The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-19

might better be intrusted to your ia
Their You have no better friend" And
there he stopped with Mortified, de-
spairing feeling of inward weakness
If Frederick had committed a crime
anything would be better than know
ing It, Turning partially aside, he fin
gered the papers on the desk before
which he was standing. A large en-
velope, containing some legal docu-
ment, lay before him. Taking it UP
mechanically, he opened it. Frederick
as mechanically watched him.
II know" said the latter, that
have no better friend. You have been
TOO good, too fnduIgent What is 1T,
father? You change color, look I'LL.
What is there in that paperw
Mr Sutherland Strengthened himself;
there was a great reserve Of strength
in this broken down man yet. Fixing
Frederick with gaze more penetrat-
ing than any he had yet bestowed
upon him, he folded his hands behind
him, with the document held tightly
between them. and remarked:
when you borrowed that money
from me, you did 1t like a man who
expected to repay 1t. Why? Whence
did you expect to receive the money
with which to repay me? Answer,
Frederick; this Is your hour for con-
fession"
Frederick turned so pale his father
dropped his eyes in mercy.
Confess % he repeated. What
should confess? My sins? They are
TOO many. As for that money, I
hoped to pay 1t as any son might hope
10 pay bis father for money advanced
to pay a gamblers debt. / said /
meant to work. Ny first money earn
ed shall be offered to you. p
well? wen?" His father was hold
Ing the document he had just read
opened out before his eyes.
Didn't you expect thisY" he asked.
Didn't you know that that poor wom-
an, that wretchedly murdered, most
unhappy woman, whose death the
whole town mourns, had made you her
heir? That by the terms of this docu-
ment seen by me here and now for the
first time, I am made executor and
you the inheritor Of the 100000 or
more left by Agatha Webb?"
mot" cried Frederick, his eyes glued
to the paper. his whole face and form
expressing something more akin to ter
ror than surprise. HAS she done this?
Why should she? I hardly knew her."
mo. you hardly knew her. And she?
She hardly knew you; If she had, she
would have abhorred rather than en-
Iiched you. Frederick, I had rather
you were dead than stand before me
the inherftor of Philemon and Agatha
Vebb's hard earned savings"
You are right; it would be better"
murmured Frederick, hardly needing
what he said. Then. as he encounter
ed his fathers eye resting upon him
with implacable scrutiny. he added in
weak repetition: But why give her
money to me? What was 1 to her that
she should will me her fortuneY'
The fathers finger trembled to a GER
tain line In the document, which SEEM
ed to offer some explanation Of this.
but Frederick did not follow 1t. He
had seen that his father was expecting
a reply to the question he had pre-
viously put. and he was casting about
In his mind how to answer it.
when did you know Of this willY'
Mr.. Sutherland now repeated "For
know Of it you did before you came to
me for money"
courage and confronted his father res
olutely. !
NO" said he, 81 did not know OF II. /
1t 10 as much Of a surprise to me as 1t |
IS to you"
He lied. Mr.. Sutherland knew that |
he did and Frederick knew that he |
knew it. A shadow fell between them, !
which the older. with that unspeakable /
fear upon him reused by Sweetwater's |
whispered suspicion, dared no longer
10 attempt to lift.
After few minutes, In which Fred
erick seemed to see his father age be-
fore his eyes, Mr.. Sutherland coldly
remarked:
Dr. Talbot must know of this will.
1t has been sent here to me from Bos-
ton by a lawyer who drew it up two
years ago. The coroner may not as
yet have heard OF ii. VIII you accom-
pany me to his office tomorrow? II
should like to have him see that we
wish to be open with him in an affair
Of such Importance"
Il will accompany you gladly" said
and. seeing that his father
neither wished nor was able to say
anything further, he bowed with dis
tant ceremony as to q stranger and
quietly withdrew. But when the door
had closed between them and only the
memory Of his fathers changed coun-
tenance remained to trouble him, he
paused and laid his hand again on the
knob, as IL tempted to return. But he
left without doing so, only to turn
again at the end of the hall and gaze
wistfully back Yet he went on.
As he opened his own door and dis
appeared within he said half audibly:
Easy to destroy me now, Amabel.
One word and / am lost!"
CHAPTER XXI.
had BATsY LIVED.
1t was the last day Of the inquest
- a. "a