The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-05

Ell. Clever. TOO clcver!' We're some OF
the whispered EXPLANATIONS which this
curious explanation on her part brought
out. Yet only Sweetwater showed his
open and entire disbelief of the story,
the others possibly remembering that
for such natures as hers there is no
governing law and no commonplace in
terpretation.
: To Sweetwater, however, this was
but SO much display of feminine re-
source and subtlety. Though he felt he
should keep still in the presence of
men SO greatly his superiors. he could
not resist saying:
Truth is sometimes stranger than
fiction. should never have attributed
any such motive as you mention to the
young girl saw leaving this spot with
many a backward look at the hole from
which we afterward extracted the
large sum of money in question. But
say that this reburying of stolen funds
was out Of consideration for the feeble
old man you describe as having carried
them there. do you not see that by this 1
act you can be held as an accessory !
after, the fact?"
Her eyebrows went up, and the deli
cate curve of her lips was not without
menace as she said:
You hate, me. Mr. Sweetwater. Do
you wish me to tell these gentlemen
why?
The flush which. Notwithstanding
| this peculiar young mans nerve, in
iastan1,y crimscned his features was
surprise to Frederick. So was it to the
Others. who saw in it a possible hint as
/ to the real cause of his persistent pur--
/ suit OF this young girl. which they had
hitherto ascribed entirely to his love of
justice Sighted love makes some
hearts venomous. Could this ungainiy
| fellow have once loved this bewitchins
piece Of unreliability and suffered from
her disaain?
Ii was very possible assumption
though, Sweetwater's blush was the
only answer he gave to her question,
which nevertheless had amply served
its turn.
To fill the gap made by his silence
Mr.. Sutherland made an effort and adj
dressed her himself.
Your conduct" said he. 'has not
been thai of a strictly honorable per-
son. Why did you fail to give the
alarm when you re-entered my house
i after being witness to this double
tragely?'
Her serenity was not to be disturbed.
81 have Just explained" she remind
, ed him. that had sympathy for the
criminal"
1--WE all have sympathy for James
label but
story" interposed Sweetwater, in reck-
less disregard of the proprieties. "a
hungry, feeble old man. like label, on
the verge of death. could not have
found his way up into this woods, as
you say. You carried that money there
yourself. miss: you are the
'Hush!'' interposed the coroner au-
thoritatiyely DO pot let us go too fast
yet Miss Page has az air Of speak
able as it may seem. label was an adj
mirable man once and if he was led
into theft and murder it was not until
his faculties had been weakened by
his own suffering and that of his much
loved brother
, "Thank YOU was her simple reply
and for the first time every ma. there
; thrilled al her tone. Seeing it, all the
: dangerous fascination of her look anC
manner returned upon her with double
j force. 81 have been unwise" said she
'and let my sympathy run away witt
) my Judgment Women have impulse.
of this kind sometimes, and inen blame
them for it till they themselves come
t to the point of feeling the need of jus
= such blind devotion. ! am sure re
greet my shortsightedness now, for
e have lost esteem by it, while he'-
e With a wave of the hand she dismissed
e the subject. and DR.. Talbot. watchin:
; her. felt shade of his distrust leav
/, him and in its place a species of nd
J miration for the 1.-THE, graceful, be
witching personality before them. wit
n her childish impulses and womanl
d wit which half mystitied and half i'm
posed upon them.
S Mr.. Sutherland, on the contrary, wa
n neither charmed from his antagonist
s nor convinced OF her honesty. Their
. Was Something III tiilS uldIlci liza
e could not be explained away by her al
= gument, and his suspicion of that some
g thing he felt perfectly sure was share
e by his son. toward whose cold, sci. fac
d he had frequently cast the most III
< easy chances. He was not ready, how
r. ever, to probe into the subject NOR
nearly. nor could he for the sake {
q Frederick urge on to any further col
a, fession a young woman whom his III
lie happy son professed to love and
J. whose discretion he had SO little cont
N dence AS for Sweetwater. he ha
e. now fully recovered himself and boz
III himself with great discretion whe
ot Dr. Talbot finally said:
is We'll. gentleman. we have got moi
I'd than we expected when we came hei
this morning. There remains, howeye
ut point regarding which we have r
IT. ceived no explanation Miss Page. ho
tn came that orchid, which, am told. yc
l,.,s = fI,f,I ,,<a.,4 %<~t