El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-30

| public.
Frederick showed such earnestness
.athcr than fear that Mr.. Sutherland
| was astcniShed.
when were these letters written"
| he asked. Lately or before You
say they are old. How oldT"
| Frederick's breath came easier.
'Some OF them were written years
ago-moSt of them. in fact. 1t is per-
sonal matter. Every man has such.
| wish L could have destroyed them.
You will leave them with Agnes, sirr'
You astonish me- said Mr.. Suther-
land, relieved that he could at least
| hope that these letters were in nowise
| connected with the subject of his own
frightful suspicious. "A young girl to
whom you certainly were most indif-
ferent Il week ago is a curious guar
dian OF letters you decline to show
your father"
II know it," was Frederick's sole re-
ply.
Somehow the humility with which
| this was uttered touched Mr.. Suther-
| land and reused hopes he had supposed
dead. He looked his son for the first
time directly in the eye and with .
beating heart said:
Your secrets, IL you have such.
might better be intrusted to your IA
Their. You have no better friend" And
there he stopped with a Mortified, de-
spairing feeling of inward weakness.
II Frederick had committed a crime,
anything would be better than know
ing il. Turning partially aside. he I'm
| gered the papers on the desk before
which he was standing. A large en-
velope, containing some legal docu-
ment, lay before him. Taking it up
mechanically. he opened it. Frederick
| rs mocha nically watched him.
81 know" said the latter. that
| have no better friend. You have been
too good, too induigeut- What Is 1t,
| fa:her7 You change color, look Ill.
What is there in that paper?'
Mr. Sutherland Strengthened himself;
there was a great reserve of strength
in this broken down man yet. Fixing
| Frederick with a gaze more penetrat-
ing than any he had yet bestowed
upon him. he folded his hands behind
him. with the document held tightly
between them. and remarked:
when yon borrowed that money
from me. you did 1t like n man who
expected to repay it. Why? Whence
j with which to repay me? Answer,
Frederick; this is your hour for con-
fessiOn."
Frederick turned so pale his father
dropped his eyes in mercy.
"Confess?'' he repeated. What
should I confess? My sins: They are
too many AS for that money. l
hoped to pay it as any son might hope
TO pay his father for money advanced
to pay gamblers debt. said
meant to work. My first money earn
ed shall be offered TO you. r.
We'll? Well" His father was hold
ing the document lie had just read
opened out before his eyes
Didn't Won expect tbis:" he asked.
Didn't yOn know that that poor wom-
an. that wretchedly murdered. most
unhappy woman. whose death the
whole town mournS, had made you her
heir? That by the terms OF this docu-
mept seen by me here and now for the
first time. l am made executor aud
yOn the inbertor OF the 100000 or
more left by Agatha Webb?"
MOI" cried Frederick, his eyes glued
to the paper. his whole face and form
expressing something more akin to ter
TOR than surprise. Has she done this?
Why should she? I hardly knew her"
NO You hardly knew her And she?
She hardly knew you; if she had. she
would have abhOrred rather than en-
riched you. Frederick. / had rather
you were dead than stand before me
tue inheritor of Philemon and Agatha
Webb's hard earned savings.
You are right; it would be better"
murmured Frederick. hardly needing
what he said. Then, as he encounter
ed his fathers eye resting upon him
with implacable scrutiny. he added in
weak repetition: But why give her
! money TO me- What was 1 to her that
she should will me her fortuneY'
The fathers finger trembled to GER
tain line i'm the document which SEEM
ell to offer some explanation OF this.
but Frederick did not follow it. He
had seen that his father was expecting
n reply to the question he had pre-
viously PUT. and he was casting about
in his mind how to answer it.
, when did you know OF this WILLY
Mr. Sutherland now repeated. For
know OF it you did before you came to
me for money"
! Frederick sum moned up his full
courage and confronted his father res
oluteIy.
No" said he Il did not know Of 1t.
1t is as much of a surprise to me as 1t
is to you"
He lied. Mr.. Sutherland knew that
he did and Frederick knew that he
knew it. 4 shadow fell between them,
which the older. with that unspeasable
fear upon him reused by Sweetwater's
whispered suspicion. dared no longer
to attempt to lift.
After a few minutes, in which Fred