Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-02
CHAPTER XVIII.

Frederick rose early. He had slept but
little. The words he had overheard at the
end of the lot the night before were still
ringing in his ears. Going down the back
stairs, in his anxiety to avoid Amabel he
came upon one of the stable men.
Been to the village this morning." he
asked.
mo, sir; but Lem has. There's great
news there. l wonder If any one has told
Mr.. Sutherland"
What news, Jake? I don't think my
father is up yet"
why, sir, there were two more deaths
in town last night-the brothers label, and
folks do say QLem heard it a dozen times
between the grocery and the fish marken
that it was one Of these old men who killed
Mr.. Webb. The dagger has been found in
their house, and most of the money. Why
sir. what's the matter? Are you sck?"
Frederick made an effort and stood up
right. He had nearly fallen.
mo; that is, l am not quite myself. So
many horrors, Jake What did they die Of?
You say they are both dead, both?"
YES sir, and it's dreadful to think of,
but it was hunger, sir. Bread came too late.
Both men are mere skeletons to look at.
They have kept themselves close for weeks
now, and nobody knew how bad off they
We're. 1 don't wonder it upset you, sir. We
all feel 1t bit, and ! just dread to tell Mr..
Sutherland"
Frederick staggered away. He had nevei
in his life been so near mental and physical
collapse. At the threshold of the sitting
room door he met his father Mr.. Suther-
land was looking both troubled and anxious;
more so, Frederick thought, than when hs
signed the check for him on the previous
night. AS their eyes met both showed en-
barrassment, but Frederick, whose nerves
had been highly strung up by what he had
Just heard, soon controlled himself and sur
veying his father with forced calmness, be-
gan:
This Is dreadful news, sir"
But his father, intent on his own thoughts,
hurriedly interrupted him.
You told me yesterday that everything
was broken off between you and Miss Page
Yet l saw you re-enter the house together
last night little while after l gave you the
money you asked for"
II know, and it must have had bad ap-
pearance l entreat you, however, to be-
lieye that this meeting between Miss Page
and myself was against my wish and that
the relations between US have not been
affected by anything that passed be-
tween u.s."
II am glad to hear it, my son. You could
not do worse by yourself than to return to
your old devotion"
II agree with you, sir And then, because
he could not help it, Frederick inquired If he
had heard the news.
Mr.. Sutherland, evidently startled asked
what news, to which Frederick replied:
''The news about the Zabels. They are
both dead, sir, dead from hunger. Can you
imagine it?"
This was something so different from what
his father had expected to hear that he did
not take 1t in at first When he did his
surprise and grief We're even greater than
Frederick had anticipated. Seeing him sc
affected, Frederick, who thought that the
whole truth would be no harder to bear thar
the half, added the suspicion which haC
been attached to the younger ones name
and then stood back, scarcely daring to bt
n witness TO the outraged feelings which
such a communication could not fail tc
awaken in one of his fathers temperament
But though he thus escaped the shocked
look which crossed his fathers countenance
ho could not fail to hear the indignant ex.
clamatiOn which burst from his lips nor hell
perceying that 1t would take more thar
the most complete circumstantial evdenc,
to convince his father OF the guilt of men h,
had known and respected for so many years
For some reason Frederick experienced
great relief at this, and was bracing him
self TO meet the fire OF questions which hi
statement must necessarily call forth, wheI
the sound OF approaching steps drew the at