Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-19

parted and only the musicians remained.
As they filed out through the ample door
way, with their instruments under their
arms, the first faint streak OF early dawn
became visible In the east. one OF them, a
lank. plain featured young man Of IN
calmly aspect, but penetrating eye, called
the attention Of the others TO IT,.
Look said he; there Is the daylight,
This has been a gay night for Sutherland
town"
Too gay" muttered another. starting
aside, as the slight figure Of a young man
coming from the house behind them rushed
hastily by. Why. who's that?'
As they one and all had recognized the
person thus alluded TO. no one answered till
be hal dashed out OF the gate and disap-
pesred IN the woods on the other side Of
the road. Then they all spoke at once.
IT'S Mr.. Frederick
He seems in a desperate hurry"
He trOd on my toes
n you hear the words be was NUT
tering as be went by2'
As only the last question was calculated
TO arouse any interest. it alone received at
tention.
mo what were they? I herd him say
something, but ! did not catch the words
He wasn't talking to you or me, either;
but 1 have ears that can hear an eye wink.
He said: Thank God, this terrible night
is overi' Think of that, After such a dance
and such a spread, he calls this night ter
rible and thanks God that it is over. I
thought he was one to enjoy this kind OF
thing more than most folks
so did l."
The five musicians exchanged looks, then
huddled in a group at the gate.
He has quarreled with his sweetheart"
suggested one.
TN not surprised al that" declared an
other. Il never thought it would be a
match"
shame II t were!' muttered the u~ngainly
youth who had spoken first.
AS the subject of this comment was the
son Of the gentleman whose house they were
Just leaving, they necessarily spoke low;
but their tones were rife with curiosity, and
It was evident that the topic deeply in
terested them. One Of the five who had not
previously spoken now put in a word.
Il saw him when he first led out Miss
Page to dance. and I saw him again when
he stood up opposite her in the last
quadrille, and I tell you, boys, there was a
mighty deal OF difference in the way he
looked al her the last time from what he
did the first. You wouldn't have thought
him the same man. Reckless young fellows
like hin are not to be caught by dimples
only. They want cash
vi A4AAiN a AEoSAT II NV AHSA Z Il
But what a pretty girl she Isl Some fellow
as rich as he and as well connected would
be satisfied with her good looks alone"
Good looks" High scorn was observa-
be in this exclamation. which was made by
the young man who / have before charac-
terized as ungainly. Il refuse to acknow-
ledge that she has any good looks On the
contrary. / consider her plain"
20, o." burst in protest from more than
- -N,4A sNh-5 --hv zan gkn ha,a vnr
fellow in the room dangling after her. them"
asked the player on the yellow fageolet
But she hasn't a regular feature"
'What difference does that make when it
ISN'T her features you notice, but herself"
II don't IKE her"
A laugh followed thisI
That won't bother her, S~weetwater,
Sutherland does, II you don't, and that's
much more TO the point. And he'll marry
her yet; he can't help it. Why, she'd witch
the devil into leading her to the altar II she
took a notion to have him for her bride
groom"
There would be consistency in that"
murtered the fellow just addressed. But,
Mr. Frederick
Hush, There's some one on the door
step. Why, It's she!'
They all glanced back. The graceful
figure Of a young girl dressed in white was
10 Dt seen ltdI4uE AbNdIA AltLn 4IOA Llt
open doorway. Behind her shone a blaze
Of light-the candles not having been yet
extinguished in the hall-and against this
brilliant background her slight form. with
all its bewitching outlines, stood out in
plain relief. There was an anxious bend TO
Il. however, which none OF them had ever
observed in IL before.
Who WIS that ," she began in a high,
almost strident voice, totally out Of keeping
with the sensuous curves Of her strange,
sweet face. But the question remained in
complete as well as unanswered, for at that
moment her attention, as we'll as that OF the
men lingering at the gate, was attracted
by the sound OF hurrying feet and con-
fused cries coming up the hill.
Murder, murder" was the word painted
out by more than one harsh voice; and in
another instant a dozen men and boys came
rushing into sight in a state OF such ex-
element that the five musicians reeoiled
from the gate, and one OF them went so
far as TO start back toward the house. As
he did so he noticed a curious thing. The
young woman whom they had all perceived
standing in The door a moment before had
vanished, yet she was known 10 profess the
keenest curiosity Of any one in town.
Murder, murder" A terrible and IN
precedented cry in this old, God-fearing
town. They came in hoErse explanation
from the Josllng group as they stopped at
the gate; Mrs. Webb has been killed!
Stabbed with a knife! Tell Mr.. suther-
land"
Mrs. Webb,
AS the musicians heard this name. so
honored and so universally beloved, they
10 a man uttered a cry. Mrs. Webb, Why,
it was impossible. Shouting in their turn
for Mr.. Sutherland, they all crowded for
ward.
Not Mrs, Webb" they protested. Who
could have the daring or the heart 10 kill
her." God knows answered a voice from
the highway. But she's dead-We've just
seen her."
Then it's the old mans work" quavered
q piping voice we'll known as that OF the
village shoemakers. I've always said he