Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-09-30

usweefoearf, Bessie, was 100 Nrong 70
resist.
In the early dusk he had passed
througa the orchard, but to his dis
may, encountered his aunt instead of
Bessie
On hearing bis account OF himself
she had been kinder than he antici-
pated; had given him good supper,
and, as it was important that he
should reach his destination In time.
had gone into her bedroom, whsn e
she returned with . new five dollar
bill. TO help him on his way, and his
| fathers silver watch, which she said
| might DOW be of use TO him.
She had not asked him TO remain
all night: probably she feared bis
meeting with Bessie in the morning;
and, II being q moonlight night. he
had resumed bis journey, sleeping
awhile in the shed Of wayside black
smiths forge.
This was the account he gave of
himself, Ia explanst on Of his posses
sion of the watch, which latter Bessie
reluctantly identified
Only one person believed him. and
that was Bessie herself The rest of
the stolen money. people said, he
must have concealed somewhere on
| the road.
1t Was remembered that he knew
of the secret place where his aunt
wss accustomed to keep the key of
her secretary, which accounted for
its being unlocked instead of broken
open.
To strengthen the circumstantial
evidence sgainst him. his footprints
were Just the size of those found be-
meath the window, while the woOllen
threads found upon the nail were
pronounced by half Q dozen self
constituted judges 10 correspond with
various dilapidated portions of his
garments.
But the mo conclusive evidence
against him was that OF Stephen
Greer, who declared that having re-
NAMED at the village inn till past
nine o'clock on the evening in ques.
ton. be had then started for home,
when he had seen q man coming
hastily down through Miss Phoebe
Rowel's orchard from the direction
Of the house. He had a good view
Of him in the moonlight, and could
take Oath that Robert Steel was the
| man; and, further. that he had in his
hand small bundle not found upon
when arrested; and that on seeing
HIM he skulked in the bushes. apps-
rently endeav0rinR TO conceal himself
1.-TWO cir umstances which Robert
positively denied.
II was in the early April that this
tragical event occurred at the Hill
side farm. and the trial of Robert
Steel would not come off for some
months.
Meanwhile the little red farm. house
was desei ted except by David Barnes,
who retained charge of the place; for
Bessie had gone to live with her aunt
ID the village. She had not visited
the Hillside farm for many weeks
since that tragical event, which had
given II an evil name In the country.
But one day neighbOr, having some
business with David Barnes. induced
Bessie to accompany Der back to her
old home.
| The place was bleak and bare when
she left l. In April; but she now found
Il Ia all the luxurianc Of early sum-
mer; the trees 10 full foliage, Miss
PhGbe's favorite roses aud pinks In
bloom. and the garden walks and
fiower-beds choked up with grass and
| weeds.
Beneath the wi dow by which the
burglar had entered had sprung up
quite little wilderness of weeds.
Bessie's companion approached this
spot, In order To get . glimpse of the
room within. At the same moment
strong spicy odor arose from the
trampled weeds beneath the fatal
window.
Why, Bessie" said she, in sur
prise, II didn't know rs you had
sweet alyssum here"
Is that sweet alyssum?" Bessie
answered indifierently, looking down
u the delicate little plant 81 don't
know how II Came here; ! never saw
Il before"
That's odd. never knew of a
bit Of sweet alyssum Ia this neigh
b0rhood except what Mrs Winterby
brought from her sisters last spring.
Mebbe she gave Miss Phqbe some OF
the seeds. Al any rate, I'll take
away q sprout. Dear. dear, what
lot OF EN- there is springing up
among the grass! And here's one
growing In the moss and dirt Ia the
corner OF the window sill! The
wind must hs' bl.wn 'em here, I'm
thinking"
/ Bessie made no reply. and she was
unusually silent on their way home.
The Circumstance had set her think.
ing. She know that Mas PhUbe had
never had any seed Of sweet alyssam.
How, then. came Il 70 be growing on
the placer From the scattered man.
ner In which Il grew, the seeds must
have been dropped accidentally, and
on the sill Of that very window by
which the burglar had entered the
house. She knew. she felt In her In
most heart, that Robert Steel had
never crossed that window-sill. Who.
then. had left that mysterious trace
TO rise up In silent accusation against
himy
| Restless and agitated, Bessie slept
none that night. The next morning,
before the sun was fairly risen, found
her on her way TO the Farmers Rest.
Il was distance of some i've or more
miles. yet she thought not of fatigue
~ she steadily tramped along the
lonely road through the increasing
heat She had invented q trifiing
business errand to Mrs. Winterby.
and. having dispatched this, she
adroitly turned the subject to the
garden, Of which she knew the land.
lady 70 Be % proud. OF course she
was invited TO see Il. and IL was not
long ere she deserted the plot Of sweet
alyssum Of which she had heard.
"ThAt's the only sweet alyssum In
this part Of the country Mira Win
terby observed, proudly. Elisa very
skcerse yarb and powerful sweet
smelling. l dare say you never saw
any of Il before, Bessie."