The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-16

Frederick with a gaze more penetrating
than any he had yet bestowed upon
him, he folded his hands behind him,
with the document held tightly between
them, and remarked:
When you borrowed that money
from me you did it like man who ex-
pected to repay it. Why? Whence did
you expect to receive the money with
which to repay me? Answer, Fred
erick; this is your hour for confession"
Frederick turned SO pale his father
dropped his eyes in mercy
Confess" he repeated. "What
should L confess? My sins? They are
too many. AS for that money, hoped
to pay it as any son might hope to pay
his father for money advanced to pay
gamblers debt. 1 said 1 meant 10
work. My first money earned shall be
offered to you. r
We'll? Well?' His father was hold
ing the document he had just read,
opened out before his eyes.
Didn't you expect this?" he asked
Didn't you know that that poor wo-
man, that wretchedly murdered most
unhappy woman, whose death the
whole town mourns. had made you her
heir? That by the terms of this docu-
ment seen by me here and now for he
hrst time, / am made executor and you
the inheritor of the $780, 900 or more left
by Agatha Webb?''
pressing something more akin to terror
than surprise; Has she done this?"
Why should she? / hardly knew her."
NO. you hardly knew her And she?
She hardly knew you; if she had she
would have abhorred rather than enriched
you, Frederick; | had rather you We're
dead than stand before me the inheritor
OF Philemon and Agatha Webbs hard
earned savings
You are right; it would be better"
what he said. Then. as he encountered
his fathers eye resting upon him with
lmplacable scrutiny, he added in weak
repetition: But why give her money to
Will me her fortune?"
The fathers fingers trembled to a GER
tain line in the document, which seemed
to offer some explanation of this; but
Frederick did not follow it. He had seen
that his father was expecting a reply to
the question he had previously put. and
he was casting about in his mind how to
answer it.
When did you know of this will?" Mr.
it you did before you came to me for
money"
Frederick summoned up his full courage
and confronted his father resolutely.
No" said he. II did not know of it.
1t is as much of a surprise to me as it is
He lied. Mr. Sutherland knew that he
lied. and Frederick knew that he knew it.
y shadow fell between them, which the
older. with that unspeakable fear upon
him reused by Sweetwater's whispered
suspicious, dared no longer to attempt to
lift.
After a few minutes. in which Frede-
rick seemed to see his father age before
his eyes, Mr.. Sutherland coldly re-
marked:
DR.. Talbot must know of this will. 1t
has been sent here to me from Boston by
a lawyer who drew it up two years ago.
The coroner may not as yet have heard
of it, VIII you accompany me to his Of
flee tomorrow. I should like to have him
see that we wish to be open with him in
an affair of such Importance
Il will accompany you gladly" said
Frederick and seeing that his father
neither wished nor was able to say any
thing further he bowed with distant GER
emony as to a stranger and quietly with
drew. But when the door had closed be-
tween them and only the memory of his
fathers changed countenance remained TO
trouble him. he paused and laid his hand
again on the knob, as if tempted to re-
turn. But he left without doing so. only
to turn again at the end of the hall and
gaze wistfully back. Yet he went on.
As he opened his own door and disap
peared within. he said half audibly:
Easy to destroy me now, Amabel. One
word and 1 am lost"
CTo be continued)