The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
XXI.

ithflCh Ahl.
s~vEETwATER.
And what OF Sweetwater. In whose thoughts
and actions the interest now centres?
When he left Mr.. Sutherland it was with feel
ING, such as few who knew him supposed him
capable OF experiencing. Unattractive as he
was in every way, ungainly In figure and I'M
nrepossessing Of countenance. this butt OF the
more favored youth in town had a heart
whose secret fres were all the warmer for be-
ing 80 persistently covered. and this heart was
vrung with trouble and heavy with a struggle
that pads fair to leave him without rest that
night, Il not for many nights. Why? Ono word
will explain. Unknown to the world at large
and almost unknown to himself. his best az
isctions were fxed.upon the man whose hap
ptness be thus UNEXPECTEDLY saw himself des-
tined to destroy. He loved Mr.. Sutherland.
The suspicion which he now found trans
tsrred in his own mind from the young girl.
whose blood stained slippers he had purloined
during the excitement OF tho first alarm. to the
unprincipled but only son OF his one benefac-
tor. had not been lightly en- braced or thought
lsssly expressed. He had had time to think 1t
out III all its bearings. During that long walk
from Portchester churchyard to Mr.. Halliday's
door, he had been turning over in his mind
everything that he had heard and seen in con-
nection with this matter. till the dim vision OF
Frederick's figure going on before him was
not more apparent to his sight than was the
rullt he SO deplored to his inward understand
ing.
He could not help hut recognize him as the
active party In the crime he had hitherto con-
ddered Amabel as being solely guilty OF. With
the clue offered by Frederick's secret anguish
Ithe grave Of Agatha. he could read the whole
story Of this detestable crime as plainly as If
II had been written in letters of FIRE on the cir
Gle oithe surrounding darkness. Such anguish
under such circumstances on the part OF such
Aman could mean but on thing. re- morse: and
renorse in the breast Of one 30 proverbially
careless and corrupt. over the death OF a wo-
man who was no loss to himself could have but
one Interpretation. and that was guilt.
No other explanation was possible. Could
one be given or IL any evidence co.ll be adduced
In contradiction OF this assumption. he would
have dismissed hls new. suspicion with more
~hsartiness even than he had embrace ! his for
ner one. He did not wish to believe FEEDER
ok guilty. lie wo%ll have purchased an in
ner CONVICTION vt Ii : Innocence almost at the
Price Of his own lie, not because OF any latent
interest In the Young man himself. but be-
cause he was Charles Sutherland's son and
'N NSAh' - uA COIllc vi OIL tiuI hOtlp
mans hopes, aims and happiness. But he
could come upon no fact capable OF SHAKING
The belief which had seized upon him. TAX
lnstor truth Amabel's account OF what she had
seen and done on that fatal night-something
winch he hal hesitated over the previous day.
but which he now found himself forced to ac-
eept or do violence to his own secret convic-
Nons-and adding to it such facts as had como
"hls own knowledge In his self-imposed role
U detective. he had bat to test the events OF
uat night as thus completed by his present
WeoTy Of Frederick's guilt to find them hang
W2eshes In a wcy too complete for mistake.
TOY what had been his reasons for cha rginG
Amaoel herself with the guilt OF a crime she
pfo'essed to have been a par; ial witness to?
There were man.
flTst-The forced nature Of her explana-
tons In regard to her motive for leaving a
merry oall and betaking herself 20 the mid
hKh' road in her party dress and slippers. A
woman OF her w~ell-known unsympathetic ma
'Ne might use the misery Of tho labels as a
"ete1t for SLIPPING into town at night. but
Hee' would he intiusnced by It as a motive.
eecohd-The equally unsatisfactory nature
o. ue reasons she gave for leaving the course
's mad marked out for herself and enterin c
Sp0a Inc pursuit OF an unknown man into n
MUSE IN which she had no personal interest
sua from which she had lust seen a bloody
uaKRer thrown out. Thv most callors OF
''men would have shrunk from letting her
'TostV carry her thus far.
+hird-The poverty OF her plea. that atter
"s'nK nraVei SO much in her desire to iden-
"'tnls criminal. she was so frightened at his
."a' approa n as to fail to lift her head when
him,
tourth-Her professed inability to account
~, The presence OF the orchid from her hair
',aS found In the room with Batsy.
tHtn-Her evident attempt to throw the
'.us 81 the crime on an cd man. evidently in
Sso!e from physical causes OF committing it
"1'h-lhe improbability. which she herSell
."ouo nave recognized. OF this old man. in his
t"e"eS weak condition. ignoring tho hiding
= -ee oHered by the woods back OF his OWE
"Ose' 'or The sake OF one not only involving
"us walk. but situated close TO a much-fre'
tented road. and almost in view Of the Suth'
stand mansion.
S',enth-Ihc transparent eHcus OF sympa'
~ lot and desire to save the old man from
s consequences of his crime. which she OF
VIC IN e&tenuation NJ her own crimina
N. w" "S OF having first found and then reburiec
"'gotten gains she had comS upon In he
S"s"SSeht pursuit OF tho flying criminal. Sc
hNW'Se''e an act might be consistent with tn,
compassion Of some weak headed but
l,.Ahearted woman, but not with her self
Inv rSesteq nature. incapable OF performing
" neso't deed save from personal motives OF
most headlong passion,
Ia re SayS1 weakness Of her 81 EXPLANATION
into tfS a 70 The causes which led her to pee
he rne label cottage through a hole made il
ID uEow shade, Curiosity has its limits ever
~ nr una breast. and unless she hoped L
va h ~. IMAM her words indicated her action
Into a y tne precursor OF a personal entrance
~ the s2U bill was LETT.
teoSyee nthk record and sufficient to favor tn,
eennjIn y het personal guilt II after duo though
don n ~ iaotl In contradiction to this assump
SSn ~ not offered themselves to his min'
NH WeIore he thought OF Frederick as TIL
Eds. AZ : man she had followed Town the hill
Ries, Tor instance:
tdSSssssss1%1 II Oonpittsd by her, was don,