was up hero also In anxious expectation ot a day that held moro than even ho antici pated. .Meanwhile , the sea grow rosy , and the mother's cottage was as yet far off. HurryIng - Ing on , ho came at last under the eye of moro than one ot the early risers of Sutber- landtown. "What , eweotwator ! Alive and well ! Hey , Swootwnter , we thought you lost on the Hosporl" "Halloo ! Home in time to see the pretty Amabel arrested ! " Phrases like three met him at moro than ono corner ; but ho eluded them all , stopping only to put cne hesitat ing question. Was his mother well ? Jlomo fears had awakened within him nt his near approach to that humble cottage door. CHAl'TlSIl XXI. 11ml HutuI.lvcd. . It was the last day of the Inquest , and to many it bade fair to 'bo ' the least In teresting. All the witnesses who bad uy- thlng to say had long ago given In their testimony , nnd when nt or ne r noon Sweet- water slid Into the Inconspicuous seat ho bad succeeded in obtaining near the coroner ner , tt was to find In two faces only nny signs ot eagerness and expectancy that filled bis own breast to suffocation. But as these faces were those of Agnes Hnlllday and Amabel Page , he soon recognized that his own judgment was not at fault , nnd that notwithstanding outward appearances nnd the languid Interest shown In the now lag ging proceedings , the moment presaged an event full of unseen but vital consequence. Frederick was not visible in the great hall , but that he was near nt hand soon hocnmo evident from the change Swcot water now saw In Amabel. For whllo she had hitherto sat under the universal gaze with only the faint smile of conscious beauty on her Inscrutable features , she roused ns the hands ot the clock moved townrd noon , nnd glanced at the great door of entrance with an evil expectancy that startled oven Sweetwater , so little had he really under stood the nature ot the passions laboring in that venomous breast. Next moment the door opened , nnd Fred erick nnd his father came In , The nir ot triumphant satisfaction with which Amabel sank back into her scat wns na marked In its character as her previous suspense. What did it mean ? Sweetwater , noting It , nnd the vivid contrast It offered to Frederick's air ot depression , felt that his return had been well timed , > Mr. Sutherland wns looking very fcoble. As ho took the chair offered him , the change in his nppenrnnco was apparent to nil who knew him , nnd there were tew there who did not know him. And ntnrtlod. by these evidences of suffering which they could not understand , more than one de voted friend stole uneasy glances at Fred erick to see if he , too , were under the cloud which seemed to envelop his father almost boyong recognition. But Frederick -was looking at Amabel , and his erect head and determined nspecl made him a conspicuous figure in the room. . She who had called up this expression anil alone comprehended it fully , smiled as she met his eye , with that curious slow dipping ot .her dimples which had moro than once confounded the coroner , nnd rendered hoi at once the admiration and abhorrence ol the crowd who for so long a tlmo had hail the opportunity of 'watching ' her. Frederick , to whom this smllo convoyed a last hope , no well ns a last threat , looked away as soon as possible , 'but not before her eyes had fallen In their old , inquiring way to his hands , from which ho had removed the ring -which up to this hour ho had in variably worn on his third linger. In this glance of hers and this action of his began the struggle that was to make that day memorable in many hearts. After the first stir occasioned by the en trance of two such important persons and possibly witnesses , the crowd settled back Into its old quietude under ( he coroner's hand. A tedious witness was having hits slow say , nnd to him a full attention was .being . given In the hope that eome real en lightenment would come at last to settle the questions which had been raised by Ama bel's incomplete and unsatisfactory testi mony. But no man can .furnish . what he does not possess , and the few final minutes before noon passed by without any addition to the facts which had already been pre sented for general consideration. As the witness sat down .the clock began to strike. As the slow , hesitating strokes rang out , Sweetwater saw Frederick yield to a sudden but most profound emotion. The old fear , which ivo understand , If Sweetwater did not , had again seized the victim of Amabel's ambition , and under her eye , which was .blazing full upon him now with a fell and steady purpose , ho found his right hand stealing toward the left in the significant action she expected. Better to yield than fall headlong Into the pit onu word ot hen could open. Ho h&d not .meant . to yield , 'but now that the moment had come , now that 'ho ' must nt once and forever choose between a course that led simply to personal unhappiness and ono that Involved not only himself , but those dearest to him , in disgrace and sorrow , he felt him self weaken to the point of clutching at whatever would save him from the consequences quences of confession. Moral strength and that tenacity of purpose which only comes from years of self-control were too lately awakened in his breast to sustain him now. As stroke after stroke fell on his ear , he felt himself yielding ibeyond recovery , nnd had almost touched his finger in the significant action of assent which Amabel awaited with breathless expectation , when , was it a mira cle or only the suggestion of his better na ture , the memory ot a face full of holy pleading rose from the past before his eyes and with an inner cry of "mother" he threw his hand out and clutched his father's arm In a way to 'break the charm of his own dread nnd end forever the effects of the Intolerable fascination that was working upon him. Next minute the last stroke rang- out and the hour was up which Amabel had set as the limit of her ellenco. A pause , which to their two hearts It tone no others seemed strangely appropriate , fol lowed the cessation of these sounds , then the witness was dismissed , and Amabel , tak ing advantage of the movement , was about to lean toward Mr. Courtney , when Frederick , leaping with a bound to his feet , drew/ all eyes toward himself with the cry : "Let mo be put on my oath. I have testimony to give of the utmost impor tance in this case. " The coroner was astounded ; every ono was astounded. No ono had expected any thing from him , nnd instinctively every eye turned towards Amabel to sco how flho was Affected by his action. Strangely , evidently , for the look with which she settled back In her sent wns ono which no ono who saw it over forgot , though it conveyed no hint of her real .feelings , which were somewhat chaotic , I must own. Frederick , who had forgotten her , now that ho hnd made up his mind to speak , waited for the coroner's reply. "If you have testimony , " said that gentle man after exchanging a few hurried words with Mr. Courtney nnd the surprised Knapp , "you can do no bolter than glvo It to us nt once. Mr. Frederick Sutherland will you tnko the stand ? " AVlth a noble air , from which all hesita tion had vanished , Frederick started towards the place indicated , but stopped before ho hnd taken a half-dozen steps and glanced back nt his father , who was visibly suc cumbing to this Inst shock , "Go ! " ho whispered , but in so thrilling a tone it was heard to the remotest corner ot the room. ' 'Sparo mo the anguish ot saying what I have to say in your presence. I could not hear it. You could not bear it. Later , if you will wait for mo in ono of these rooms , I will repeat my tale In your ears , but go now. It Is my last entreaty. " There was a silence ; no ono ventured a dissent , no one so much as made a gesture ot disapproval. Then Mr. Sutherland struggled to his feet , cast ono last look around him nnd disappeared through a door which had opened like maglo before him. Then and not till then dld Frederick move forward. The moment was Intense. The coroner seemed to share the universal excitement , for his first question wns a. leading one and brought out this 'startling admission ; "I have obtruded myself into this Inquiry and now ask to bo heard by this Jury , because - cause no man knows moro than I do of the manner and cause of Agatha Webb's death. This you will believe when I tell you that I was the person Mies Page followed Into Mrs. Webb's house and whom she heard descend the stairs during the moment she crouched behind the figure of the sleeping Philemon. " It 'was more , Infinitely more , than any ono there had expected. It was not only on acknonledgment but a confession , and the chock , the surprise , the alarm , even , which It occasioned even to thoee who hud never | hnd much confidence in this young man's virtue , was almost appalling In Its Intensity. Had it not been for the consciousness for Mr. Sutherland's near presence the feeling would hnvo risen to outbreak , nnd many voices -were held In subjection by the re membrance of this venerated man's last look , that otherwise would have nude themselves heard in despite ot the restrictions of the place nnd the authority ot the police. To Frederick it wns n moment of immeas urable grief and humiliation. On every face , In every shrinking form , in subdued mur murs and open cries , ho read Instant and complete condemnation , and yet In nil his life , from boyhood up to this hour , never had ho been so worthy of their cslccm and consideration. But though he felt the Iron enter his soul , ho did not lose his deter mined attitude. Ho had observed a change In Amabel nnd n change In Agnes , And It only to disappoint the vile triumph of the ono and rnlso again the drooping courngo of the other , ho withstood the clamor nnd began speaking ngnln before the coroner had been nblo to fully restore quiet. _ "I know , " Mid he , " 'what ' thl acknowl edgment must convoy to the minds of the jury nnd people hero assembled. But if any one who listens to mo thinks mo gilllty of the death I was so unfortunate ns to have witnessed , ho will bo doing mo a great wrong which Agatha Webb would bo the first to condemn. Ir. Tnlbot , nnd you , gentlemen of the Jury , In the face of God nnd man I hero declare that Mrs. Webb , In my pres ence nnd before my eyes , gave to herself the blow which has rtibbcd us nil of a most valu able life. She wns not murdered. " It wns n solemn assertion , .but It failed to convince the crowd before him. As by one Impulse men nnd women broke Into tumult. Mr. Sutherland wns forgotten nnd cries ot "Never ! She was too good. It's nil calumny ! A wretched lie ! " broke In un restrained excitement from every part ot the largo room. In vain the coroner smott with his gavel ; In vain the local , police en deavored to restore order ; the tide was up and overswept everything for nn Instant till sllcnco was suddenly restored by the sight of Amabel smoothing out the folds of hct crisp whlto frock with an Incredulous , nlmo-t Insulting , smile that at once fixed attention again on Frederick. He seized the occasion nnd spoke up in a tone of great resolve. "I have made an assertion , " said he , "be fore God and before this jury. To make It seem a credible ono I shall have to tell mystery story from the .beginning. Am I allowed to do so , Mr. Coroner ? " "You are , " was the firm response. "Then , gentlemen , " continued Frederick , still without looking nt Amabel , whose smllo had acquired a mockery that drew the eyes of the Jury townrd her moro than once during the following recital , "you know , nnd the public Generally now know , that 'Mrs. ' Webb has left 1110 the greater portion of the money of which she died possessed. I have never before acknowledged to anyone ono , not oven to the good man who awaits this .jury's verdict on the other side of thnt door , that she had reasons for this , good reasons , reasons which up to the very evenIng - Ing of her death I was myself Ignorant ot , as I wns Ignorant of her intentions In ray regard or that it was the special object of her attention , or that wo were under any mutual obligations in any way. Why , then , I should have thought of going to her in the great strait in which I found myself on thnt day , I can hardly say. I know she had money in her house ; this I had unhappily been made acquainted with in an accidental way , nnd I knew she wns of kindly disposi tion and quite capable of doing a very un selfish act. Still , this would not seem to be reason enough for mo to Intrude upon her late at night with a plea for a large loan of money had I not .been . in a desperate condi tion of mind , which made nny attempt seem reasonable that promised relief from the unendurable burden of a pressing and dis reputable debt. I was obliged to have money , a great deal of money , and I had to have it at once ; and whllo I know this will not servo to lighten the suspicion I have brought upon myself by my late admissions , It is the only explanation I can glvo you for leaving the ball at my father's house nnd hurrying down secretly and alone into town to the little cottngo where , ns I had been told early in the 'evening , a small enter tainment was being given , which would in sure its being open even at so late an hour as midnight. iMlss rage , who will , I am sure , pardon the Introduction of her name into this narrative , has taken pains to de clare to you that in the expedition she her self made into town that evening , bho fol lowed some person's steps down hill. This Is very likely true , and these steps were probably mine , for after leaving the house by the garden door , I came directly down the main road to the corner of the lane run ning past Mrs. Webb's cottage. Having al ready seen from the hlllsldo the light burnIng - Ing in her upper windows , I felt encour aged to proceed , and so hastened on till I came to the gate on High street. Hero I hnd a moment ot hesllntlon nnd thoughts bitter enough for mo to recall them nt this moment came Into my mind , making that instant , pcrhnpfl , the very worst in my life ; but they passed , thank God , and with noth- 1520 DOUGLAS ST. SOUTH OMAHA STOKH-Bltli & M SU. Who is Your TAILOR ? The Best Woolens , The best Workmanship Stylishly Cut Garments are those that are made by the Williams & Smith Go , 1404 FARNAM ST. Ing moro desperate in mind than n sullen intention -Imvlng my own way nbout this money , I lifted the latch ot the front door and stepped in. "I hn1 expected to find n Jovial group of friends In ( icr little ground parlor , or nt least the sound ot merry voices nnd laughter in the rooms above , but no sounds of nny sort awaited me ; Indeed , the house seemed strangely silent for one so fully lighted , and , astonished nt this , I pushed the door njnt- nt my left nnd looked in. An unexpected nnd pitiful sight awaited me. Seated at a tnblo set with abundance ot untnstcd food I saw the master of Uio house with his head sunk forward on his nrms , asleep. The expected guests hod foiled to arrive and he. tired out with waiting , hnd fallen Into t. doze nt the board. This wns n condition of things for which I wns not prepared. Mrs. Webb , whom I wltliod to eec , wns probably upstairs , ana whllo I might summon her by a sturdy rap on the door , beside which I stood , I hnd so little desire to wnko her husband , ot whosn mental condition I was well aware , thnt 1 could not bring myself to make nny loud nolso within his bearing , Yet I had not the courage to retreat. All my hope of re lief from the many difficulties that monaccft mo lay In the generosity of this great hearted woman and If out of pusillanimity 1 let this hour go by without making my ap peal , nothing but ttiamo nnd disaster awaited mo. Yet how could I hope to lure her down stairs without noise , I could not nnd so yielding to the impulse of the mo ment , without nny realization , 1 hero sweni- , of the effect which my unexpected presence would hnvo on tlio noble woman overhead , 1 slipped up the narrow staircase nnd catchIng - Ing at that moment the sound of her voice calling out to Batsy , I stepped up to the door I saw standing- open before me and confronted her before she could move from the table before which she wns sitting counting over a largo roll ot money. My look ( and It wns doubtless not n com mon look , for the sight ot a muss ot money at that moment , when money Avns every thing to me , roused every lurking demon in my brcnst ) seemed to appall , if It did not frighten her , for she rose , nnd mooting my eye with a gaze in which shock nnd some strange nnd polgnnnt ngony totally Incom prehensible to me were strangely blended , she cried out. "No , no , Frederick ! You don't know what you nro doing. If you want my money , tnko it ; if you want my life , I will glvo it to you with my own hand. Don't stain yours don't " I did not understand her. I did not know until I thought it over afterward that my hand was thrust convulsively into my breast in a way which , taken with my wild mien , made mo look as If I had como to murder her for the money over which she was hov ering. I wns blind , deaf to everything but that money , and bending madly forward in a siMo of mental intoxication awful enough for mo to remember now. I answered her frenzied words by some such broken ex clamations as these : "Give then ! I want hundreds thousands now , now , to save myself ! Disgrace , shame , prison await me if I don't have them. Give , give ! " And my hand went out toward it , not toward her ; but she mis took the action , mistook my purpose , and , with a heartbroken cry , to save me , nic , from crime , the worst of which humanity Is capable , she caught up a dagger lying only too near her hand in the open drawer against which she leaned and in a moment of fathomless anguish which wo who can never know moro than the outward seeming of her life can hardly measure , plunged against it I can tell you no moro. Her blood and Batsy's shriek from the adjoin ing room swam through my consciousness and then she fell , as I supposed , dead upon the floor , and I , in scarcely 'better ' case , fell also. also."This "This , ns God lives , is the truth concernIng - Ing the wound found in the breast of this never-to-'be-Xorgotten ' woman. " The feeling , the pathos , the anguish even , to 'bo found in his tones made this story , strange and incredible as it seemed , appear for the moment plausible. "And Batsy ? " asked the coroner. "Must have fallen when we did , for I never heard jjer voice after the first scream. But I shall speak of her again. What I must now explain Is how the money in Mrs. Webb's drawer came into my possession , and how the dogger she had planted in her breast came to bo found on the lawn out side. When I came to myself , and that must have been very soon , I found that the blow I had "been such n horrified witness to had not yet proved fatal , The eyes I had seen close , as I had supposed , forever , were now open , and she was looking at me with a smile that has never loft my memory , and never will. "There Is no blood on you , " she murmured. "You did not strike the blow. Was It money inly that you wanted , Frederick ? If so , you could have had it without crime. There ire $1,000 on that table and half as much again in the closet over yonder. Take them ind lot them pave your way to a better life. My death will help you to remember. " Do Give a Man His Dollar's Worth and you have that man for a customer , has been our practice In doing business , and by that rule we 'have ' built up a largo business. When wo sell a man our Five Cent Jersey Cigar ho gets a cigar that most dealers would sell for lOc Have you over smoked ono ? Paxfon Block Gigar Store , Jacob Juskalek , Prop , leth , near Farnam. Not a Common Salve or Ointment , but a SPECIFIC Used for Rectal Diseases Only. A Uulck Il.llef n.I To.lire ( Cure for Iltlnd , Illcedlog or Ilcliluc J'llei , or 1'llc * j In Any ioru > . READ Taatlrnontalu S1.00 PER BOX. . MAGNET CHEMICAL CO. * lin Mi Omthi , Neb. these words , -this action ot her * , seem In credible to you , sirs ? Alns ! nlns ! they will not when I toll you " nnd hero ho cast ono anxious , deeply anxious glance nt the room in 'Which Mr. Sutherland wns hidden "thnt unknown to me , unknown to any ono living DR. McGREWS RINGING PROCLAMATION TO MEN MEDICAL TREATMENT AND A HELPING HAND f OR ALL , ONLY $5 A MONTH. DR. McGREW Is well known throughout the West as one of THE RflOST SUCCESSFUL SPECIALISTS In the treatment of ALL DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF W8EW ONLY. 22 YEARS of Unlimited Experience 12 YEARS ni OR/1 AHA. Call , or write me full particulars and I will advise you in strict confidence FllEE OP CHANGE. Medicine and treatment sent everywhere by Mail or Express at the of n Ml U t > Skill Experience small charge < R MfifJITU , , and reliable UlULl vpQ R m.UK I H , HOME TREATMENT within the reach of all. Medicine carefully concealed from view ia shipping ELECTRICITY AND MEDICAL treatment combined in all cases where it is advisable. Varicocele , Stricture , Syphilis , In nil its stages. Loss of Vigor and Vitality , caused from Youthful Folly or Later Excesses , Weakness nnd Disorders , Kidney nnd Bladder Diseases , and all Private , Nervous and Chronic Diseases in all forms with which men are afflicted , absolutely cured , and health , and vigor and ambition fully restored. The Doctor's remarkable success in his treatment of all diseases of men has never been equaled. His resources and facilities for treating this class of diseases are unlimited. He is endorsed by all for his skill and reliability. Book Frea. Consultation and Examination Free. Office hours , 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. , 7 to 8 p. m. , Sunday , 9 to 12 a. m. nn Mr GREW P. O. Box , 766. Oilico N. E. Corner 14ttk ? nd'FaVSim Sts 'OMAHA , NEB. Lots of people wonder why a good cigar like the CAPADURA can bo sold for five cents. Ordinarily it could nsr , but its makers are the largest cigar manufacturers in America. , They make ninety million cigars a year. ' They give the CAPADURA a better Havana filler , more high-grade workmanship , and more careful handling than the ordinary manufacturer could by any means put into a cigar at that price. It is Pcrfccto shape 4 inches long not the biggest for your money , but by far the best. At all cigar dealers' . The CAPADURA cigar is made by Kerbs , Wertheim & Schiffer , New York. Distributors. Sole BEST < Sfc RUSSEL.L , CO. Trade. MANTELSj With open fireplace and nrt tllo fac- iiiK.s and hearth add the llnlBhlni ; touch to a new home. We show man tels In quarter sawed oak , hlrch , cherry , etc. , in various ( hades and nil ' the late thliiKH In grates , tile and Ilrc- jilace furnlshingH. Tile doors and llrcpliiccs repaired on short notice. ' Welshaiis & Holbrook , Ground Fltr. . : to SOUTH JTTII sTitnur , Between Farnam an-1 Ilarnuy. We are agents for Omaha for the Climax Swing , price $5.00. Our llammocV.B and Tennis Hoods arc the finest In the city. Omaha Sporting Goods Go , , 1-11:1 : ST. but Tiersclf , unknown in thnt Rood man from whom It can no longer 'bo ' kept hidden , Apntha Webb was my mother. 1 nm 1'hllo- \ nion'fl eon , and not the offspring of Ch.irles v nnd Marlotln Suthorlnntl ! " ( To bo Continued. ) ' /INC- , . ttciitus ICltCTItOTYKAi Do you patronize homo industries ? If you do lot us estimate on your engraving work. Don't send it out of the city. Office , 15 U. S. National Hank Hiiihlln- . OMAHA. WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN TUB RBD LEAGUE nr.CAUSR IT WILL , GIVE YQO AND YOUIl FAMILY MKDIOAI\ AND SUHGIOAL BBnVICK 010 THU V13RY J1B8T CHARACTEK AT U.OO I'Bll MONTH. FUNKIIAL HKNEKIT 25c Extra. Try and Be Convinced. For further Information call or tele phone \ 804 New York Life Bldg7 JOHN A , ICAIIMNU , 3IA\A01 U , ' ' -Oa 'J'clfjiliune