The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-15
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MONEY FOUND.

/ SWeeIWaIeFS mysterious iudueuNeis,
drew near Dr. Talbot and whispered in
| his ear: I'VE might have done without
| that fellow from Boston"
| To which the coroner replied:
| Perhaps, and perhaps not. Sweet
water has not yet proved his case; let
us wait till he explains himself" Then
| turning to the constable he showed
him an old fashioned miniature which
he had found lying on James breast
| when he made his first examination.
1t was set with pearls and backed with
gold and was worth many meals, for
the lack of which its devoted owner
had persisted.
Agatha Webb's portrait" exclaimed
Talbot. 'or rather Agatha Gilchrists!
For presume this was painted when
she and James were lovers"
"She was certainly q beauty" COM
mented Fenton, as he bent over the
miniature in the moonlight. Il do not
wonder she queened It over the whole
county"
HE must have worn 1t where l
found it for the last 40 years." unused
the doctor. "And yet men say that
love is a fieeting passion. Well, after
coming upon this proof of devotion.
/ find it impossible to believe James
label accountable for her death.
Sweetwater's instinct was truer than
Knapp's."
'.Or ours" muttered Fenton.
Gentlemen" interposed Abel. point
ing to a bright spot that just then
made its appearance in the dark out
Zine of the shade before alluded to, "do
l,o< hole ha q q n
that prick in the shade which sent
fsw etwater outside looking for foot
T. nts. See! Now his eye is to it, (as
r.le bright spot became suddenly
eclipsedl. I'VE are under examination.
sirs. and the next thing we will hear
is that he's not the only person who's
been peering into this room through
that hole
He was so far right that the first
words Of Sweetwater on his re-en-
trance were: Its all o K, sirs.
have found my missing clew. James
ZabeI was not the ouIy person VINO
came up here from the Webb cottage
last night" And turning to Knapp,
who was losing some Of his supercili-
GUS manner, he asked, with significant
emphasis: eff, of the full amount
stolen from Agatha Webb, you found
$50 in the possession Of one man and
$3.50 in the possession Of another, upon
which of the two would you fix as the
probable murderer Of this good wom-
amp
Upon him who held the lions share,
of course
Every good. Then II is not in this
cottage you will find the person most
wanted. You must look But there,
first let me give you a glimpse of the
money. Is there any one here ready
to accompany me in search Of it?
shall have to take him a quarter OF a
mile farther up hill"
"You have seen the money? You
know where it is?" asked DR.. Talbot
and Mr.. Fenton in one breath.
"Gentlemen, 1 can put my hand on
It in ten minutes"
At this unexpected and somewhat
startling statement Knapp looked at
DR.. Talbot and DR.. Talbot looked at
the constable. but only the latter spoke.
THAT is saying a good deal. But no
matter. / am willing to credit the
assertion. Lead on, Sweetwater. I'll
go with you"
at least. "And DR.. Talbot" he sug-
gested.
But the coroner's duty held him to
this house of death, and he decided not
to accompany them. Knapp and Abel,
however. yielded to the curiosity which
had been aroused by these extraor-
binary promises, and soon these four
started on their small expedition up
the hill.
Sweetwater headed the procession.
He had admonished silence, and his
wish in this regard was SO well carried
out that they looked more like group
of specters moving up the moon lighted
road than a party of eager and impa-
tient men. Not till they turned into the
main thoroughfare did any one speak.
Then Abel could no longer restrain
himself. and he cried out:
I'VE are going to Mr.. Sutherland's."
But Sweetwater quickly undeceived
him.
NO" said he, 'only into the woods |
opposite his house"
But at this Mr.. Fenton drew him |
back.
Are you sure of yourselfr' he said |
"Have you really seen this money. and /
is it concealed in this forest?''
II have seen the money" Sweetwa-
ter solemnly declared, ''and it is hidden /
in these woods"
Mr.. Fenton dropped his arm, and |
they moved on till their way was
blocked by the huge trunk Of fallen |
tree.
at is here we are to look cried |
pausing and motioning /
Knapp to turn his lantern on the spot /
where the shadows lay thickest- Now,
what do you seew he asked.
1.-The upturned roots Of great tree"
said Mr.. Fenton.
"And under Them"
IA hole or. rather, the entrance to |
one"
Every good. The money Is In that /
hole. Pull 1t ont. Mr.. Fenton"
The assurance with which Sweetwa-
ter spoke was such that Mr.. Fenton at
once stopped and plunged his hand
into the hole: but when. after a hurried