The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-10
BY .4VN.A KATHARINE GREEN
(MRs. CHARLES RoHLral

definite than a repetition of his former
vague surmise He was facing immediate
death, yet all his thought, all his fast
ebbing strength, were devoted to the eff
fort Of making her know that he had
not been mistaken in his former conclu-
sion; that it was one, of his sons who
sought his life, and that this son had now
actually succeeded in poisoning him. That
he did not proceed further and name
which one was due probably to sudden
loss Of strength. That he meant to say
more than he did is evident from the
he which follows the four words we have
been considering"
True, true, but my argument holds;
an argument which the difficulties of the
case surely justify me IN ADVANCING. You
say ne would never have made such an
eHoft TO insure the safe delivery of words
that We're mere repetition OF a former
statement. Yet what more were thew in,
the unfinished condition in which we find
tnemE Do you think he could have been
Dlind TO the fact that he had not suc-
ceedea IN mentioning the name which
alone could give value to his accusation,
ana make its safe delivery matter of
rsai moment to Miss Meredith? Surely,
slr, you do not believe his wits were so
far gone that he regarded himself as hav-
ing made his suspicious clear in
tnose hVe words: one OF my sons he?
NO, do not. Yet who can tell. Bright
as his eye was, his faculty Of memory as
Well as OF observation may have left him.
Witness how he tore off the blank edge OF
the paper. instead of the words he wished
to send -. =. !.
81 know"
SWeetwater's tone was gloomy; cloud
seemed to have settled upon his newly
risen hopes.
Nevertheless" now felt bound to ad-
NIT, I cannot quite bring myself to be-
l1eVe that he was SO bewildered. On the
contrary, I feel confident that he was in
full possession Of his faculties when he
cast that dramatic glance upward, which,
by happy inspiration, I was led to in
terpret as meaning Hope. II we could
penetrate this matter to it's very core.
believe we should find the truth we
seek either in those five words themselves
or In the means he took Of getting them
to Miss Meredith. Have you ever thought,
Sweetwater, that we have not given all
the attention we should to- the latter
fact?''
eyes, sir" His hands had fallen from
his face. and he spoke with volubility. sit
has struck you, I see, as oddly as 1t has
US, that it was a very strange thing for
him to send into the street for messen-'
ger when he had one right at his hand.
Claire, do you mean?" :
Yes
"But Claire is a child; the slip of paper
to which he attached such Importance
was unsealed and he dreaded its falling
into wrong hands. Miss Meredith al
ready knew his secret, but for him to
proclaim openly that his death was due
to the hatred or cupidtty of one Of his
children would not be the act OF a father
who already, at the cost Of so much mis-
cry to himself-nay, as it proved. at the
cost of his life-had kept back from every
ear save that Of the one confdant of his
misery, q knowledge Of the fact that a
previous attempt had been made upon his
life
yet to send into the street for mes
senger! Why not send for one Of the
servants? Or why, If he knew which son
he had cause to fear, did he not bid the
child bring down one of the others r.
Leighton was out, George was half
drunk, and Alfred was two flights up. Be-
sides, he might have thought that an
alarm of this kind would prevent the de-
livery of the deter on which he laid such
stress. Who knows what goes on in
the mind of man conscious of having
but one minute in which to perform the
most important act of his life?"
"True, true, sir; and yet there is some
thing unnat ural in his conduct, something
I fail to understand. But don't despair.
recapitulation Of details from which I
hope so much; supposing we go on" And
he sunk his head again in his hands.
at once took up the thread Of my rela-
ton at the point where had dropped it.
when. I approached Mr.. Gillespie !
nuoted three things besides his tortured
face and sinking figure. First, that the
H. - 11~1 No 1n11y cn0-
ond, that typewriter stood close to his
hand; and third, that a pot of paste,
knocked over by some previous move
ment on his part, lay near the type
writer, with it's contents oozing over
sheet of unused paper. You ask me tic
mention all details and have done So"
Dreamily he moved his finger, but
whether in thanks or in an injunction fol
me to continue, L could not determine.
| therefore remained still.
| IT saw the paste,'' he murmured. ,Ant
taking this as an intimatton to proceed
| I went on till came to the moment wher
I pulled down the shade. -.
| "Yeu glanced out as you did that? ?
said he, lifting his finger as signal To-
me to pause.
eyes"
"And saw Mr.. Rosenthal in his room
in the neighboring extension?
| Eyes
standing how? With his back o
his face to the Window"
Ellis back. He was sauntering abou
/ his room"
$50 that settles one fact. He had no
been looking into Mr.. Gillespie's room a
a critical moment. Had he seen that gen
| tlemau In a suffering condition or note
the curious incidents following your en-
trance, he would have been held to tn
spot by his curiosity, and you would hav
encountered his eager face staring cow
upon a scene of such uncommon interest.
] every true. All he saw was til
seemingly insignificant incident. OF MI
Gillespie emptying the contents OF wine
4 glass out of the window.
| AS Sweetwater had no remark to max
to this. I proceeded with my narratlv'
i relating, with careful attention to- de
tails. INV Journey upstairs, the words
had overheard at the door Of aired
4 room, my first sight of Hope, and wa
proceeding to describe the results OF N
4 Intrusion into the Glhespie attic, Wnen
percefved that Sweetwater was no fonge
listening. His head, which he had raise
from between his hands, was turned m
way. but his eyes were looking into spac
a and his whole body was qulverfng IN II
tense excitement, such as have seldol
seen. AS paused, he came back to cart
and jumped to his feet.
"Come," he cried. Come with me
;, the ail1espie house. have an idea.
!. may not, stand the test, It may prove
The very hair on his forehead Wa
I, bristftng: the eagerness he tried to kee
/ o,,t IF his voice Showed itself in his eye
and in every jerking movement which :
q Come, he cried again; "it is not lat
I've will find the young gentleman at non