Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18

H.
Il VIII not leave her for an instant
NJ eahWhile, l will put back these books"
ne had scarcely done so when a fresh ar
rival occurred. 1t was one of the vii age
Clereymen.
CHAPTER w.
This gentleman had some information 10
give AS he was returning home from the
beds'de of sick parishioner some little
time before, he had been run against on
'hls very corner by man rushing out of
the gateway IL state Of great agitation.
This man held something in his hand thar
siittered, and though the encounter nearly
upset them both, he had not STONED to
utter an apology, but stumbled away into
the darkness in a dazed and feeble way
showing mat he was neither young nor
active. The minister had not been able 10
see his face, but noticed the ends of a long
beard blowing over his shoulder as he hur-
ried away.
Philemon was clean-shaven man. Asked
If he cou d give the time of this encounter
ne replied that 1t was after II and before
l., for he was in his own house by H.
Did you look up at these windows be-
fore leaVing?" asked Mr. Fenton: for this
interview had taken place in the presence
of the dead.
Il must have; for | now remember they
were both lighted.
Were the shades up?'
think not, or | should have noticed the
ceiling of the room. l remember seeing
nothing"
How were the shades when you broke
into the house this morning." inquired Mr.
Sutherland of the constable
Just as they are now: we have moved
nothing. The shades were both down-ona
OF them over an open window
We'll, we may find this encounter of
MI. Cranes of decided Importance"
L wish L had seen the mans face" re-
marked the latter.
What did the object look like Won cow
glittering in his hand?"
Il should not like to venture an opinion.
l saw ii but an instant
Gould it have been a knife or an cd
fashioned dagger"
1t might have been"
Alas, poor Agatha, That money, some
thing she so despised, should cause the
death of creature so grand and simple,
Unhappy life, unhappy death. Fenton, !
shall always mourn for Agatha Webb
Yet she seems to have found peace at
last, said the minister, Il have never seen
her look so contented." Then leading Mr..
Sutherland aside. he whispered: What is
ii you say about money? Had she any con-
siderable amount of it? l ask, because in
spite of their humble means of living she
always put a generous donation On the
pate, and l have received mere than once
during my pastorate an unexpectedly large
charities. As it was always for sick or
suffering children, IL
Yes, yes; L have no doubt it came from
her. She was by no means poor, though i
myself never knew TIE extent OF her means
till lately. Philemon was a good business
man once; but they evidently preferred to
live simply, having no children living
They have lost six, | have been told"
so the Portchester folks say. They prob
ably had no heart for display or for even
the simplest Injuries. At all events they
did not indulge in them
philemon has long been past indulging
in anything
oh, he likes his comfort, and he has
had it, too. Agatha never stinted him..
But why do you think her death was due
to her having money!"
She had a large sum in the house, and
there are some who knew this
And is it gomez
THAT we shall know later"
AS the coroner arrived at this moment
the minister's curiosity had to wait For
tunately for his equanimity, no one had
the presumption to ask him to leave the
room.
The coroner was man of but few words
and but little given 10 emotion. Yet they
were surprised at his first question
who is the young women who is stand
ing outside there, the only one in the
yard?"
Mr.. Sutherland, moving rapidly to the
window. drew aside the shade:
TT is Miss Page, my housekeeper's
niece" he explained. Il do not understand
her interest in this affair; she followed me
here from the house and could hardly be
got to leave this room, into which she in
~
mand''
But look at her attituder' 1t was Mr..
Fenton who Spoke. She's crazier than
Philemon, 1t seems to me-
There was some reason for this remark
Guarded by the high fence from the gaze
of the pushing crowd without, she stood
upright and fmmovable in the middle of
the yard. like one on watch. The hood
which she had dropped from her head when
she thought her eyes and smile might be CT
use to her in the furtherance of her plans
had been drawn over it again, so that she
looked more like statue in gray than
living, breathing woman. Yet, there was
menace in her attitude and purpose in the
solitary stand she took in that circle of
d-girded grass, which caused a thrill
in the breasts of those who looked at her
from that chamber of DEATH
"A mysterious young woman" muttered
the minister.
And one that 1 neither countenance nor
understand" interpolated Mr.. Sutherland