Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-09

J still in the presence of men so greatly his
superors, he could not resist saying:
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
should never have attributed any such
motive as you mention to the young girl
saw leaving this spot with many back
ward look at the hole from which We after
ward extracted the large sum of money in
question. But say that this reburying Of
stolen funds was out of consideration for
the feeble old man you describe as having
carried them there do you not see that by
| this act you can be held as an accessory
after the fact?"
Her eyebrows went up and the delicate
curve of her lips was not without menace
as she said:
"You hate me, Mr.. Sweetwater. Do you
wish me to tell these gentlemen why?"
The flush which, Notwithstanding this
| peculiar young mans nerve, instantly Grim
soned his features was a surprise to Fred
| erlck SO was 1t to the others, who saw in
| it possible hint as to the real cause OF his
persistent pursuit of this young girl which
| they had hitherto ascribed entirely to his
I love of justice. Sighted love makes some
hearts venomous. Could this ungainly fell
| low have once loved this bewitchng piece
of unreliabilty and suffered from her dis
! dain?
1t was very possible assumption, though
! Sweetwater's blush was the only answer he
| gave to her question, which nevertheless
| had amply served its turn.
| To fill the gap made by his silence Mr.
! Sutherland made an effort and addressed
| her himself
| Your conduct" said he, "has not been
that of a strictly honorable person. Why
did you fail to give the alarm when you
| re-entered my house after being witness to
this double tragedy"
Her serenity was not to be disturbed.
81 have just explained" she reminded
him, that l had sympathy for the
| criminal"
1--WE all have sympathy for James label,
| but"
"I do not believe one word of this story"
! nterposed Sweetwater, in reckless diere-
gard OF the proprieties. "a hungry, feeble
old man like label, on the verge Of death,
could not have found his way up into these
woods as you say. You carried that money
there yourself miss; you are the"
| "Hush!" interposed the coroner author
| itatiyely; "do not let us go too fast-yet.
Miss Page has an air of speaking the truth,
strange and unaccountable as it may seem.
| label was an admirable man once and If he
was led into theft and murder 1t was not
until his faculties had been weakened by mis-
! own suffering and that of his much loved
| brother"
THANK you" was her simple reply, and
! for the first time every man there thrilled
at her tone. Seeing it, all the dangerous
fascination of her look and manner returned
upon her with double force. Il nave been
unwise," said she, "and let my s-mnathy
run away with my judgment. Women have
| impulses of this kind sometimes, and men
blame them for it, till they themselves
come to the point of feeling the need of just
such blind devotion. l am sure l regret my
short -sightedness now, for l have lost es-
TEEN by it, while he" With wave Of
the hand she dismissed the subject, and DR..
Talbot, watching her, felt shade Of his
distrust leave him, and in its place a species
of admiration for the 1.-THE, graceful, be-
! witching personality before them, with her
! childish impulses and womanly wit which
half mystifed and half imposed upon them.
! Mr.. Sutherland, on the contrary was
neither charmed from his antagonsm nor
convinced of her honesty. There was some
thing in this matter that could not be eX-
planned away by her argument, and his
suspicion Of that something he felt perfectly
| sure was shared by his son, toward whose
cold, set face he had frequently cast the
most uneasy glances. He was not ready,
however, to probe into the subject more
deeply, nor could he, for the sake of Fred
erlck, urge on to any further confession a
| young woman whom his unhappy son pro-
! fessed to love- and in whose discretion he
had 50 little confidence As for Sweetwater,
he had now fully recovered himself, ana
bore himself with great discretion when DR..
Talbot finally said:
"Well, gentlemen, we have got more than
we expected when we came here this morn
| ing. There remains however, a point re-
garding which We have received no explana-
tion. Miss Page, how came that orchid
which l am told you wore in your hair at
the dance to be found lying near the hem
of Batsy's skirts? You distinctly told us
that you did not go upstairs when you were
/ in Mrs. Webb's house"
| An, that's sol" acquiesced the Boston
/ detective dryly How came that flower
on the scene of the murder?"
She smiled and seemed equal to the
emergency.
That is n mystery for us all to solve"
she said quietly, looking into the eyes or
her questioner
! "A mystery it is your business to solve"
corrected the district attorney. Nothing
| that you have told us in support OF your
Innocence would in the eyes of the law
weigh for one instant against the COM
/ l''Ni'S oio"h ny ludI Out piece Ol tlICuln~
stantial evidence against you"
: Her smile carried certain high handed
! denial of this to one heart there, at least;
| But her words were humble enough.
Il am aware of that" said she. Then
turning like lightning to where Sweet
! water stood lowering upon her from out
his half-clcsed eyes, she impetuously cried:
! You, sir, you who without call to do so
! have presumed to arrogate the office Of
/ detective from those whose right 1t was to
| act in this matter, prove yourself equal to
your presumption by finding out the ex-
planaton of this mystery yourself. 1t can
be found out, for, mark l did not carry
that flower into the room where it was
found. This am ready to swear to before
God and before mani"
Her hand was raised, her whole attitude
SPOKE defiance and-hard as it was for
sweetw@ter to acknowledge it-truth. He
felt that he had received challenge, anc.
with a quick glance at Knapp, who barely
, responded by a shrug he shifted over to
the de of DR., Talbot.
! Anabel at once dropped her hand
May | go?" she now cried appealingly
-AIkC ~SksMaE@