Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22

to make this night of nights memorable
through all this region. He did know, and
this cry which had struck SWeetWater
strangely at the time. and still more
strangely when he regarded it simply as a
COINCIDENCE now took on all the force of
revelation and the irresistible bubbiue IN
IN Frederick 5 breast of that remorse which
had just found its full expression on Aga
thas grave.
To some that remorse and all his other
signs OF suffering might be explained by
his passion for the real criminal But to
SWeetWater it was only too evident that
an egotist like Frederick Sutherland cannot
suffer for another to such an extent as
this, and that a personal explanation must
be given for so personal a grief, even If
that explanation involves the dreadful
charge of murder.
1t was when SWeetwater reached this
point in his reasoning that Frederick dis
appeared beneath Mr.. Holidays porch and
Nr. sutherland came up behind him. After
the short conversation in which Sweetwater
saw his own doubts more than reflected in
the uneasy consciousness of this stricken
rather, he went home and the struggle of
his life began.
CHAPTER XXI.
SWeetwater had promised MIR. Sutherland
that he would keep counsel In regard to
his present convictions concerning Fred
ericks guilt: but this he knew he could not
do if he remained in Sutherandtown and
Courtney, the shrewd and able prosecuting
attorney of the district. He was too young,
too honest, and had made himself too con,
Splcuous in this affair to succeed in an nm
dertaklng requiring so much Discrimination.
II not actual falsehood Indeed he was moi
sure that in his present state of mind he
could hear Frederick name mentioned
without flushing, and slight as such a hint
might be, it would be enough to direct at
tention TO Frederick, which once done couId
no. a.,
grace to all who bore the name of Suther-
land.
What was he to do then? How avoid a
consequence he found himself ahsolutelIy
unable to face? 1t was a problem which
tins night must solve for him. But how?
AS have said, he went down TO his house
to think.
Sweetwater was not a man of absolute
recutude. He was not 80 much niab
minded as large-hearted. He had, besides
certain foibles In the first place he was
vain and vanity In very plain man is all
the more acute since it centers in his cana
blitieS, rather than in his appea rance lad
SWeetWater been handsome, or even passa-
biy attractive, he might have been satisfied
with the appreciation of tenure maidens
1ilu cofnradeship with mis- fellows But
Delng one who could hope for nothing of
this kind, not even for decent return To
the unreaSoning heart worship he felt him
ser capable OF paying, and which he had
once paid for a few short days till warned
OF his presumption by the insolence of the
recipient, he had fixed his hope and his am
bltlon on doing something which would
arouse the admiration of those about him.
ana bring him into that prominence ia
which he felt himself entitled. That he a
skiilrul musician, should desire to be known
as brilliant detective is only one of the
anomalies of human nature which it would
be folly and a waste of time GU our ma RI To
endeavor to explain. That, having cnnsen
to exercise his wits In this way, he should
so we'll succeed that he dared not, for his
lie, continue In the work he had so nuh
licly undertaken occasioned in him nang
OF disappointment almost as insufferable ss
that brought by the realization of what his
efforts We're likely to bring upon the man
to whose benevoence he owed his very life
Hence his struggle, which must be meas
ured by the extent of his desires and the
limitations which had been set to his ma
ture by his surroundings and the circum
stances of his life and daily history
II we enter with him into the humble cot
tage where he was born and from which
he had hardly strayed more than a dozen
miles in the twenty-five years of his cir
cumscribed life, we may be able to I'M
derstand him better.
1t was an implanted house perched on an
arid hillside, with nothing before it but the
limitless sea. He had found his wav TO II
mechanically, but as he approached the
narrow doorway he paused and turned
his face toward the stretch of heaving wat
ers, whose low or loud booming had been
nrst his cradle song, and then the ceaseless
accompaniment of his later thoughts and
aspirations. It was heaving yet ceaseless-
ly heaving, and in its loud complaint there
was sound of moaning not always to be
found there, or SO it seemed to Sweetwater
in his present troubled mood.
Signing as this sound reached his ear
and shuddering as its meaning touched his
heart Sweetwater pushed open the door of
his small house and entered.
1t Is /, mamsier he shouted in what
meant hIyt