The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-21
CHAPTER Xxx.


went into the Herald office and bought
a morning paper. AT the station he
opened it. There was one column de-
voted to the wreck of the Hesper. and
a whole half page to the proceedings of
the third days inquiry into the cause
and manner of Agatha Webb'S death.
Merely noting that his name was men
toned among the lost, in the first ar
ticle, he began TO read the latter with
juStifiable eagerneSS. The assurance
given in Captain Wattles' letter was
true. No direct suspicion had as yet
fallen on Frederick. AS the lover of
Amabel Page, his name was necessarily
mentioned. but neither in the account
of the inquest or the editorials on the
subject could he find any proof that
either the public or the police had got
hold of the great idea that he was the
man who had preceded Anabel to
Agatha's cottage. Relieved on this
score, he entered more fully into the
particulars, and found that though the
jury had sat three days, very little
more had come to light than was
known on the morning he made that
bold dash into the HeSper. Most of the
witnesses had given in their testimony,
AmabelS being the chief, and though
no open accusation had been made, II
was evident from the trend of the
question put to the latter that Amabel's
upon as criminal and as placing her in
a very suspicious light. Her replies,
however. as under d similar but less
formal examination, failed to convey
any recognition on her part either of
this suspicion or of her own position:
yet they were not exactly frank, and
Sweetwater saw. or thought he saw
NATURALLY failing to have a key to the
situation), that she was still working
upon her old plan of saving both her
self and Frederick, by throwing what
ever suspicion her words might raise
upon the deceased label. He did not
know, and perhaps it was just as We'll
that he did not at this especial juno
ture, that she was only biding her time
now very nearly at hand-and that
instead of loving Frederick, she hated
him. and was determined upon his de-
struction. Reading as a final clause,
that Mr.. Sutherland was expected to
testify soon in explanation of his po-
sition as executor of Mrs. Webb'S will,
Sweetwater grew very serious, and,
while no change took place in his mind
as to his present duty, he decided that
his return must be as unobtrusive as
possible. and his only too timely reap
pearance on the scene of the inquiry
kept secret till Mr.. Sutherland had
given his evidence and retired from I'M
der the eyes of his excited fellow citi-
Zens.
1.-The sight of me might unnerve
him." was Sweetwater's thought, pre-
cipitating the very catastrophe we
dread One look. one word on his part,
Indicative of the inner apprehensions
that his son had a hand in the crime
which has so benefited him, and moth
ing can save Frederick from the
charge of murder Not Knapp's skill.
my silence or Amabers fineSSe. The
young man will be lost"
He did not know, as We do. that
Amabel's finesse was devoted to win
ming a husband for hersbelf, and that.
in the event of failure, the action she
threatened against her quondam lover
would be precipitated that very day
at the moment when the clock struck
u.
Sweetwater arrived home by the way
of Portchester. He had seen one or two
persons he knew, but, so far, had him
self escaped recognition. The morning
light was dimly breaking when he
STROBE into the outskirts of Sutherland
town and began Ia descend the hill.
AS he passed Mr.. Hallidays house he
looked up, and was astonished to see a
light burning in one deeply EMPOWERED
window Alas he did not know how
early one anxious heart woke during
these troublous days. The Sutherland
house was dark, but as he crept very
close under its overhanging caves he
heard a deep sigh uttered over his
head. and knew that some one was up
there also in anxious expectation of a
day that held more than even he an
ticiDated.
Meanwhile, the sea grew rosy, and
the mothers cottage was as yet far
off. Hurrying on, he came at last I'M
der the eye of more than one of the
early risers of Suthlandtown-
What. Sweetwater! Alive and well,
Hey, Sweetwater, we thought you lost
on the Hesper,'
"Halloo, Home in time to see the
pretty Amabel arrested" Phrases like
these met him at more than one cor
ner, but he eluded them all, stopping
only to put one hesitating question.
Was his mother well?
Home fears had awakened within |
him at his near approach to that hum |
BILE cottage door.