The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-17
Asthss Of Tie Mystery Of Agatha Webb" Lest

I-f1c cousu not tell me wnar 1 snouio
acounter tbere-this I remember his
slying-but something that would as
. ut me, something which had passed
nth good effect from father down to
hid for many generations. Only, il 1
eould be blessed In my undertakings,
lust not open the golden ball nor en-
eavor to find out its mystery unless
liz trouble threatened death or some
reat disaster. Such q trouble had in
4 eed come to me, and, startling coinci-
ence, / was at this moment In the
'ery house where this picture hung,
nd, more startling fact yet, the golden
|hll needed to interpret its meaning
has round my neck, for with such jeal-
|bsy was this family trinket always
0uartied by its owner. Why, then, not
|,st their combined effect? / certainly
seded help from some quarter. New
4 would William allow me to be mar
| ed to another while he lived. He
|iould yet appear, and / should need
bis great assistance-great enough to
ID transmitted from father to son-as
|Dne of the Moores had needed 1t yet,
|aough what 1t was did not know and
lid not even try TO guess.
|rag out the fligree ball at once nor
zen take more than one fearful side
|lng look at the picture. In drawing
Ia my glove 1 had seen his ring-the
Ing you had once asked about. 1t
|ias such a cheap affair. the only one
ID could get in that obscure little town
There we were married. lied when
|au asked me IL it was q family jewel,
ed but did not take it or, perhaps be-
|luse it chung 50 tightly, as II in re-
|,embrance CT the vows 1t symbolized.
ut now the very sight of it gave me a
light. With his ring on my finger I
build not defy him and swear his claim
d be false-the dream Of a man mad
pned by his experiences in the Klon-
Ike. 1t must come off. Then perhaps
, should feel myself a free woman.
Mt it would not come or. / struggled
'ith it and tugged In vain; then I be-
bought me Of using a nail file to sever
!. This did. grinding and grinding
/ 1t till the ring finally broke. and I
Suld wrench 1t of and cast it away
ut Of sight and, as I hoped, out Of
" memory also. I breathed easier
then rid Of this token, yet choked with
brror whenever q step approached the
Dor. I was clad in my bridal dress.
ht not in my bridal veil or ornaments,
i'd naturally Cora and then my maid
lme to assist me. But I would not
4 them In. I was set upon testing the
,cret Of the fligrse ball.
THE contents Of the ball turned out
be small magnifyirg glass and the
Icture a maze Of written, words. I,
Id not decipher II all; did not de-
pher the half. did not need to. A
brit of divination was given me in
rat awful hour which enabled me to
rAsp its full meaning from the few
antences did pick out. And that
leaning! 1t was horrible, inconceiv-
bic. Murder was taught, but murder
-om distance, and by an act too SIM
le to awake revulsion. A step into the
mpty closet yawning 90 near. an effort
ith drawer, a-a-- Do not ask me
recall it. did not shudder when
10 moment came and I stood there.
hen l was cold as marble. Yet l
aall surely take my life before you
70 me again, ana in that old house.
It Is despair feel. then despair will
lie me there. II It IL repentance, then
Dpentance will suflce to drive me to
,e one expiatien possible to me-to
srish where caused an innocent man
!, perish and 90 reheve you Of a wife
tho was never worthy of you and
HON 1t would be your duty to de-
ounce IL she let another sun rise upon |
% guilt.
"a message was shouted through the |
2or-the message for which my ears |
ID boon strained in dreadful anticipa- |
on for the last two hours. A man |
amed Pfeif-er wanted to see me be- |