The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-10-04
4 SILENT ACCUSER.

standing isolated in the midst of an or
chard, half way up the hillside and shut
in by q strip of wood which concealed it
from the village below.
The latter defect might have been
remedied bv judicious openings here and
there; but Miss Phoebe Rowell was OF
the old.fashioned conservative kind. and
often remarked that what had been
good enough for her father and grand
father was good enough for her.
Consequently she was opposed to all
changes and improvements on her farm i:
and this; in truth, had been the cause of
Stephen Greer's dismissal, who, being
of the progressive osder, could not he
brought to manage her place In the slow,
old way that she preferred.
Stephen was now working at Farmer
Lawson's, five miles up the valley, and
he hoped to De able soon to purchase a
little place of his own, and to ask Bessie
Brown, Miss Phebe's comedy, rosy
checked maid, to share his home with
him.
Whether or not Bessie would consent
was a questi n win the gossips; for.
though Stephen was goo.l-looking and
clever, the girl did not seem particular.
]y to fancy him.
some limited at a liking which was
supposed 10 have existed between Bees
sic and Miss Phoebe's nephew, an or
phan boy whom she had grudgingl,
drought up" and assisted to educate.
and who had disappointed her expec-
tations by falling into idle habits, in
stead of working steadily on the farm.
Three years ago she had given him a
little money and sent him away to seek
work for himself. charging him never to
return or write to her until he should
be- settled in some steady employment.
He had gone west. made some money,
and as his aunt heard, wasted it in un.
successful speculation. Thencefortb she
chad given him up" as she expressed
it, convinced that he would never
com. to any go"d."
But .pe bright, mild dav in early
spring, about six months after Stephen
Greer had left Hillside, a young man
stopped at the Farmers Rest tavern, a
few miles from the village, and asked
for frugal supper.
He vas poorly clad, and evidently de-
sired to pass as stranger, but one of
the stable-men recogniz-d in him the
long-absent nephew OF Miss Phoebe Ro.
we'll.
The man did not, however, betray his
knowledge and the guest, having par.
taken OF the meal he had ordered, went
on his way. replying. in an answer to q
question, that he should not pass through
the village. but would take shorter
route to the main road.
About an hour after he had left, Ste.
phen Greer come riding past. and see.
ing the landIady busted about her
hower-borders, raking thu beds and
ments' chat.
In the course Of their talk Mrs. VIM
terby mentioned their late guest. and
their suspicious of his being Robert
Steel, Miss Phoebe Rowelrs nephew.
That's not ilke,y," Stephen remarked.
carelessly: eff we were Robert Steel.
what motive could le have for wishing
to conceal it? Or why should he 20
through the neighborhood, right through
the Hillside farm, and not stop to see
his aunt?'
''Or to see Bessie!'' suggested the land.
iord, who Was standing by and not 10th
to tease Stephen little. "Folks used
to say there was more than ordinary lik-
Ing between them two; and that was ore
reason. fancy, of his aunt's sending him
away. She wasn't wiling to lose Bees
sizes services. when she knew she
Couldn't get another like her if she
searched the country round. Now I'm
lay wager the lad'il stop to see his old
sweetheart; and if you're on your way
up there, Steve, you'll have q chance
10 make his acquaintance. He's a fine-
locking young fellow, spite his shabby
Stephen flushed little, but made light
of the subject.
Early the next morning The little inn
ana the VILLAGE were in u state of great
excitement. Miss Phoebe Rowell had
been TO nd dead in bed, with marks of
fingers upon her throat; and the bureau
IN which she KEEP, her money had been
broken open and its contents abstract.d
from tar and near the people has
tened to the scene Of the tragedy. and
poor Bessie was well.nigh distracted
with the multi udiAous questions with
which she was piled.
She had but little to to tell. On the
previous day Miss Phoebe had permit
ted her to 20 to a mer.ymakinv at her
aunt's in the village, on condition of her
being back to her work by sunrise next
morning.
She had returned punctually at the
appointed time and found David Barnes.
the old man who had Stephen Greer's
place, quietly attending to his early
morning duties.
TO her surprise she observed her mis-.
tress' bedroom window raised and the
blind open, and surmising something
wrong. had gone to the window and
looked in.
She saw Miss Phoebe lying upon the
he'd as it asleep, hut no answer being re.
turned to her repeated knocks and calls
Bessie had called David and induced
hin to break open the door of the room
when they discovered the old lady to
be quite dead AMI cold.
There were tracks of a mans feet, evil
IDENTITY in mis- stockings. outside the win
dow, and a few threads Of coarse wooden
cloth appeared caught upon nail on
one side of the sash.
open, but unlocked with key, which
was left remaining in the lock, and none
OF the contents Of the drawer had been
disturbed except the money and an old
fashioned silver watch that had belonged
to Robert Steel's father.
Who the guilty party was Bessie had
not the least idea. AS to Davi.I, q sim.
pie pious oui, who had spent his whole
life in the neighborhood without a word
Of i'll heing sa 4 of him, no one ever
dreamed OF accusing him.
Among those who, OH hearing the
news, hastened to the scene Of the
crime. was the inn-ketper, Winterhy,
AMI he at once informed the magistrate
whom he found there, Of the appearance
OF Robert Steel at the hostelry and his
strange speech and behavior.
This seemed to at once clear up the
mystery Of the case, and parties were
instantly dispatched to scour the coun-
try i'll search OF the supposed culprit.
Before noon he was discovered making
for the nearest railway train, and was
brought into the village and secur ly
hand .cnffed and 10 ged in Jail. He firm
~ and indignantly protected his inno-
cence. He had returned from the West
some time since, he said. and had been
working at any chance ID that he could
get. unlli, hearing Of good employ ment
10 be had on the new railroad, he start
ed tther by route which necesa rily
led past his Old home.
ri - 4 = 80.