The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-30
Then he entered the carriage.
CHAPTER wv.

CHAPTER XIV.
FREDERICK ARRESTED.
But. alas. all tides have their ebb as
and Frederick were well out of the
main street the latter became aware
that Notwithstanding the respect with
which his explanations had been re-
ceived by the jury there were many of
his fellow townsmen who were ready
to show dissatisfaction ut his being al
lowed to return in freedom to that
home where he had still every prospect
of being called the y@ng master.
Doubt, that seed of ramifyilg growth,
had been planted in more than one
breast, and while it failed as yet to
break out into any open manifestation
there were evidences enough in the
very restraint visible in such groups of
people as they passed that suspicion
had not been suppressed or his inno-
sence established by the overfavorable
7erdict of the coroner's jury.
II Mr.. Sutherland, suffering now
from the reaction following all great
efforts, much, if not all, of this quiet
but significant display of public feeling
passed unnoticed. But to Frederick.
alive to the least look, the least sign
that his story had not been accepted
unquestioned, this passage through the
town was the occasion of the most
poignant suffering.
For not only did these marks of pub
lie suspicion bespeak possible arraign-
ment in the future, but through them it
became evident that even if he escaped
open condemnation in the courts he
could never hope for complete rein
statement before the world, nor, what
was to him still deeper source Of de-
spair, anticipate day when Agnes
love and domestic happiness should
make amends to him for the grief and
errors of his more than Maynard
youth. He could never marry so pure
a being while the shadow of crime sep
arated him from the mass of human
beings. Her belief in his innocence and
the exact truth of his story (and he was
confident she did believe him) could
make no difference in this conclusion.
While he was regarded openly or in
dark corners or beside the humblest
!, Preside as a possible criminal neither
own heart even would allow him to
offer her anything but a friends graft
tude or win from her anything but a
neighbours sympathy, yet in bidding
goodby to lager hopes and more impor.
rant desires he parted with the better
part of his heart and the only solace
remaining in this world for the bound
less griefs and tragic experiences OF
his still young life. He had learned tc
love through suffering, only to realize
! that the very nature Of his suffering
forbade him to indulge in love.
And this seemed, even in this hour OF
public justihcation, a final Judgment
He had told his story and been for the
moment believed, but what was there
in his life, what was there in the fact.
as witnessed by others, what was there
in his mothers letters and the revela
tion of their secret relationship to cor
roborate his assertions or to prove tina
/ weapon when the life blood gushet
from her devoted breast? Nothing
nothing; only his word to stand agains
all human probabilities and natural in
ference, only his word and the gener
GUS nature of the great hearted woman
who had thus persisted. Though
dozen of his fellow citizens had b,
their verdict professed their belief il
his word and given him the benefit o
a doubt involving his life as well as hi
honor, he as well as they knew tina
neither the police nor the general pub
lie were given to sentimentality an
that the question of his guilt still la
open and must remain SO till his dyin
day, for from the nature of things n
proof of the truth was probable. Bats
being dead, only God and his ow
heart could know that the facts of tina
awful half hour We're as he had tol
them.
Had God in his justice removed i
this striking way his only witness as
punishment for his sins and his ma
Indulgence in acts so little short Q
crime as to partake of its guilt an
merit its obloquy?
He was asking himself this questio
as he bent to fasten the gate. His f;
Their had passed in. The carriage ha
driven off, and the road was almos
solitary, but not quite. AS he leane