10 THE OMAHA TA1LY ) 15 P. 13 : STTsDAY , AIMU.L 2 , 1805) ) .
AUTHOR
OF
"The AGATHA WEBB.
Leavenworth
Case , " Ji j > ANNA KA TIIAltlXE GllEEN.
*
S iu > | t l < < nf I'rcccdlnit Clmplor * .
Tii"t nftr a ba' ' ! nt the Sutherland man-
Kn-n Agatha Webb nnd her servant nro
fiuvl dead an I 1'hllrnion Wt-1 > b , Agatha's
h iMiind , who for > eanhns been growing
d-mcntcil , Is dl-rovercil nslo'p at the din-
t-r t itilfi A trare of Wood on his sleeve
in It 's to him ns the murderer. Mr Huther-
1 ml and the local marshal. Frnlon , In-
Xp-tlRat-- . Ag.itlitVobb Is known to but
I'-v , in a rlrh woman The key to her
inotify drawer Is found clutched In her
bird.iMI s Page , the nlcco of Suther
land s housekeeper , porilste In r-inalnlntf
nhout the Wfsbb premises and discovers
Mood on the Kruis. The jnoney drawer Is
found to ibo empty and robbery Is nddrxl to
the mynt-ry. Frederick Sutherland , u way
ward youth , calls his father to witness bis
( Ifiermlnatlon tex \ > a better man and protn-
I"M lint to marry JIIss Pace , by whom he
bus been f.mclnated. JINs Page te'l *
Trederlck that slid fnllou'd him the night
of thn murder nnd knew where he had se
creted tl.OOti. iShc given him a week to do-
i i'lr > w h ther to innir.i her or bt pro-
rlalmcd ns the murdenr of Agatha Webb ,
The whole town Is Htlrred up by thn double
iniird r ntiil i'\urv ono tells of the Koodnem
of Mrs W-bb Six children hail been born
1o JUT and all died In Infancy. It Is learned
that the mnmy wns In m\v bllN and the
keeper of a mnll store produces one that a
BtraiiKO man pave him late the night of
1he inurdir for a loaf of bread. A detect
ive arrives from llotton and reports : "Sltn-
plo c IIP Murdered for money Find the
mill with a llnwlnc benid , " Suspicion falls
upon one of the Habel brothers. Frederick
visit * the hollow tro . The money Is con" .
" \Yittle * . a Hostnp Rambler , nrrhes and du-
inamls JD.V ) of rrulerlek In pnvment of a
K'imMIng iltibt. Frederick secures u check
for the amount from his father and that
nlclit as he If about to leav ° home he Is
slapped by Ml i I'.w. The Hnbel brothers
< iru found dead of starvation , ono of them
clutching the toll-tale loaf , the other a
blond-stained knife. . The Hoston detective
dwlnrrs tbo mystery solved , but young
HweotAvater astonishes tbo company bv a
new chain of evidence pointing to another
perpetrator of the terrible crime. This
Uino Amabel 1'aKO IH suspected. Sweet-
\vator llnds the hidden money where he IIIIH
fccen Miss I'ngc hide It and reasons that she-
hns attempted to throw the burden of
Kiillt on the iJabcl brothers.
ciiAi"i'iit xviii.
Frederick rose early. Ho had slept but
llttlo. The words ho had overheard nt the
end of the lot the night before wcrostlll _ j '
ringing In his ears. Going down the "back
Blairs , In his anxiety to avoid Amabel , ho j i
I
came upon ono of the stable men. |
' |
"Uceii to the village this morning'1' he I
naked. ,
I
"No , sir ; but Loin has. There's great |
news there. I wonder If any ono has told
Mr. Sutherland. "
"What nons , Joke ? I don't think my
father Is up yet. "
"Why , sir , there wcro two more deaths
in town last night the brothers Zabcl , and
folks do say ( Letn heard It a dozen times
between the grocery nnd the flab marketl
that It was ono of those old men who killed
Mr. Webb. The dagger has been found In
their house , nnd most of the money. , Why ,
blr , what's the matter ? Are you sick ? "
Frederick made an effort and stood up
right. 'Ho had nearly fallen.
"No ; that Is , I am not quite myself. So
many horrors , Jake. What did they die of ?
You say they are ibotu dead , both ? "
"Yes , sir , and its dreadful to think of ,
but it was hunger , sir. Dread came too late.
Iloth men nro mere skeletons to look at.
They have kept themselves close for weeks
now , and nobody know how bad off they
wore. I don't wonder It upset you , sir. Wo
all feel It a bit , and I Just dread to tell Mr.
Sutherland. "
Frederick staggered away. iHo bad novel
in his life been so near mental and physical
collapse. At the threshold of the sitting
room door ho mot his father. Mr. Suther
land was looking both troubled and anxious ;
more so , Frederick thought , than when ha
signed tbo check for him on the previous
night. As their eyes met both showed em
barrassment , 'but ' Frederick , whoso nerves
had been highly strung up by what ho had
,
Just heard , soon controlled himself , and sur
veying his father with forced calmness , began
gan"This
"This Is dreadful nous , sir. "
But his father , Intent on his own thoughts ,
hurriedly interrupted him.
"You told mo yesterday that everything
was broken off between you and Miss Page.
Yet I saw you ro-enter the house together
last night a llttlo while after I gave you the
money you asked for. "
"I know'and It must have had a 1xid np-
joarnnce. ) I entreat you , however , to be-
llovo that this meeting between Miss Page
and myself was against any -wish and that
the relations twlwecn us have not been
nffected by anything that passed be-1
tweeu us. " I
"I am glad to hear it , my son. You could
not doworse by yourself than to return to
jour old dovotlon. "
"I agree with you , sir. And then , because
! io could not help It , Frederick inquired if ho
had heard the news.
Mr. Sutherland , evidently startled , asked
what news , to which Frederick replied :
"Tho news nhout the Zabels. They are
doth dead , sir , dead from hunger. Can you
Jmaglnti It ? "
This was something so different from what
his father had expected to hear that ho did
not tnko it in at ilrst. When ho did bis
surpilso nnd grief were oven greater than
Frederick had iintlclp.Ucd. Seeing him so
affected , Frederick , who thought that the
whulu truth would bo no harder to bear than
Iho half , added the suspicion which had
been attached to the younger ono'3 name ,
nnd then stood back , eeaicely daring to bo
n witness to the outraged feelings which
( < uch n communication could not fall to
unalien In ono of his father's temperament.
Hut though ho thus escaped the shacked
look which crossed his father's countenance ,
ho could not fall to hear the Indignant ox-
cliimatlnn which burst from hit ) lips , nor help
( torceivlng that it would take moro than
the most complete circumstantial evidence 1
to oouvlnco bis father of the guilt of men ho '
had knonn and respected for so many years.
For some reason Frederick experienced
great relief nt this , and was bracing him '
self to meet the fire of questions which his
statement must necessarily call forth , when 1
the sound of approaching utops drew the at-
"I sulTcred the torlureit of the damned
with protruding piles brought on by constipa
tion with vrhloh I wa nDllctod for twenty
years I rau across your CA8CAIIKTS In tbo
towu of Nowoll. I end never found an ) thing
to cnual tbrm To-day I am entirely free from
piles nnd feel llfce u now nmn "
tt 11. UitTZ. nil Jonei bt. , Sioux City , la.
l > ! o.nt. . I'alatable. 1'otent , * T itO Good , no
Otfoa , Notcr blckon , Wcakeo.or Grlpo , 10o,25c,10o.
. . . CURE CONSTIPATION. . . .
CltrlUi n. i > 4j l pi.Cklni _ > . tr ttli _ wj [ rt. _ li
tin Tfl BAP Bold and puarnntet-d br oil drug-
HIM 0'IAG glit. to ( fuitUTobacoo llabU.
tcntlon of both towards n party of men
coming up the hillside.
Among them was Mr. Courtney , prosecut
ing attorney for this district , and ns Mr
Sutherland recognized him ho sprang for
ward , saying , "There's Courtney , ho will
explain this. "
Frederick followed , nnxloui and bewil
dered , nnd soon had the doubtful pleasure
of seeing hlB father enter his study In com
pany with the four men considered to be
most Interested In tbo elucidation of the
Webd ) mystery.
As ho wan lingering In an undecided mood
In the small passageway leading uptalrs
ha felt Uio pressure of a finger on his
shoulder. Looking up , ho met the eyes of I
Amabel , who twos leaning toward him over
the banisters. She was smiling , and. j
though her face was not without evidences
of physical languor , there was n charm
about her person which would have been
enifllclontly enthralling to him twenty-four
hours before , but which now caused him
such a physical repulsion that he started
back In the effort to rid his shoulder from
her disturbing touch.
She frowned. It was nn Instantaneous
expression of displeasure which was soon
lost In ono of her gurgling laughs.
"Is my touch fco burdensome ? " she de
manded. "If the piepfliiro of ono linger I *
unbearable to your sensitive nerves , how
will you relish the weight of my whole
hand ? "
There was a fierceness In her tone , a
purpose In her look that for the Ilrst tlmo
In bis struggle with her icvealed the full
depth of her dark nature. Shrinking from
her appalled , ho put up his baud In pro
test , at which she changed again in a twink
ling , and with a cautious gesture toward the
room into which Mr. Sutherland nnd his
friends had disappeared , she whispered sig
nificantly :
"Wo may not have another chance to con
fer together. Understand , then , that U will
not bo necessary foi you to tell me , in so
many words , that you nro ready to link
your fortunes to mine ; the taking off of tlio
ring you wear and > our slow putting it on
again , In my presence , will be understood
by mo as a token that you have reconsidered
your present attitude nnd deslro my silence
and myself. "
Frederick could not repress a shudder.
For an instant ho was tempted to succumb
on the spot nnd have the long agony over.
Then his horror of the woman rose to such
n pitch that ho uttered an execration , nnd ,
turning away from her face which was
rapidly growing loathsome to him , ho ran
out of the passageway into the garden ,
seeing as ho ran a persistent vision of him
self pulling off the ring and putting It back
again , under the spell of n look ho rebelled
against even 'whllo ' ho yielded to its In
fluence.
"I 'will ' not wear a ring. I will not sub
ject myself to the possibility of obeying her
behest under a sudden stress of fear or
fascination , " ho exclaimed , pausing by the
well curb and looking over it at Ids reflec
tion in the water beneath. "If I drop it
hero I at least lose the horror of doing what
sbo suggests , tinder some Involuntary im
pulse. " But the thought that the mere
alisonto of the ring from his linger would
not stand in the way of his going through
the motions to which eho had Just given
such significance deterred him from the
sacrifice of a valuable family Jewel , and ho
left the spot with an nlr of frenzy such
as A man displays when he feels himself
on the verge of a doom he can neither meet
nor avert.
As ho re-entered the house ho felt hlni-
eelf enveloped In the atmosphere of a com
ing crisis , llo could hear voices In the
upper hall and amongst them ho caught the
accents of her ho had learned so lately to
fear. Impelled by bomethlng deeper" than
curiosity and moro ipotcnt even than dread ,
ho hastened toward the stairs. When half
way up them he caught sight of Amabol.
She was leaning back against the balustrade
that ran across the upper hall , with her
hands gripping the rail on cither sldo of her
nnd her face turned toward the five men
who had evidently Issued from Mr. Suther
land's study to Interview her.
As her back wns to Frederick ho could not
judge of the expression of that face save
by the effect It had upon the different men
confronting her. But to see them was
enough. From their looks ho could perceive
that this young girl was In ono of her baf
fling moods and that from his father down
I not ono of the men present knew what to
i make of her.
I At the sound his feet made a relaxation
took place in her body and she lost something -
, thing of the defiant attitude she had before
maintained. Presently ho heard her voice :
"I am willing to answer any questions
| you may cheese to put me here , but I can
not consent to shut mjself In with you"in
that email study ; I should suffocate. "
Frederick could percolvo the looks which
passed between the five men assembled lie-
| for her , and was astonished to note that the
insignificant fellow they called Sweetwator
| was the first to answer.
"Very well , " said ho , "It you enjoy the
, publicity of the open hall , no ono here will
I object. Is not that so , gentlemen ? "
| Her two llttlo fingers which wcro turned
towards Frederick ran up and down the rail ,
making a peculiar rasping nolso , which for
| a moment was the only bound to bo heard.
Then Mr. Courtney said :
"How came you to have the handling of
the money taken from Agatha Webb's pri
vate drawer ? "
It was a startling question , but It seemed
to affect Amabel less than It did Frederick.
I It made him start , but she only turned her
head a trifle aside , so that the peculiar
smllo with which she prepared to answer
could bo Been by any ono standing below ,
! "Suppose you ask eoineUiIng INS leading
i than that to ( begin with , " she suggested , In
i her high unmusical voice. "Flora the bearch-
'j Ing nature of this Inquiry , you evidently be-
lluvo I have Information of an Important
character to glvo you concerning ( Mis.
Wobb'a unhappy death. Ask mo about
that ; the other question I will answer
Liter'
Tha nplomlb with which this was said ,
mixed as it was with a feminine allurement
of more than ordinary subtlety , made Mr.
Sutherland frown and Dr. Tutbot look per
plexed , but it did not embarrass Mr. Courtney -
noy , who made haste to respond in bis dry-
cst accents.
"Very well , I am not particular as to
Ahnt you answer first. lA llower worn by
> ou at the dance was found near Uatsy'a
tklrts , before she was lifted up this morn
ing. Can you explain this , or , rather , will
you ? "
"You nro not obliged to , you know , " put
in Mr. Sutherland , with Jilu Inexorable tense
of Justice. "Still , if you would , it might
rob Ui03o gentlemen of eunplcloun jou cer
tainly cannot wish them to entertain. "
"What 1 say , " she remarked slowly , "will
bo ua true to thu facts as If I stood bore
ou my oath. I cau explain how a How or
from my hair came to ibe In Mrs Webb's
house , but not how It came to too found
under Datey'b feet. That some one clt > o
must clear up. " Her little linger , lifted
from the roll , pointed toward Frederick ,
'but no one saw this , unless It was that
Dressers ,
dis
count on all Chiffoniers weeSk
Folding Beds
Monday morning
Dressers _ / cial sale of
6.00 up ing Bedsteads , Odd Dressers and Chiffoniers , giv
Chiffoniers up ing a 25 per cent discount from the regular price of
Itods- every article in either of these lines.Ve show 137
L'prllit Fronts
up different designs in odd dressers , 98 styles in chif
Miintlu Folding Style Hods foniers and 46 patterns infolding bedsteads.
*
7 .1' ' up Tliey come in all ike different woods and finishes. T/iese goods now
.
Folding Hed.s
Combination Front occupy floor space whic/i we want for other purposes and will give the pvblic
up t/te benefit of a very low price this week.
A fine grade of
woven wire ain figures
springs furnish
ed with all
Folding Beds.
1115-1117 Farnam Street. Cash must accompany all mail orders.
gentleman hlmsolf.I were this orchid In '
my hair that night , and there would be
nothing strange in Its 'being ' afterward
(
picked up In ( Mre. Wetbb's Jioufce , because I i
wari In that .house at or near the time she
was murdered. "
"You in that house ? "
"Yes , as far as the ground floor ; no fur
ther. " illoro the little finger stopped point-
Ing. 'I am ready to tell you about It , sirs ,
and only regret I have delayed doing so t-o
long , but I wished to bo sure it w.is neces
sary. Your presence hero and your first
question show that it is. "
There iwaa suavity in her tone now , not
unmixed with candor. Sweetwater did not
seem to relleh this , for lie moved uneasily
on his feet and lost n shade of his self-
satisfied attitude. He had still to bo made '
acquainted with all the Ins and outs of
tills woman's remarkable nature.
"Wo are waiting , " suggested Dr. Tnlbot.
She turned to face this now speaker , and
Frederick wns relieved from the sight of herj
tantalizing smile. (
"I will tell my story simply , " eald she,1
"wIU the simple suggestion that you be-
Hove me ; otherwise you will make a mistake.
Whllo I was resting from a dance the other
night I heard two of the young people talk
ing about the Zabels. Ono of them was
laughing at the old men and the other waa
trying to relate some old story of early
love which had been the cause , she thought ,
of their strange nnd melancholy lives. I was
listening to them , but I did not take In
much of what they were eaylng till I heard
behind mo an Irascible voice exclaiming-
'You laugh , do you ? I wonder If you would
laugh BO easily If you knew that these two
poor old men haven't had a decent meal in
a fortnight ? ' I didn't know the speaker , but ,
I was thrilled by his words. Not had a I
good meal , these men , for a fortnight ! I'
felt as If personally guilty of their suffer
ings , and , happening to raise my eyes at this
minute and seeing through an open door the
bountiful refreshments prepared for us nll |
in the supper room , I foil guiltier than ever
Suddenly I took a resolution. It was a queer' '
one , and may serve to show you some of the
oddities of my nature. Though I was en
gaged for the next dance , and though I was
dressed in the flimsy garments suitable to the
occasion , I decided lo leave the ball and
carry some sandwiches down to these old
men. Procuring n bit of paper , I mode up a
bundle nnd stole out of the house without
having said a word to anybody of my ln-J > I
tcntlon. Not wishing to bo seen , I went out ,
by the garden door , which Is at the end of
a dark hall. "
"Just as the band waa playing the
'Harebell mazurka , ' " Interpolated Sweet-
wale : .
Startled for the first tlmo from hef
careless composure by : in Interruption
of which It was Impossible for her at
that mlnuto to measure cither the
motlvo or the meaning , sbo ceased lo
ploy with her fingers on the baluster
rail and let her ryes rest for a moment
on the man who had thus spoken , as If
she hesitated between her deslro to an
nihilate him for his Impertinence nnd a feur
of the cold hate she saw actuating bis o\cry
word nnd look. Then she went on , ns if no
ono had spoken.
'I ran down the hill recklessly. I was
bent on my errand and not nt all afiald
of the dark. Wlion I reached that part of
the road where the streets branch off I
heard footsteps In front of me. I had over
taken some one. Slackening my pace , so
that I should not pass this person , whom I
instinctively knew tote a man , I followed
him till I i-orno to a high board fence. It
was tbat surrounding Agatha Webb's house ,
nnd when I saw lt I could not help con
necting the rather stealthy gait of the man
In front of mo with a story I had lately
heard of the largo eum of money she wn
known to keep In her house. Whether this
was before or after 'this ' person disappeared
round tfio corner I cannot say , but no toonor
|
had I become certain he was 1 > cnt upon
entering this house than my impulse to j I (
follow lilin became greater than my precaution - '
caution , and turning aside from the direct
path to < ho labels. I bun led down High
street Just in time to see the man enter
Jlrs. AVobli's front gateway.
"It was a late hour for Usltlng , but as
[
the house had lights in both Its lo'wcr and j I
upper stories , I should toy good rights have
taken It for granted that ho was an expected - i [
pocted guest and gone my own may to the I
iCabols. Hut I did not. The softness with
which this person stepped nnd the skulking I
way Jn which he hesitated at 'the ' front gate |
aroused my worst fours , and after he had > j
i
opened that gate and slid in , I was so pur
sued by the Idea that ho was there for no I
good that I stepped Inside the gate myttelf 1
nnd took my Bland In tbo deep shadow 1
coat by the old pear tree on Uio rlghthand ,
side of the walk. Did any ono speak ? " I
There was a unanimous denial from the i
fUe gentlemen before her , jet she did not.
look satisfied , I '
' I thcught I heard some ono make a re
work , " feho eald , and jiautrd again for a
half minute , during which her wnllo wns
a fatudy , If 11as ' o culd and In such atari-
ling contratit to the -\lvld glances * ho threw
oerywhere except 'behind ' her on the landIng -
Ing where TieJerick stood listening to her
every word.
" \\"o are very much Interested , " remarked
Mr. Courtney. "I'ray , go on. "
Drawing her left hand from the balus
trade where It bid rested , she looked atone
ono of her flngois with an odd backward
gesture.
"I will , " she said , and Qier tone was haul
and threatening. "Fl\o minutes , no longer ,
parsed , when J wns startled by a loud and
teiriblo cry from the .house . , and looking
up at the second story -window , from which
tlio sound preceded , I saw a woman's fig
ure standing out In a. seemingly pulseless
condition. Too torrllled to nio\'e , I clung
trembling to the tree , hearing and not hear
ing the shouts and laughter of a , dozen or
moro men , who at that minute passed 'by '
the corner on their way to Uie wharves. I
was dazed , I was choking , and only , came
to myself , tien , sooner or later , I do not
know how soon or how late , a fresh horror
happened. The woman wham I had Just
econ fall almont from the iwindow was a
serving 'wcman , but when I heard another
scream I know that the in to treesof the
liouao was 'being ' attacked , and riveting my
eyes on t.ioso windows , I beheld the shade
of ono of them thrown l > ack and a hand ap
pear , flinging out something which feU In
the grass on the oppchlto side of the lawn.
Then the shade foil again , and hearing
nothing further , I ran to whore the object
flung out had fallen , and feeling for It ,
found and picked up an old-fashioned dag
ger , dripping with blood. Horrified beyond
all oxpre slon , 1 dropped the weapon nnd
drew back , trembling , Into my former place
of concealment.
"Hut I was not satisfied to remain there.
A curiosity , a determination oven , to see
the man who had committed this dastardly
deed , attacked mo with such foico that 1
was Induced to leave my hiding place and
oven to enter the house where In nil prob-
aiblllty ho was counting the gains ho had
Just obtained at the price of such precious
Wood. The door , which ho had not per
fectly closed behind him , seemed to ln\lto
mo In , and ibeforo 'I ' had reall/ed my own
temerity I was standing in the hall of this
lll-fate < l house. "
The Interest , which up to this moment
had been broatJiksa , now expressed Itself
In liurrlcd ejaculations nnd broken words ;
and Mr. Sutherland , who had listened like
ono In n dream , exclaimed eagerly , nnd In
a tone which piovcd that ho for the moment ,
at least , 'believed ' this , more than im-
prdtablo tale.
"Then you can tell us If Philemon waa In
the Olttlo room at the moment when you
entered the housoV"
As every ono there piosent realized the
Importance of this question , a general move
ment took place and each and all drew
ni'.ircr OH she met their eyes and answered
placidly :
"Yes ; air. Webb wns sitting in a chair
asleep. Ho was Iho only person I saw. "
"O , I Know ho never committed this
crime , " -gasped his old friend , in a. relief
bo great tli.it ho and all scorned to nharo it.
"Now I have courage for the rest. Go on ,
JMIss Pago. "
Hut ( Miss Pugo paused again to look at
her finger , nnd glvo that sideways tees to
her head that fcenied so uncalled for by
the situation to any who did not know of
the compact ibctwcen hcisolf and < tbe listen
ing nun bi'lotv.
"I hate to go bnck to that , moment , " said '
Bho ; "for when I saw the candles burning i
on the table , and the husband of the woman
above sitting Ihoro in unconscious apathy , I
I felt something rise In my throat that made j
mo deathly filrk for a moment. Then I went i
right In where ho 'was , and wan about to |
shako his arm nnduilvo him when I detected -
tocted a spot of blood on jny finger from
the dagger I had handled. That gave mo
another turn , and led cue to wipe off my
finger on his slco\o. "
"It's a pity you did not wlpo off your
slippers , too , " murmured Sweetwater.
Again Eho looked nt him , again her pytn
opened In terror upon the fncn of this man ,
once * > o plain and Insignificant In her eyes , ,
but now so tilled -with menace hhe Inwardly
quaked before It , for nil her apparent
scorn.
"Slippers , " she murmured.
"Did not your fact pass through the
blood In the grass , as well as your hands ? "
She did not answer. She held him , pos- |
sibly , In too much scorn.
"I luiMj accounted for the blood on my I
hand , " she said , not looking at him , but at
Mr. Courtney. "If there Is any on my slip- j
pora it can be accounted for in thu same
way " And she rapidly renewed her nar-
rathe " 1 had no sooner mude my little
finger clean I netcr thought of any ono
(
suspecting the old gentleman when 1 i
heard steps on the fctiurs and knew that thol
murderer wad coming down , and in another
Instant would pass the open door before
which I stood.
"Though I had been courageous enough
up to that minute , I was seized by a sud
den panic at the prospect of meeting face
to face one whose hands were perhaps drip
ping with the blood of his victim. To con
front him there nnd then might mean death
to mo and I did not want to die but to live ,
for I am young , sirs , and not without n
prospect of happiness before me. So I
sprang back , and seeing no other place of
concealment in the whole bare joom ,
crouched down In the shadow of the man you
call Philemon. For one , two minutes , I
knelt there In a state of mortal terror ,
while the feet descended , paused , started to
enter the loom where I was , hesitated ,
turned and finally loft the house. "
"Miss Page , wait , wait , " put In the cor
oner. "You baw him ; > ou can tell who this
nun was ? "
The eagerness of his appeal seemed to
excite her. A light color appeared lu her
cheeks and she took a step forward , but
before the words for which they so anxiously
waited could leave her lips she gave a start
and drew back with an ejaculation which
loft a more or less sinister echo In the ears
of all who heard It.
Frcdcilck hud Just bhown himself at the
top of the staircase.
"Good morning , gentlemen , " said he , ad
vancing Into their midst with an air whoso
unexpected manliness disguised his Inward
agitation. "Tho few words I hn\e Just heard
Miss Page say are of so Important a nature
I find It Impossible not to join you. "
lAmabel , upon whoso lips a faint compla
cent smile had appeared as ho stepped by
her , glanced up nt these words in secret as
tonishment nt the Indifference they showed ,
nnd then dropped her eyes to his hands wlUi
an Intent gaze which seemed to affect him
unpleasantly , for ho thrust them Imme
diately behind him , though ho did not lower
his head or lose ibis air of determination.
"In my presence hero undesirable ? " he
inquired , with a glance toward Hits father.
Sweetwate' looked as If ho thought li
wet , but ho did not prcBumo to suy any
thing , nnd the others being too Interested
in the developments of Miss Pago's story to
waste any time on lesser matters , Frederick
remained , greatly to Miss Page's evident
batlsfactlon.
"Did you eeo tills man's face ? " Mr. Court
ney now broke In , In urgent Inquiry.
Her answer came slowly , after another
long look In Frederick's direction.
"No , I did not dare to make the effort. I
wns obliged to crouch too close to the flee > .
I simply heatd ihls footsteps. "
"See , now ! " muttered Sw rot water , but In
so low a tone she did not hear him. "Sho
condemns herself. There Isn't a woman liv
ing wtio would fall to look up under thobe
circumstances oven at the risk of her llf "
Knapp seemed to agree with him , but Mr.
Courtney , following his ono Idea , pressed
hlH former question , saying :
"Wns It an old man's step ? "
"It was not an agllu ono. "
"And you did not cnt'ch t8io least gllmpso
of the man's face or flguio ? "
"Not n glimpse. "
"So you are in no position to Identify
him ? "
"If by any chance I should hear those same
footsteps coming down a flight of stalra I
think I should bo able to iccognlza them , "
film allowed , In the sweetest tones at her
command.
"Sho knows It Is too late for her to hear
these of the two dead labels , " growled the
man from Iloston.
"Wo are no nearer the solution of this
mystery than wo were in the beginning , "
remarked the coroner.
"Gentlemen , I have not yet finished mystery
story , " Amabel sweetly Intimated. "Perhaps
what I lnno > et to tell may glvo you some
clue as to who this man wns. "
"Ah , > os ; go on , go on. You huvo not
yet explained how you came to bo in pos
session of Agatha's money. "
"Just BO , " sho. answered , with another
quick look at Frederick , the lust elio gave
him for some tlmo. "As boon , then , as I
dared , I ran out of the house Into the jnrd.
The moon , which had been under n cloud ,
was now shining brightly , and by Its light
I saw that the space beloro mo was empty
and that I might venture to enter the stroot.
Hut before doing so I looked about for the
dagger I had thrown from mo before going
in , but I could not find It. It had been picked
up by the fugitive and carried away.
Annoyed at the cowardice which had led mete
to lose such a. valuable plecu of evidence
through a purely womanish emotion , I was
about to UMMJ the yard when my eyes fell
011 the llttlo bundle of sandwiches , which I
had brought down from the hill and whl'h '
I had let fall under the pear tree at the llrtt
screnm I had htard from the house. U had
burst open and two or three of the Bund-
wlrheB lay broken on thu ground Hut thosu
that wore Intact I picked up and , being
moro than ever anxious to cover up by aoiuo
ostensible errand my absence from the party ,
1 I rushed away toward the lonely road where
these brothers lived , meaning to leave such
fragments as remained on the old doorstop.
beyond which I had been told such suffering
; existed.
"It was now late , very late , for a girl like
myself to "bo " out , but , under the excitement
of what I toad just seen and heard , I be
came oblivious to fear , nnd rushed Into these
dismal shadows as into transparent day
light. Perhaps the shouts nnd stray sounds
of laughter that came up from the whanes
where a ship was getting under way gave
' mo a ceitaln sense of companionship. Per-
1 hups but It is folly for TOO to dilate upon
my feelings It Is any errand you are Interested -
. terested in and what happened when 1
came up to the Zabels' dreary dwelling. "
The look with which she paused , osten
sibly to take breath , but In reality to weigh
, and criticise the looks of those about her ,
! was one of these wholly Indescribable ones
' with -which she was accustomed to contiol
the judgment of men who allowed them
selves to watch too closely the ever-chang
ing expression of her weird yet charming
face. But It fell upon men steeled against ,
her fascinations , and leallzlng her Inability
to move them , she proceeded with her story
before even the most anxious of her hear
ers could icquest her to do so.
"I bad come , " said she , "very quietly
along the road , for my feet were lightly
shod , and the moonlight was too bright
for mo to make a misstep. Hut as I cleared
the trees and came Into the open plnro
where the liouse stands I stumbled with
BiirpriBo at seeing a figure crouching on the
doorstep I had anticipated finding as empty
ns the road. It was an old man's llgure ,
nnd ns 1 paused in my embarrassment ho
slowly and with great feebleness rose to
bis feet and began to grope about for the
door. As he did so I heard n sharp tink
ling Bound , as of something metallic falling
on the doorstone , nnd , taking a quick step
forwuid , I looked over his shoulder and
saw in the moonlight at his feet a dagger
so like the one I had lately handled In
'Mrs. ' Webb's yaid that 1 was overwhelmed
with astonishment , and sur\cjed the ngod
and feeble form of th& man who had
dropped It with a sensation dllllcult to de
scribe. The next moment ho was stooping
for the 'weapon ' , with a startled air that
has Impressed Itself distinctly upon my
memory , and when , after many feeble at
tempts , ho succeeded In grasping It , ho van
ished Into the liouso ho suddenly that I
could not be sure whether bo had seen me
standing there or not.
"All this was moro than surprising to mo ,
for 1 had no > er thought of associating an old
man with this cilme. Indeed , I was so as
tonished < o llml him in possession of thin
weapon that I forgot all about my orr.uul
ami only wondered how I could sco and know
more. Fearing to bo obspned where I wns ,
I slid In amongst the tmElies nnd soon found
myself under one of the windows. The shade
was down and I was about to push It aside
when I heard some ono moving about Inside
ami stopped. Hut I could not restrain my
curiosity , PO nulling a hairpin from my
hair I woiked a llttlo hole In the shade and
through this I looked Into n room brightly
illumined by the moon which Khone In
through nn adjoining window. And what
did 1 sou there ? " Her pyo tinned on J'iod-
crlck. His rlKht hand had stolen toward his
left , but It paused under her look and re
mained motionless. "Only nn old man Bit
ting at ft table and " Why did she pause ,
and why did she cover up tlmt paiiho with
n wholly Inconsequential sentence. Perhaps
Frederick could have told. Frwlerlck , whoso
hand had now fallen nt his side. Hut Fred
erick oltinlfM-red nothing , and no OHO , not
oven Swretwuter , guessed all that lay bcyi n 1
that aud which wns left hoM'ilng In the air
to ibo finished when'1 Alas ! bad she not
set the day and the h ur
( To bi Continued ) '
Dyspepsia Cure.
Digests what you eat.
Itartlficiallydlgcsts tlio food and aids
Nature in strcnutheniny und recon
structing tha exhausted digestive or
gans. Ills the latest dibcovuicd dlKCbt-
ant and tonic. No other preparation
can approach it in clllclcncy. It in
stantly reliKveaatid puijnawntly cures
Dyspepsia , Indigestion , Heartburn ,
Flatulence , Sour Stomach , Nausea ,
Bk'lcIeaduclieGastralKiaCramp9aml
all other results of Imperfect digestion.
Prepared by C. DeWItt & Co. , Chicago.
This
ono-fonrtli otT the regular
price n all Odd Jrussor. ,
t lntTotiliM-s nml Folding
lUvK in ndditton to this
bit ; discount > Imvo u few
innplo plows \\hleh wo
will coMnt iibiiut half price
One SvU t'prinht
licit 1
with
mirror front
One $25 combination
FoldiiiK
llcii
\\anl-
robe front
One $1' Clilllbnlci
Antique c\i \
limsh
1-1\2'1 - ' glass
One $20.00 Dresser
Cm-ley
llircli
oval ( -lass
One $ ! J'2 coinhination
1'oUliiiK
Hcdi \ \ \
\varJrobe & '
desk in front
All white
Enamel Dressers
and Chiffoniers
to close out
Regardless of Cost
DR. CHARCOT'S TONIC TABLETS
rrotlioonl ) pmltliely Rimrnntcrcl leineclylcir ttio
1'rlnlvlUblt , hcnoiiBncss ami Jlelnncholy caused
bruiotiB drink
xvr.ui'.iitAvrr.L. rent itoxrs
tociiioaiiycn ewlthiiposlllerliini eiinr-
onlrr nriclimcl the money , mul lo destroy tlio
api'Ptllo ' tot Intoxicating liquors.
THE TntrTS CAN an CHVT.N WITHOUT
kMnuEnae op THE PATILNT.
STPflMR llR'iritf cmiMCMMIinTj , I overly
OltiUllU UlHIlNniiil Jtratli. Unou recBlnt
O wo will limit you four f4 ] boxis anil po l-
0 11"11"1' nlre or
Mjor.N , Dillon ! > rilir Co. , Sole
Kli ! ( mill I'lirimin. Oiiiiilin , Ni-l
SPECIALIST ,
Treats all Fornu of
DISEASES AND
DISORDERS OF
MEN ONLY.
20 YEARS EXPERIENCE
12 Years in Omaha.
Consulution Free. Bookfrcf ,
0IflcellthiFarnam Sd
Ro 7fi8. OMAHA. NEB
\ sjr . < \ j.Mttcrfiil remedy fur functional
troubles di-l.i > , j m , anJ irrcEul.irllies , is
ru rvfulty nrc irWd ! by ( he Mghat Mrjlral
Spri.ls'i. 1M eSi nl .r c > iMil < J. hlrllypll
' uttti i . r Tit free 1' I" 1 . , x 81 , f. Y
Patronize
Industries
ll > I'nrrliiiNlMK liiHiiU .tliulr al Ilin l''o | .
lonlnu : .VrliriiNl.il Faulorlc-Ni
FLOUIl MILuS.
Flour , Meal , Feed. Brnn , 1013-15-17 Kirth
17th street. Omaha. Ne . 0K > Jllav''c ,
Manager. Telephone 6S2
IKON WOHKS
DAMS A lOUdll.l. . IH % U'dUICS.
Iron nnil HriiNx | ' 'I > IIII < | ITK.
Mcnufacturura nnd I''jbers it Machinery ,
flcncral ri'p'ilrliiB " tputlalty. 100 ] , 1C03
end jr.O' JiicltH' n n'rc'i t , Omaha. Nob.
UNS13UI ) OIL.
\TcMH ) M\N" i.iN-ir.n : on , .
Maiiufaiturcra old protcus raw linseed
> | | . Kettle bolted llneccd oil , old process
ground linprou caltes , ground and umt'iinl
llaxEi'-d fr druggists OMAHA. NED
"
imKWEIUEB.
( Ml MI.A niir.wiNc ; AS.SUCIATID.N. jf
Carload shipment ! ) made in our own rt > - ff
frlnerator > cars Illue Itlbbon , iilte Kxport1
Vienna Import ami Family l x ; > urt dellv-
crcd t ) all of Ibo city
HQII.1CHB
OMAHA IIOII.CII WOHKS.
JOHN It , : . < HVHnV. I'rop.
Boiler * . Taiika und Blicet Iron Work.