Evening star., 1899-06-10

Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
Just after a ball at the Sutherland man.
sion Agatha Webb and her servant are
found dead. and Philemon Webb Agathas
husband, who for years has been growing
demented. is discovered asleep at the din
Der table y trace Of blood his sleeve
Indicates him as the murderer. Miss
Page. the niece Of the Sutherland house
keep. persists in remaining about the
Webb premises. and discovers blood on
the grass. The money drawer is found
empty, and robbery is added to the mys-
tery. Frederick sutherland. Il wayward
youth. calls his father 10 witness his deter
mlnation 70 ba a better man. and promises
not 10 marry Miss Page, by whom he has
been fascinated Miss Page tells Frederick
that she followed him the night Of the muir
der. and knew where he had secreted a
thousand dollars She gives him a week to
decide whether TO marry her be pro-
claimed the murderer of Agatha Webb.
II is learned that the money was In
bills. and the keeper OF a small store pro-
duces one that a strange man gave him
late the night of The murder for loaf Of
bread detective arrives from Boston and
reports. Simple case. Murdered for mon
sy. Find the man with the flowing beard
SNoRiNA'h upNh Ohc VI Inc <4abeA oiOtH-
ers- Frederick visits the hollow tree. The
money is gone. Wattles. Boston gambler.
arrives and demands $3.50 Of Frederick in
payment Of gambling debt. Frederick
cures a check for the amount from his
father. The label brothers are found dead
OF starvation. one Of them ciutch-ng the loaf
OF bread. the other a bloOd-stained knife.
The Boston detective declares the mystery
solved, but young Sweetwater astonishes the
company by & new chain of evidence point
ing TO another perpetrator Of the terrible
crime This time Amabel Page Is sus-
pected- Sweetw iter finds the money where
he has seen Miss Page hide IT. Miss Page
lie confronted by the detectives and officers.
and tells what she saw the night of the
murder. Frederick overhears the talking
and joins the group, and Miss Page tells
just enough that a later confession will
implicate Frederick II he refuses to marry
her. ON the following day occurs the
funeral # Agatha Webb. and late that night
Mr.. Sutherland discovers Frederick weep
Ing over her grave. ON the way home lie
learns Of the death Of Philemon. Agatha's
husband. Sweetwater suspects and follows
Frederick and Is thus discovered by Mr.
Sutherland Frederick places a package OF
old letters into Agnes Halliday's hands and
his father seeks an explanation. Agatha
WeAb's will is opened, and by its terms Mr.
Sutherland is made executor and Frederick
sole heir Of a s1Do, ,OoO estate sweetvater
Reasons that Frederick is the murderer, but
becadss Mr.. Sutherland once saved his life
Sweetwater l. unwilling to give evidence In
order To keep his secret he plans to leave
home. and, in suspicious haste pretending
10 be in search Of an important witness.
a-rTs
He is thrown overheard that nicht and
picked up at dawn by a fishing crew which
takes him 10 New Bedford Food and cloth
Ing are given him and he earns IS by de-
Hvering suspicious box. An accidental
chance take him on a mission to Boston
The man he finds Is wattles the gambler.
who wishes Swectwater 10 carry a message
70 none Other than Frederick Sutherland at
Sutherlsndtcyn- Sweetvater learns the mes
sage. refuses to take II and then makes his
way home. arriving on the last day of the
fn1uest. To tie surprise Of all Frederick
takes the stand, declares that he is the son
OF Agatha Webb and that she died by her
own hand and offers TO produce the proof
OF his remarkable statement The letters
IN Agnes Halliday's possession are brought
10 the court room and read. They disclose
the courtship Of Agatha Webb. the decep-
tinn Of her father which led to her marriage
to Philemon Webb and the curse she pro
nnun""d on her offspring. The Jury brings in
its verdict.