Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-02-27

"For ono, tiro minutes ! kncn there in a
state oi mortal terror
mination.
SIS my presence here undesirableT
he Inquired with a glance toward his
father.
Swcetwater looked as IL be thought
1t n but he did not presume to say
anything. and. the others being too In
terested in the developments of Miss
Pages story to waste any time on
lesser matters, Frederick remained,
greatly to Miss Pages evident salts
faction.
did you see this mans facef" Mr..
Courtney now broke In in urgent In
qulry.
Her answer came slowly after an
other long look in Frederick's dlrec-
ton.
mo, | did not dare TO make the ef-
fort. was obliged TO crouch too close
to the floor. simply heard his foot
steps"
"See now" muttered Sweetwater, but
in so low a tone she did not hear him.
"She condemns herself. There isn't n
woman living who would fail to look
up under those circumstances even at
the risk Of her life"
Knapp seemed TO agree with him. but
Mr.. Courtney, following his one idea.
pressed his former question. saying:
"Was 1t an oil mans stepf"
at was not an agile one"
"And you did not catch the least
glimpse of the mans face or figureT"
"Not a glimpse"
$50 you are in no position to identify
him."
IF by any chance ! should hear those
same footsteps coming down n flight of
stairs, | think | should be able to rec
ogniZe them" she allowed in the sweet
est tones OF her command.
"She knows il is too late for her to
hear those of the two dead Zabels,"
growled the man from Boston.
I'VE are 40 nearer the solution Of
this mystery than we were in the be-
ginning" remarked the coroner
Gentlemen, | have o yet finished
my story" Amabel sweetly lntimated.
perhaps what | have yet TO tell may
give you some clew as to who this man
was"
"Ah, yes. Go on, 20 on. You have
not yet explained how you came 10 be
in possession Of Agatha's money"
"Just So" size answered. with an
other quick look ut Frederick. the last
she gave him for some time. AS
soon, then. as | dared | ran out OF the
house into the yard. The moon, which
had been under n cloud. was now shin.
ing brightly, and 10y its light | saw
that the space before me was empty
and that ! might venture TO enter the
street. But before doing so | looked
about for the dagger ! had thrown
from me before going in. But | could
not find il. II had been picked up by
the fugitive and carried away. An
noyed at the cowardice which had led
me 10 lose such Il valuable piece OF evil
dcnce through n purely womanish emo
ton. ! was about 10 leave the yard
when my eyes fell on the little bundle
of sandwiches which ! had brought
down from the hill and which | had
let fall under the pear tree at the first
scream ! had heard from the house. Il
had burst open. and two or three OF
the sandwiches lay broken on tie
ground. But those that were intact |
picked up. and, being more than ever
anxious to cover up by some ostensible
errand my absence from the party, !
rushed away toward the lonely road
where these brothers lived. meaning to
leave such fragments as remained on
the old doorstep, beyond which | had
been told such suffering existed.
at was now late. very late. for a girl
like myself to be out. but under the
excitement OF what | had just seen and
heard | became oblivious to fear and
rushed into those dismal shadows as
into transparent daylight. Perhaps the
shouts and stray sounds Of laughter
that came up from the wharfs where
a ship was getting under way gave
me a certain sense Of companionshlp.
Perhaps-but 1t is folly for me to d.
late upon my feelings; 1t Is my errand
you are interested In and what hap
pened when | cane up to the labels
dreary dwelling"
The look with which she paused, os.
tensibly to take breath, but in reality
10 weigh aud critlcise the looks of those
about her, was one OF those wholly In
describahle ones with which she was
accustomed to control the judgment OF
men who allowed themselves to watch
too closely the ever changing expires.
sion Of her weird yet charming face,
But il fell upon men ste,led against
her destinations, and, realizing her in.
ability to move them. she proceeded
with her story before even the most
anxious OF her hearers could request
her 10 do so.
IL had come" said she, every quietly
along the road, for my feet were light
ly sho1. and the moonlight was toe
bright for mc to make a mlsstep. But
as | cleared the trees and came iItC
the open place where the house stands
| stumbled with surprise at seeing
figure crouching on the doorstep ! had
anticipated finding Is empty as the
road. II was an old mans figure, ant
20 | paused in my embarrassment be
slowly and with great feebleness ros'
to his feet and began to grope abou'
for the door. AS he did so ! heard {