The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19


oblige me-"
, 'Oh. don't send me away, I entrea
your
1t was a cry from her inner heart
which she probably regretted, for sh
/ instantly sought TO cover up the anxi
ETY. it showed by a submissive bend o
the head and step backward. Neithe
Mr.. Fenton nor Mr.. Sutherland seemed
to hear the one or see the other, thei
attention having returned to the NOR,
serious matter in hand
THE dress which our poor friend
wears shows her to have been strucl
before retiring" commented Mr.. Suth.
erland, after another short survey Of
Mrs. Webb'S figure. IF Philemon
Excuse me, sir" interrupted a voice
but the young woman is listening tC
what you say. She is still in the hall
1t was the young man speaking who
had been left in the hall.
She is, is sher' exclaimed Fenton
sharply, his admiration for the fascin-
companions rebuff. Il will soon show
her But the words melted into thin
air as he reached the door. The young
girl had disappeared, and only a faint
, perfume remained in the place where
she had stood.
"A most extraordinary person, -
grumbled the constable, turning back,
n, =
came up from below.
THE gentleman is waking" called
up voice. whose lack of music was
quite perceptible at a distance
! With bound, Mr.. Fenton descended
the stairs, followed by Mr. Sutherland.
! Miss Page stood before the door of
the room in which sat Philemon Webb
As they reached her side, she made a
! little bow that was half hooking, half
0RDrHHArO1sV ell n
house. An almost unbearable sensation
OF incongruity vanished with her, and
Mr.. Sutherland, for one, breathed like
a relieved man.
Il wish the doctor would come'' Fen
ton said, as they watched the slow lift
ing of Philemon Webb's head. Our
fastest rider has gone for him, but he s
out Portchester way, and it may be an
hour yet before he can get here"
Philemon"
Mr.. Sutherland had advanced and
was standing by his old friends side.
Philemon, what has become of your
guests? You've waited for them here
till morning."
The old man, with a dazed look, sur
veyed the two plates set on either side
OF him, and shook his head.
James and John are getting proud"
said he. "or they forget, they forget"
James and John. He must mean the
labels, yet there were many others
answering to these names in town. Mr..
sutherland made another effort
Philemon, where is your wife? 1 do
NOT see any place set here for her?"
"Agatha's sick, Agatha's cross; she
don't care for poor old man like me-
"Agatha's dead and you know it,
numbered back the constable with ill
judged severity. WHO killed. her? tell
me that. Who killed herr"
sudden que1lching of the last spark
OF Intelligence in the old mans eve
was the dreadful effect of these words
Laughing with that strange gurgle
BILE mind, he cried:
THE pussy cat! 1t was the pussy
cat. Who's killed? I'm not killed.
Let's go to Jericho
Mr.. Sutherland took him by the arm
and led him upstairs. Perhaps the
sight of his dead wife would restore
him. But he looked at her with the
same indifference he showed to every
thing else.
Il don't like her calico dresses"
said he. She might have worn silk,
but she wouldn't. Agatha, will you
wear silk to my funeral?"
The experiment was too painful, and
they drew him away. But the consta-
ble's curiosity had been reused, and
after they had found some one TO take
care of him, he drew Mr.. Sutherland
aside and said:
What did the old man mean by say
ing she might have worn silk? Are
they better off than they seem?"
Mr.. Sutherland closed the door before
replying.
They are rich," he declared to the
utter amazement Of the other THAT
is, they We're; but they may have been
robbed; if so, Philemon was not the
wretch who killed her. I have been
told that she kept her money in an old
fashioned cupboard. Do you suppose
they alluded TO that one?"
He pointed to a door set in the wall
over the fireplace, and Mr.. Fenton, per-
celving a key sticking in the lock,
stepped quickly across the floor and
opened it. A row of books met his
eyes, but on taking them down a couple
of drawers were seen at their back
Are they locked?' asked Mr.. Suther-
land.
One is and one is not"
Open the one that is unlocked"
Mr.. Fenton did so.
1T is empty" said he.
Mr.. Sutherland cast a look toward the
dead woman, and again the perfect Sc
renity of her countenance struck him.
II do not know whether to regard her
eiS lliG NlCl4ll VI LcI uQSDdllQ lIilDtClll-
" or of some vile robbers cupidity
Can you find the key to the other
drawer?"
II will try"
Suppose you begin, then, by looking
on her person 1t should be in her
pocket, if no marauder has been here
1T is not in her pocket
Hanging TO her neck, then, by a
string?"
No; there is locket here, but no
key. A very handsome locket, Mr.. Suth-
erland, witty
Never mind, we will see that later,
it is the key we want just now"
Good heaYensi"
What is it?''
TT is in her hand; the one that lies
underneath
"Ahl A point, Fenton."
"a great point"
Stand by her, Fenton. Don't let any
one rob her of that key till the coroner
comes, and We are at liberty to take it
II will not leave her for an instant"
Meanwhile, 1 Will put back these
books
He had scarcely done so when a fresh
arrival occurred. 1t was one of the
villa QIapUVDpn