Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-07-09

You should have heard what he
said about you at the inquest, papa"
Prof. Drummond smiled grimly.
Il wasn't present, my dear, but 1
have heard about the testimony. As
understand 1T, DIR. Williams spoke
nothing but the truth
HE might have left out some OF 1t.
He didn't need TO make everything just
as bad for you as he could"
Louise was gaining courage. The in
quest seemed to offer so ready an ave
nue. of escape from the situation in
which her father sought to place her.
lis that all. L0u?" asked tlS pro-
fessor. with his best assumption of
fatheriy kindness. He dared not hint
70 his daughter what he had inferred
to be the fact, that DR.. Williams in
his testimony. had told only what Ire
had been compelled to tell, and that he
was generally regarded as an unwill-
ing witness who had unfortunately es-
capped a severe cross-examination. The
professor had heard the story of the
inquest from Squire Taylor. who he
had blandly called upon 10 ask about
it. He had also picked up not a little
suggestive information here and there
IFOHl NllluSeIS Win NuoIh Hc hat
passed the time of day, and from that
ready conversatfonalist. Mr.. Philbrick.
Prof. Drummond had made a point
of making a semi-confidante OF Phil
brick.
"It's so hard, you know. Philbriek,"
he had said, TO get a clear statement
from country people"
And Mr.. Philbrick, with his happiest
smiles, had related the salient features
of the inquest, dwelling with generous
emphasis upon the coolness and ZAP
parent cando'r' with which the doctor
had given his testimony.
There's no use Disgusting the fact.
professor said Philbrick, that q good
many Of these yokels were dreaming
evil dreams about you, and they ex-
pected a good deal from the doctor. 1t
put him in a hard position, born and
brought up here as he was. and sensi-
tive about his professional standing,
don't you know. 1t might have been n
fine feather in his cap TO present things
in such a light as apparently TO justify
suspicion, but happen to know that
from tine beginning the doctor has
been very c~lear-headed about the
! whole matter. He has been deter
mined that no stupid misconception of
the facts should be fostered by any
words from him. He did remarkably
well. professor. 1t was something like
a lawyer refusing a fee in order to dis.
courage senseless litigation"
Perhaps the genial Mr.. Philbrick
would not have been quite so generous
In discussing his rival IL it had not
been that his watchful eyes had taken
in that brief, incipient scene between
Louise and the doctor in the court
room. Seeing it, his intelligence would
have been shamed had he not under
stood 1t. He could afford to be gener
Gus, therefore. with his rival hope.
lessly misinterpreted.
Prof. Drummond started for home
after this conversation, satisfied OF
two things: it was not Philbrick who
had removed the brass switch from
the table leg, and DIR. Williams must
be powerfully affected by some extra
enous impulse not TO reveal what he
new and sIrmised about the tragedy
The professor was not wholly certain
that it was not Amelia who had re
moved the switch, and Ii was clear
enough for his purposes that the doc
tor knew more than he had told, anC
surmised more than he knew.
SO, when the professor asked Louise
If the doctors apparent hostility I,
him was the only cause for her rejec
ton of the doctors proposal, he wa,
confident that he would be able Il
smooth away that objection withou
compromising himself. for Louise haC
never been disobedient, and contidenc,
In her father had been n of her hes
traits. He was, therefore, surprise,
aud just a little dismayed when slit
shook her head.
Tell me, Lou" he said, after a mo
ment, lis ii another attraction"
Her downcast eyes answered him
1t meant Philbrick, of course. I'll
professor was disappointed. and We
he quickly reasoned, 1t might not b
sc bad. The doctor was publicly com
mitted to a belief in the suicide the
ory. True, he had not unmistakabl
advocated that theory, hut the publ.
had accepted that as his explanation
OF the tragedy: he could not well q D
date his course In not throwing al
light possible on X In the start.
Then. there was Philbrick. Little a
the professor had Q OF him. til