Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-06
CHAPTER MY.

Mr. Sutherland was right. Sweetwater did
not return with the pilot According to the
latter there was no Sweetwater on board
the ship To return. At all events the
minutest search had not succeeded in find
ing him in the cabins. though no one had
seen him leave the vessel. or. indeed, seen
him at all after his hasty dash below decks
II Was Thought ON board that ne had sue
ceedei in reaching shore before the ship set
sail. and the pilot was suitably surprised
at learning this Was NOT SO. So were Sweet
waters friends and associates with the ex-
CcpJIoH II q certain old gentleman living on
the hill and Knapp the detective. He. that
Is the latter. had his explanation at his
tongues end.
''Sweetwater is q fakir He thought he
could carry of the huHorS from the regular
force. and when h found he couldn't ne.
quietly disappeared. We shall hear Of him
again in the BraZiIS"
An opinion that speedily gained ground
So that IT Il few hours SWeetwater was all
but forgotten. save by his mother whose
heart was filled with suspense. and by Mr.
Sutherland, whose breast was burdeued by
RFautude- The amazing fact that Freder-
lex. tho village S"apegr&Ce and AmabeTs
reckless. il aristocratic. lover having been
mad" the l.gatee Of the upright Mrs
Webb : secret savings, had something 10 do
with TINS With such a topic a hand not
only the E"SSIpS, but those who had the
matter Of Agatha's murder in hand. found
ample material to occupy their thoughts
ana tongues. without wasting time over a
preSuUptuDus busy body. who had not wits
enough to know that five minutes before
sailing time IS an unfortunate moment in
which to enter ship.
And where was Sweetwater that he could
not be found on the shore or on the shin?
We viii follow him and see. Accustomed
from his youth to rarnbIe over the vessels
while in port. he knew this one as well as
he DID his mother house. 1t was there
Tore. a surprise 20 the sailors when. shortly
after the departure Of the pilot. they came
upon him lying ia the hold. half buried
under a box which had partially fallen
upon him. He was unconscious. or APP
pcased 10 be So. and when brought into
open light showed marks Of physical dis
tTess and injury, but his eye was clear and
his expression hardly as rUeful az one
would expect of man who finds himself
on route for the BraZils with barely ccu-
pie OF dollars in his pocket and every pros-
p9ct OF being obliged 10 work before the
mast 10 earn his passage Even the cap
tain noticed this and eyed him with some
suspicion But Sweetwater. r0usiug to the
necessities of the occasion. fOrthWith show
et such mixture Of encouragement and
perpiexity that the honest sailor was de-
ceived and abated half at least Of his oaths
He gave Sweetwater a hammock and ad-
nitted him 70 the mess but told him that
a. soon as his bruises allowed him to work
he should show himself on deck or expect
the rough treatment commonly bestowed
on stowaways
II was q prospect 70 daunt some men. but
not Swretwater- linked, il was no more
than he had calculated upon when he left
his little savings behind with his old
mother and entered upon this enterprise.
with only little change in his pocket. He
had undertaken, out Of love and gratitude
for Mr.. Sutherland. TO rid Frederick Of a
dangerous witness. and he felt able to COM
plete the sacrifice More than that. ne was
even strangely happy for time. The Ella
ton Of the willing VICTIM was his that is
for few short hours nov he
think Of his mother. How had she borne
his sudden departure2 VIVA would she
think had bafaIleu him. and how long would
he have 10 wait before he COu,l send her
word Of his safety? II he was to be of real
service TO the man ne veuerateI he mus,
he lost long enough for the public mind "a
have become settled in regard to the rnvs.
teries of the Webb murder and for his own
bO2stful connection with il to be forgotten.
This might mean years Of exile. H. rather
thought it did: meanwhile his mother, OF
himself he thought little
BY shutdown he felt himself sufficiently
recovered from his business to 90 M
on deck. 1t was a mild night and
the sea was running in smoothly, long
waves that as yet but family pres
aged the storm brewing In the distant hori.
ION As he inhaled the fresh air the JOY
O renewed health began 10 infuse its life
into his veins and lift the oppression from
his heart and glad for few minutes OF
qulet enjoyment. h withdrew to a solitary
portion OF the deck and allowed himself 4
forget his troubles in contemplation of III,
rapidly deepening sky and boundless stretch
OF waters
But such griefs and anxieties as welghet