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

money to gtce of the utmost importance"
| stopped before he had taken hall
dozen steps and glanced back at his ia
Their, who was visibly succumbing tt
this last shock.
60" he whispered. but in SO thrill
ing a tone it was heard to the remotes
corner Of the room. Spare me the an
| guish Of saying what / have to say in
your presence. l could not bear it
| You could not bear it. Later, if you
/ I will repeat my tale in your ears, bu,
60 now. 1t is my last entreaty.''
There was a silence; no one ventur
ed dissent, no one so much as made
gesture Of disapprovaI. Then Mr.
| Sutherland struggled to his feet. cast
| one last look around him and disap-
, peared through door which had open
ed like magic before him. Then and
not till then did Frederick move for
ward.
| The moment was intense. The coro.
ner seemed to share the universal ex-
element, for his first question was a
leading one and brought out this star
Ting admission:
II have obtruded myself into this in.
| Quiry and now ask to be heard by this
| jury because no man knows more than
l do Of the manner and cause of Aga
tina Webb's death. This you will be-
lieve when l tell you that I was the
person Miss Page followed into Mrs.
Webb's house and whom she heard de-
scend the stairs during the moment she
crouched behind the figure of the sleep
ing Philemon
1t was more. infinitely more, than
any one there had expected. 1t was
not only an acknowledgment, but a
confession, and the shock, the surprise.
the alarm even, which 1T occasioned
even to those who had never had much
confidence in this young mans virtue,
was almost appalling in its intensity.
Had 1t not been for the consciousness
OF Mr.. Sutherlands near presence the
feeling would have risen to outbreak
and many voices were held in subjec-
ton by the remembrance of this ven
Grated mans last look, that otherwise
would have made themselves heard in
despite Of the restrictions of the place
and the authority Of the police.
To Frederick 1t was a moment of i'm
measurable grief and humiliation. On
y
subdued murmurs and open cries he
read instant and complete condemna-
ton, and yet In ell his life from boy
hood up to this hour. never had he
been so worthy Of their esteem and
consideration. But. though he felt the
iron enter his SOUL he did not lose his
determined attitude. He had observed
a change in Amabel and a change in
Agnes, and If only to disappoint the
vile triumph of the one and raise again
the dropping courage Of the other he
withstood the clamor and began speak
ing again before the coroner had been
able to fully restore quiet.
81 know" said he. what this Ac-
acknowledgement must convey to the
minds Of the jury and people here as
sembled, but If any one who listens to
me thinks me guilty of the death 1 was
SO unfortunate as to have witnessed. he
will be doing me a wrong which Aga
tina Webb would be the first TO con-
denim. DR.. Talbot and you, gentlemen
Of the jury, in the face of God and
man, 1 here declare that Mrs. Webb in
my presence and before my eyes gave
to herself the blow which has robbed
us all of a most valuable life. She was
not murdered
1t was a solemn assertion, but it fail
ed to convince the crowd before him.
AS by one impulse men and women
broke into tumult. Mr.. Sutherland was
forgotten. ard cries of Never She
was too good! It's all calumny! A
wretched liev' broke in unrestrafned
excitement from every part of the large
room. In vain the coroner smote with
his gavel; in vain the local police en-
deavored to restore order; the tide was
up and overswept everything for an In
slant till silence was suddenly restored
by the sight of Amabel smoothing out
the folds Of her crisp white frock with
an incredulous. almost insulting. smile
that at once fixed attention again on
Frederick. He seized the occasion and
spoke up IN tone Of great resolve.
II have made an assertion" said he,
before God and before this jury. To
make it seem credible one l shall
have to tell my story from the begin
ming. Am allowed to do so, Mr.. Coro-
ne4?'
you are" was the firm response.
Then. gentlemen" continued Fred
erick. still without looking at Amabel.
whose smile had acquired a mockery
that drew the eyes OF the jury toward
her more than once during the follow
ing recital, you know, and the public
generally now know. that Mrs. Webb
has left me the greater portion OF the
money Of which she died possessed. 1 |
have never before acknowledged to any |
one. not even to the good man who |
awaits this iury's verdict on the other |
side OF that door. that she had reasons
for this, good reasons, reasons which |
up to the very evening OF her death I
was myself ignorant of. as I was ig- /
norant OF her intentions in my regard /
or that was the special object of he
attention. Or that wefwere under. any /