Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-08-31

The last paper which Murdoch had
been examining lay upon the desk be-
fore him From the closely printed
columns stood out in bold relief the
glazing headlines:
MURDER IN y CAB.
MYSTERIOUS ASSASSINATION OF AN
UNKNOWN MAN, IN BROAD
DAYLIGHT.
CABMAN REILLY DENIES ALL
KNOWLEDGE OF THE CRIME.
Miss Murdock's glance rested care
lessly upon these words for an in
slant. They aroused in her nothing
more than the mild curiosity which
attaches TO events of palpitating hui
man interest, when they have been
CONCEALED in the columns OF the daily
newspapers and served 70 palates al
ready stated with sensational ver-
bosity.
MARY said you wished to speak to
me-" said the young girl, after a
short pause 81 thought | would step
in to see you before going 10 Mr.
Spragues"
ITO Sprague's?" inquired Murdock
fixing his keen eyes upon the young
girl. "Ah, yes; l remember he spoke
Of the appointment last night. How
is the portrait coming on?'
1T is almost finished. Probably
only one or two more sittings, at the
most, Will be necessary"
Agnes seemed slightly embarrassed
by the fixity Of her fathers search
ting glance. She settled herself in an
armchair and assumed a look of defer
ent expectancy.
Not a word of affection had passed
between father and daughter; not
,aress had been interchanged. The re-
lations between this impassive man and
his charming daughter were those of
well bred if somewhat distant. rela-
tiyes. on the one hand there was the
uniform courtesy of the man of the
world toward a woman; on the other,
the Difference of a young girl of good
breeding toward a person much older
than herself But the note of cordial
and intimate affection between father
and child was absolutely missing
And Vet Agnes Murdoch was natural
~ of an afTectionate and expansive ma
ture. During her mothers lifetime the
two women had been inseparable com
panions. united by a strong bond of
sympathy.
Mrs. Murdoch had been an invalid
for many years before her death. and
with Agnes had lived either abroad or
II he south during much of the time
in order 10 escape the rigors OF the
northern climate. Thus the father. en-
crossed as he was with his occupations
and his scientific researches had seen
but little of his daughter during her
childhood, and had been looked upon by
the child almost as a stranger.
When at last, after her mothers
death. Agnes. heartbroken at the loss
of her only friend. returned 10 the par
entail roof, Sic was a g1rl or 20. IN
the first loneliness of her bereavc nent,
when. hungering for human sympathy
and consolation, she turned to her flu
Their, she received patient and cour-
teous attention, with an offer Of all
the material comforts and Injuries
which wealth could procure; but she
failed 10 find the only thing she needed
"a responsive human heart.
And yet, behind the cold and selfish
exterior of the chemist, the young girl
had touched a chord which had never
vibrated before in this strange mans
being. 1t is probable that the feeling
awakened in him by his lovely daughter
was the nearest approach 10 an absorb
ing human affection of which his nature
was capable. Perhaps if the child had
been sufficiently experienced TO read
her fathers heart she might have per-
sisted in her advances, and thus ulti-
mately have conquered the cold reserve
she had at first encountered. But she
was proud and impulsive. and, bitterly
disappointed in her first attempt to
win from hef father a demonstration
Of affection, she withdrew into her iso-
latiGn. and ever after met his calm cour-
tesy with an equally reserved defer
ence. The abnormal situation. which
AZ first was maintained only by an ef-
fort on the part of the young girl, lost
with time much Of its strangeness, and
ultimately crystallized under the po-
tent force OF habit, SO that il was ac-
cepted by the two as the natural out
come of their relationship.
In the first pang Of her bereavement
and disappointment Agnes had turned
for consolation 10 her books; and, be-
ing left free TO dispose of her life as
she saw fit. she had planned a course
of study. which had in due time re-
l.IlIl uIInI nnNi AnAk