Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-05
1.-THE dagger has been found n, their house
Ind 91DSf of fbe ,nonpuO

1.-THE dagger has been found In their house
and most OF the money!"
believe that this meeting between Miss
Page and myself was against my wish
and that the relations between us have
not been affected by anything that
passed between U.S."
Il am glad to hear 1t, my son. You
could not do worse by yourself than to
return to your old devotion"
II agree with you, sir" And then,
because he could not help 1t, Frederick
inquired If he had heard the news.
Mr.. Sutherland, evidently startled,
asked what news, to which Frederick
replied:
"The news about the labels. They
are both dead, sir-dead from hunger.
Can you imagine it?"
This was something SO different from
what his father had expected to hear
that he did not take 1t in at first. When
he did, his surprise and grief were even
greater than Frederick had anticipated.
Seeing him so affected. Frederick, who
thought that the whole truth would be
no harder to bear than the half, added
the suspicion which had been attached
to the younger ones name and then
stood back, scarcely daring to be wit
ness to the outraged feelings which
such communication could not fail to
awaken in one of his fathers tempera-
ment.
But, though he thus escaped the
shocked look which crossed his fathers
| Mt ho r,tJ a.
the indignant exclamation which burst
from his lips or help perceiving that.
1t would take more than the most com
| plete circumstantial evidence to con.
vince his father,of the guilt of men he
had known and respected for SO many
| years.
For some reason Frederick expert
enced great relief at this and was brac-
ing himself to meet the fire of ques-
lions which his statement must neces-
sarily call forth when the sound of ap-
preaching steps drew the attention Of
both toward party of men coming up
the hillside.
Among them was Mr.. Courtney, pros
ecuting attorney for this district, and
as Mr.. Sutherland recognized him he
sprang forward, saying, There's Court
ney; he will explain this"
Frederick followed, anxious and be-
wildered. and soon had the doubtful
pleasure of seeing his father enter his
study in company with the four men
considered to be most interested in the
4 calculation of the Webb mystery.
AS he was lingering in an undecided
mood in the small passageway leading
up stairs he felt the pressure of fin.
ger on his shoulder. Looking up. he
met the eyes of Amabel. who was lean.
Ing toward him over the banisters. She
was smiling, and. though her face was
not without evidences of physical Ian
guor, there was n charm about her per
son which would have been sufficiently
enthralling to him "a hours before. but
which now caused him such a physical
repulslon that he started back in the
effort to rid his shoulder from her dis
turbing touch.
She frowned. 1t was an instantane
GUS expression Of displeasure whicl
was soon lost in one Of her gurglint
laughs.
as my touch SO burdensome" sh,
demanded. "If the pressure Of one fin
ger is SO unbearable to your sensitive
nerves, how will you relish the weigh
of my whole hand?"
There was fierceness in her tone,
purpose in her look that for the frs
time in his struggle with her revealed
the full depth of her dark nature
Shrinking from her appalled,, he put III
his hand in protest, at which sh
changed again in n twinkling, and will
cautious gesture toward the room in
to which Mr.. Sutherland and hi
friends had disappeared. she whisper
ed Significantly:
eve may not have another chance t
confer together Understand, then, tina
1t will not be necessary for you to tel
me, in SO many words, that you ar
ready to link your fortunes to mine
the taking off Of the ring you wear ant
your slow putting of 1t on again, in m,
presence, will be understood by me a
q token that you have reconsidere,
your present attitude and desire my 81
lence and-myself."
Frederick could not repress . shud
v ---s>.