Evening star., 1899-03-25
CHAPTER WI.

hNA Nv
The lantern gone. the room resumed its
former appearance.
Abel. who had been much struck by
Sweetwater's mysterious maneuvers. drew
near DR.. Talbot and whispered in his ear:
We might have done without that fellow
from Boston,
To which the coroner replied:
Perhaps SO, and perhaps not. Sweet
water has not yet proved his case; let us
wait till he explains himself" Then turn
ing TO the constable. he showed him an old
fashioned miniature. which he had found
lying on James breast when he made his
first examination. 1t was set with pearls
and backed with gold. and was worth many
meals. for the lack of which its devoted
owner had perished
Agatha Webb's portrait" explained Tall
bot. cor rather Agatha Gilchrist's: for I
presume this was painted when she and
James were lovers
She was certainly beauty" commented
Fenton. as he bent over the miniature in
the moonlight. 4 do not wonder she
queened it over the whole country"
He must have worn il where / found il
Tor the last forty years. unused the d d1ctcr
And Yet men say that love Is a festing
passion Well. after coming upon this
proof Of devotion l find il impossible to be-
iieve James ZaheI accountable for her
death Sweetwater's instinct was truer
than KnaDp's
''Or ours muttered Fentou.
THHtl~men. interpoSed Abel pointing TO
a bright spot that Just then made irs an
pearaHce in the dark outline of the shade
before alluded 20. do You see that boia9
II was the sight Of thar prick in the shade
WhIcA sent Swectwlter outside looking for
footprints See, Now his eve Is 20 it' (as
IN M orlsht spot became suddenly eclipsed
We are under examination. sirs and the
next thing we Will hear is that he's not the
only person who's been peering into IN
room through that hole
He was 50 far right that the frs. words
OF Sweetwater on his re-entrauce were:
1t : all O. h. sirS- ! have found nv rniss-
Ing clue. James Zab-I was NOT rTa oyiy
person Who came w here from the yYAbb
cottage last night And turning TO Knann
VINO was losing srme Of his superciIi6us
manner. ne asked. with significant empha-
Sis; II OF the full amount stolen from
Agatha Webb you found $50 in the rossas-
sion Of one man and $3.50 in the possessior
"t another, upon which of he two would
You hA a. the probable murderer Of this
good woman?''
Upon him who held the lions share og
Course" '''''e' u
Very good: then it is not IN this cottage
yHi VIII sind the I, rsou NEST wanted
f"u mus; look But there first let me
give you ! glimpse Of the money. Is there
any on" here Re-. to acccrlT,anv me in
S''.Tch of II? ! shall have t. take him a
quarter of mile further UP hill
1"u have seen the money? You know
here it is?" asked Dr. Talbot and Mr.
Feut"n in one breath
Gentlemen, ] can put my hand on It in
r.- minutes "
AZ this unexpected and somewhat star
Ting statement Knapp looked ct DR.. Taibor
ami Dr. Talbot looked at the corstahTa
hut only the latter spoke
lhat Is saving a good deal. Put no
matter ! am willing To credit the asser-
ton. Lead on. Sweetwater; III 90 with
Sweetwater seemed 10 grow an inch AT
least. and DR. Taibp; 90 he suggested
Sui the coroner's duty held him TO this
house of death and he decided no, 10 ac
ccmpany them Knarp and Abel. however
yielded z" the curiosity which had baan
49, u>-'i by these extraordinary promises
and soon these four started on their small
expedition up the hill
Sweet water headed the r,r,c,,.,;~,,, II
had admoHiShed silence and his vs., =,
1L-S regard was So we'll carried ont tbat
-IeE looked more Ike group Of specters
moving up 'he 'no"n-liEhted road than a
party of eager and impatient men %nt
TIL they turned into the main thnro,,eb
fare dii any one speak. Then Abel conId
TO longer restrain himself and he cried
out
We are going 70 Mr.. SutherI,,I.-.,
ltut Sveetwater quickly undrcrivrd HIM
~. said he. only INTO the woods op-
HU~Itc his house
Eu; al this Mr.. Feuton drew him back.
'tTe yon sure Of yourself" he said
"Hitr" You really seen this money and IL
II concealed In this forest?"
" have seen the money" Sweetwater
,o'erInIy declared ''and It is hidden IN
these woods"
Nr- Fen'on Dropped his arm. and they
moved on Ill their way was blocked by
taa huge trunk OF a fallen tree
II Is mere We are "a look" cried Sweet
N"ier. pausing and motioning Knapp to
Urn his lantern on the spot where the
shadows lay tlickus- '.Noy what do Won
Sec ne asked
The upturned roots OF great tree "
said Mr.. Fenton
And under thCm?"
a hole, or. rather the e,,+r,r.a IN ono -
Very good: the money is in that hole
Pull IL out. Mr.. FrHtor."
The assurance with which Svaetu-atar
spoke was such that Mr. Fentop nj once
stopped and plunged his hand into the
hole But when, after a hurried search he
drew II out again there was nothing in
It. his hand was empty. Syyeetwater
stared AT that hand amazed
Don't you find anything" he asked
Isn't there roll OF bills in that hole?'
No. was the gloomy answer after a
reEevcd attempt and second disann|,i,ta
Tn"nt. There is nothing 10 be found here
You are lab0rins under some rnisaprre
heUsiun. Sweetwat-r."
But I can't he. l saw the money. san,
II in the hand OF the person who btJ e.
there Let me look for it, constable, 7 viii
not give up the search till | have turned
the place tOpsy-turyy.''
kneeling down in Mr. FentOn's place ba
thrust his hand into the hole. On either