The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-18


- Is>.>T''
"You hare q right to command me-"
has lived anything but a satisfactory
life, but he is not as bad as your fears
would show. He could never have
taken life. That would be incredible.
monstrous. in one brought up as he has
been. Besides. if he were SO far gone
in evil as to be willing to attempt
crime. he had no motive to do so;
Sweetwater. he had no motive. A few
hundred dollars! But these he could
have got from me, and did, but
Why did the wretched father stop?
Did he recall the circumstances under
which Frederick had obtained these
last hundreds from him? They were
not ordinary circumstances, and Fred
erick had been in no ordinary strait.
Mr.. Sutherland could not but acknowl-
edge to himself that there was some
thing in that whole matter which con-
tradicted the very plea he was making,
and not being able to establish the con-
viction of his sons innocence In his
own mind he was too honorable to try
to establish it in another. His next
words showed the struggle he was
laboring under.
1T is that girl who has ruined him.
Sweetwater. He loves her. but he
doubts her, as who could help doing
after the story she told US day before
yesterday. Indeed he has doubted her
ever since that fatal night, and it is
this which has broken his heart and
not-not'- Again the old gentleman
paused; again he recovered himself.
this time with touch of his usual dig
nifty and self command. Leave mel"
he cried. Leave us! Nothing that you
have seen has escaped me, but our in
terpretations of it may differ. l will
watch over my son from this hour, and
you may trust to my vigilance"
Sweetwater bowed.
You have right to command me-"
said he. You may have forgotten, but
have not, that | owe my life to you.
Years ago-perhaps you can recall it; it
was at the Black pond-I was going
down for the third time, and my moth
er was screaming in terror on the bank,
when you-you plunged in and Well,
sir. such things are never forgotten,
and. as l said before, you have only to
command me-" He turned to go, but
suddenly came back. There were signs
of mental conflict in his face and voice
also. Mr.. Sutherland, 1 am not a
talkative man. If l trust your vigi-
lance, you may trust my discretion.
Only l must have your word that you
will convey no warning to your son;
that you will not even let him see he
lies under any suspicion, least of all
your own"
Mr.. Sutherland made an indefinable
gesture, and Sweetwater again disap-
peared. this time not to return. AS for
Mr.. Sutherland. he remained standing
before Mr.. Halliday's door. What had
the young man meant by this emphatic
repetition of his former suggestion?
That he would be quiet also and not
speak of what he had that night seen?
Why. then But to the hope thus Civ
en- this honest hearted gentleman would
yield no quarter. and. seeing a duty be-
fore him, duty he dare not sbirk, he
brought his emotions. violent as they
were, into complete and absolute sub
lection and. opening Mr.. Halliday's
door. entered the house. They were
old neighbors. and ceremony was ig-
nored between them.
Finding the hall empty and the par
lor door open, he walked Immediately
into the latter room. The sight that
met his eyes never left his memory.
Agnes, his little Agnes, whom he had
always loved and whom he had vainly
longed to call by the endearing name
Of daughter, sat with her face toward
him, looking up at Frederick. That
young gentleman had just spoken to
her. or she had just received something
from his hand, for her own was held
out, and her expression was one of
gratitude and acceptance. She was
not a beautiful girl, but she had a
beautiful look, and at this moment it
was exalted by a feeling the old gen.
tleman had once longed, but now
dreaded inexpressibly, to see there. |
What could it mean? Why did she /
show interest. devotion, passion al i
most, at this especial moment Of her /
life, when in all the years that had /
gone by, and when it was the dearest /
wish of his heart to see these two /
united. she had never betrayed In all /
heir intercourse anything but distrust, /
Z not an uneasy dislike? 1t was one /
II the contradictions of our mysterious /
human nature, and at this crisis and in /
his moment of secret heartbreak and /
doubt 1t made the old gentle /
nan shrink, with his first feeling Of /
Ictual despair.
The next moment Agnes had risen, /
md they were both facing him
Good evening. Agnes
Mr.. Sutherland forced himself to