The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-16
AGATHA WEBB.
Powerful New Story By
ANNA KATHARINE GREEN,
of Ieavenwoth
A Powerful New Story By
Author of ''The Leavenworth Case"

showed the struggle he was laboring
under.
TT is that girl-who has ruined him,
Sweetwater. He loves her, but he
doubts her. as who could help doing
after the story she told us day before
yesterday. Indeed, he has doubted her
ever since that fatal night, and it is
this which has broken his heart, and
not-not''-' Again the old gentleman
paused; again he recovered himself,
this time with a touch of his usual dig
nifty and self-command. Leave me,
he cried; leave us. Nothing that you
have seen has escaped me; but our in
terpretations of it may differ. 1 will
watch over my son from this hour, and
you may trust to my vigilance"
Sweetwater bowed.
You have a right to command me,
said he. You may have forgotten, but
have not, that l owe my life to you.
Years agO-perhaps you can recall it
it was at the Black Dond-L was going
down for the third time and my mother
was screaming in terror on the bank,
when you, you plunged in and Wei,
sir such things are never forgotten,
and, as ] said before, you have only TO
command me-" He turned TO go, but
suddenly came back. There We're signs
of mental conflict in his face and voice
also. Mr.. Sutherland. 1 am not
talkative man. If 1 trust your vigil
ance you may trust my discretion. Only
must have your word that you will
convey no warning to your son. That
you win not even let him see he lies
under any suspicion, least of all under
your own
Mr.. Sutherland made an indefnable
gesture, and SweetWater again dlsap-
peared, this time not to return. AS for
Mr.. Sutherland, he remained standing
before Mr.. Haverhill's door. What had
the young man meant by this emphatic
repetition of his former suggestion.
That he would be quiet, also, and not
speak of what he had that night seen?
Why, then But to the hope thus
given this honest-hearted gentleman
would yield no quarter, and, seeing Il
duty before him, a duty he dare not
shirk, he brought his emotions, violent
as they were, into complete and abso-
lutte subsection, and. opening Mr..
Halliday's door, entered the house.
They were old neighbors, and ceremony
was ignored between them
Finding the hall empty and the parlor
door open he walked Immediately into
the latter room. The sight that met
his eyes never left his memory. Agnes,
his little Agnes, whom he had always
loved and whom he had vainly longed
to cali by the endearing name oe
him, looking up at Frederick That
young gentleman had just spoken to
her, or she had just received something
from his hand for her own was held
out and her expression was one of
gratitude and acceptance She was not
beautiful girl but she had a beauti-
full look. and at this moment it was eX-
allied by a feeling the old gentleman
had once longed, but now dreaded in
fS- ny Ia 1,pr
could it mean? Why did she show in
terest, devotion, passion almost at this
especial moment of her life. when in all
the years that had gone by and when it
was the dearest wish of his heart to
see these two united, she had never
betrayed in all their intercourse any,
thing but distrust, if not an uneasy
dislike? 1t was one of the contradic-
tons of our mysterious human nature.
and at this crisis and in this moment
Of secret hearth break and miserable
doubt it made the old gentleman
shrink with his first feeling of actual
DESPAIR.
The next moment Agnes had risen
and they we're both facing him.
Good evening, Agnes"
Mir. Sutherland forced himself to
speak lightly.
All, Frederick, do I find you here?'
The latter question had more of con-
straint in it
Frederick acknowledged his fathers
greeting with a smile in which that
father was surprised to see a faint
shade of relief if not of joy. Then he
backed towards the door
Il was just leaving" said he. &" [ was
the bearer of a message to Miss Halli-
day" He had always called her Agnes
before
Mr.. Sutherland, who had found his
faculties confused by the expression he
had surprised on the young girls face,
answered with a divided attention.
And l have message to give you
Wait outside on the porch for me,
Frederick, till [ exchange word with
our little friend here
Agnes. who had thrust something she
held into box that lay beside her on
table, turned with a confused blush
10 listen.
Mr.. Sutherland waited till Frederick
had stepped into the hall. Then he
drew Agnes to one side and remorse-
lessiy, persistenuy raised her face to-
ward him till she was forced to meet
his benevolent but searching regard
DO you know" he whispered. in
what he endeavored to make a banter
ing tone how very few days it is
since that unhappy boy yonder con-
fessed his love Tor a young lady whose
name ! cannot bring myself to utter in
your presence"
The intent was kind, but the effect
was Unexpectedly cruel. With a droop
of her head and a hurried gasp which
conveyed a mixture of entreaty and re-
proach, Agnes drew back in a vague en-
deaVor to hide her suddn uneasiness.
He saw his mistake, and let his hands
drop.
Don't, my dear" he Whispered. "I
had no idea it would hurt you to hear
this. You have always seemed indiffer-
ent, even hard, toward my scapegrace
son. And this was right, for-for-
What could he say, how express one
tenth of that with which his breast was
laborinS. He could not. he dared not,
So ended, as we have intimated. by a
confused stammering.
Agnes, who had never before seen
this object of her lifelong admiration
under any serious emotion. felt an inn
pulse of remorse. as if she herself had
been guilty of occaSioning him embar-
rassment Plucking up her courage,
she wistfully eyed him.
Did you imagine" she murmured,
that needed any warning against
Frederick, who has never honored me
with his regard. as he has the Young
lady You cannot mention. I'm afraid
You do not know me. Mr.. Sutherland:
Notwithstanding 1 have sat on your
knee and sometimes plucked at your
beard in my infantile insistence upon
attention"
Il am afraid 7 don't know you" he
answered. I feel that l know nobody
now, not even my SON.
He had hoped she would look up at
this. but she did not
will my little girl think me very
curious and very impertinent if 1 ask
her what my son Frederick was say
ing to her when l came into the room ?"
She looked up now, and with visible
candor, answered him Immediately and
to the point.