El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-09


state OF mortal terror"
whose unexpected manliness disguised
his inward agitation. 1.-The few words
I have just heard Miss Page say are of
SO important a nature l find it i'm
possible not to join you"
AmaDel. upon whose lips n faint COM
placent smile had appeared as he step
ped by her. glanced up at these words
in secret astonishment at the indiffer-
ence they showed and then dropped
her eyes to his hands with an intent
gaze which seemed to affect him un-
pleasantly. for he thrust them imme-
diately behind him. though be did not
lower his head or lose his air of deter
ninatiOn.
rs my presence here undesirable? 2"
he inquired with a glance toward his
father.
Sweetwater looked as IL he thought
it was. 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 face?" Mr..
Courtney now broke in in urgent in
quiry.
Her answer came slowly after an
other long look in Frederick's direc-
ton.
mo, ! did not dare to make the eff
fort. l was obliged to crouch too close
to the floor. l 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
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 it an old mans step?"
ut was not an agile one"
And you did not catch the least
glimpse of the mans face or fgureY
Not a glimpse
$50 you are in no position to identify
himY'
eff by any chance should hear those
same footsteps coming down a flight Of
stairs. think l should be able to rec
ognize them" she allowed in the sweet
est tones OF her command.
"She knows it is too late for her to
hear those of the two dead labels"
growled the man from Boston
I'VE are no nearer the solution of
this mystery than we were in the be- |
ginning" remarked the coroner.
Gentlemen. l have not yet finished
my story" Amabel sweetly intimated.
Perhaps what l have yet TO tell may
give you some clew as to who this man
was
"Ah. yes. Go on. go on. You have
not yet explained how you came to be |
in possession of Agatha's money"
"Just So" she answered. with an
other quick look at Frederick. the last |
she gave him for some time. LAS |
soon. then. as l dared l ran out of the |
house into the yard. The moon. which /
had been under a cloud was now shin
Ing brightly. and by it's light l saw
that the pace before me was empty |
and that l might venture to enter the
street. But before doing SO l looked
about for the dagger l had thrown
from me before going in. But l could
not find 1t. 1t had been picked up by
the fugitive and carried away An
noyed at the cowardice which had led
ne TO lose such a valuable piece of evil
1ence through purely womanish emo
ion. was about to leave the yard
when my eyes fell on the little bundle
)f sandwiches which l had. brought |
Town from the hill and which l had
ct fall under the pea tree at the first
scream | had heard from the house. 1t |
lad burst open. and two or three of |
he sandwiches lay broken on the
ground. But those that were intact l
picked up. and. being more than ever
lnxious to cover up by some oStensible
rrand my absence from the party. l
'ushed away toward the lonely road |
where these brothers lived. meaning to |
cave such fragments as remained on
he old doorstep. beyond which / had
'een told such suffering existed