Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-19

WOIuuu WHO answered HIS SuluLuOuS
proved the drivers supposition to be
correct. Philemon had passed away.
He had never rallied from the shock he |
had received. lie had Joined his below
ed Agatha on the day of her burial, and
the long tragedy of their mutual life
was over.
sit is mercy that no inheritor of |
their misfortune remains" quoth the |
good woman as she saw the aff1iction
her tidings caused in this much rever-
ed friend
The assent Mr.. Sutherland gave was
mechanical. He was anxiously study
ing the road leading toward Porches-
ter.
Suddenly he stepped hastily in.
"Will you be SO good as to let me sit
down in your parlor for few min
utesY he asked. Il would like to rest
blow has upset me-"
The good woman bowed. Mr.. Suther-
lands word was law in that town. She
did not even dare to protest against
the "alone" which he had so pointedly
but left him after making
him, as she said. comfortable, and
went back to her duties in the room
above.
1t was fortunate she was SO anne
nable to his wishes, for no sooner had
her steps ceased to be heard than Mr..
Sutherland rose from the easy chair in
which he had been seated and, putting
out the lamp Widow Jones had insist
ed on lighting. passed directly to the
window, through which he began to
peer with looks of the deepest anxiety.
A man was coming up the road, a
young Frederick. AS Mr.. Suth-
erland recognized him he leaned for
ward with increased anxiety till at the
appearance Of his son in front his scru-
tiny grew SO strained and penetrating
that it seemed to exercise magnetic
influence upon the passerby, for when
directly opposite the window Frederick
involuntarily reused from his abstrac-
ton and looked up. The glance he gave
the house was but momentary, but in
that glance the father saw all that he
had secretly dreaded. AS his sons eye
fell on that fiuttering bit of Grape, tes-
tifyinS to another death In this already
much bereaved community, he stagger-
ed wildly, then in pause Of doubt
drew nearer and nearer till his fingers
grasped this symbol of mourning and
chung there. Next moment he was far
down the road, plunging toward home
in state of great mental disorder.
With sinking heart Mr.. Sutherland
let his eyes drop from this flying figure
to search for the man whom a little
while before he had seen following i'm
mediately behind his son. He was fol-
lowing him still and FASTENED by the
fell on him, SO that whatever was
strange or pitiful in the foregoing scene
must have had this man for witness.
A hall hour afterward Mr.. Suther-
land reached home. He had not over
taken Frederick again or even his ac-
companying shadow. Ascertaining at
his own door that his son had not yet
come in, but had been seen going far
Their up the hill, he turned back again
into the road and proceeded after him
on foot.
The next place to his own was occu-
pied by Mr.. Halliday. AS he approach
ed it he caught sight Of man stand
suckle porch, whom he at first thought
to be Frederick. But he soon saw that
1t was the fellow who had been follow
ing his son all the way from Porches-
ter. and, controlling his first movement
Of dislike, he stepped up to him and
quietly said:
"Sweetwater, Is this you"
The young man fell back and showed
most extraordinary agitation, quickly
suppressed, however.
Eyes, sir; it is no one else. Do yor
know what am doing here?"
II fear do. You have been to Por
chester. You have seen my SON.
Sweetwater made q hurried, almost
an entreating, gesture.
Never mind that, Mr.. Sutherland. ]
had rather you wouldn't say anything
about that. am as much broken VI
by what have seen as you are. nev
er suspected him, sir; only. the girl tt
whom he has SO unfortunately attach
ed himself. But after seeing him
abandoned to grief in that place, ovel
that grave, what am to think? What
am to do? honor you; would moi
grieve you, but-but-oh, sir, perhaps
| you can help me out of the maze into
which I have stumbled! Perhaps yor
can assure me that Mr. Frederick die
not leave the hall at the time she did
l missed him from among the dancers
1 did not see him between IL and 3, bu
perhaps you did, and-and"-
Ills voice broke. He was almost al
profoundly agitated as Mr.. Sutherland
As for the latter, who found himself
unable to reassure the other on thi.
very vital point, having no remem
brance himself Of having seen Fred
erick among his guests during those
fatal hours, he stood speechless, los
in abysses, the depth and horror o.
which only father can appreciate
Sweetwater respected his anguish ant
for moment was silent himself. Thel
he burst out:
81 had rather never have lived to Sc,
this day than be the cause of shame O.
suffering to you. Tell me what to do
Shall be deaf, dumb
Here Mr.. Sutherland found voice.
"You make too much of what 70,
saw" said he. "My boy has faults ant
has lived anything but satisfactor,
life, but he is not as bad as your fear
would show. He could never hav,
taken life. That would be incredible
monstrous, in one brought up as he ha
been. Besides, If he were SO far gon,
in evil as to be willing to attemp
crime, he had no motive to do so
Sweetwater, he had no motive. A few
hundred dollars! But these he coult
have got from me, and did, but
Why did the wretched father stop
Did he recall the circumstances undel
which Frederick had obtained these
last hundreds from him? They were
not ordinary circumstances, and Fred
arick had been in no ordinary Stroi n