Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-04-03

MY son accompanies INC to his home"
To 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 uunoticed. But 10 Frederick,
alive 10 the least look, the least sign
nat his story had not been accepted
unquestioncd, this passage through the
town was the occasion Of the most
poignant suffering.
For not only did these marks Of pub.
nc suspicion bcsplak possible arraign'
mcnt in the future, but through them 1t
5ccamc evident that even II be escaped
open condemnation In the courts be
could never hope fer complete rein.
statement lcforc the world, nor, what
was 10 him n still deeper source of de.
spalr, anticipate a day when Agnes
love aud domestic happiness should
make amends to him for the grief and
errors Of his more than maynard
youth. lie could never marry SO pure
a uJing While the shadow of crime sep
arat1d hin from the mass of human
beings. Her belief In his Innocence and
the exact truth of his story taud he was
confident Sic did believe HIM could
make no difference in this conclusion.
While lc was regarded openly or in
dark corners or beside the humblest
1rcsidc rs n possible criminal neither
Mr.. Sutherland nor her father nor his
own heart even would allow him TO
offer her anything but n friends graft.
tude or win from her anything but n
neighbours sympathy, yet In bidding
goodby to larger hopes mud more impor.
tant desires he parted with the better
part of his heart aud the only solnce
remaining in this world for the bound
less gricfs and tragic experiences OF
his still young life. He had learned TO
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 justification, 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 facts
as witnessed By others, what was there
In his mothers letters and the revela-
tion Of their secret relationship to cor
roboratc his assertions or to prove that
her hand and not his had held the
weapon when the life blood gushed
from her devoted breast? Nothing,
nothing; only his word TO stand against
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 a
dozen Of his fellow citizens had by
their verdict p~rofessed their belief In
his word and given him the benefit of
n doubt involving his life ms well as his
honor, he as well as they knew that
neither the police nor the general pub
lie were given TO sentimentality and
that the question of his guilt still lay
open and must remain so till his dying
uay, for from the nature of things no
proof Of the truth was probable. Batsy
being dead, only God and his own
heart could know that the facts of that
awful half hour were rs he lad told
them.
Had God in his Justice removed In
this striking way his only witness as a
punishment for his sins and his mad
Indulgence In acts so little short Of
crime as 10 partakc of its guilt aud
merit its %Obloquy?
He was asking himself this question
rs he bent to Gasten the gate. His IA.
thcr had passed In. The carriage had
driven Off, and the road was almost
solitary, but not quite. AS he leaned
his arm over the gate and turned to
take u final glance down the hillside be
saw with what feelings 10 one will
ever know the light figure of Agnes ad.
ranclng ON the arm Of her father.
He would have drawn back. but a
better impulse interviewed, and he stood
his ground. Mr.. Halliday, who walked
very close TO Agnes, cast her an al.
monitory glance, which Frederick was
; not slow in interpreting, then stopped
; reluctantly, perhaps because he saw
! her faltcr, perhaps because he knew
} that an Interview between these two
was unavoidable and had best be
quickly over.
Frederick found his voice first.
".Agnrs," said he, 81 am glad Of thl,
opportunity for expressing my graft
tudc. You have acted like n friend and
have earned my eternal consideration
even II we never speak again."
There was Il m0mentary silence. Hel
heart, which had dropped under his
greeting, rose again. Her eyes, humid
with feeling, sought his face.
WHY do you speak like thatf' said
| she. why shouldn't We meet? Does
, not every one recognize YOU limo
ecnce, and will not the whole world
Soon see, as have, that you have left
: tile old life behind and have only 10 be
your new self to win every ones ra
gardr