The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-23
CHAPTER XIV.
FREDERICK ARRESTED.

But. alas. all tides have their ebb as
well as flow. and before Mr. Sutherland
and Frederick were well out of the
main street the latter became aware
that Notwithstanding the respect with
which his explanations had been re-
ceived by the jury there were many Of
his fellow townsmen who We're ready
to show dissatisfaction at his being al
lowed to return in freedom to that
home where he had still every prospect
Of being called the young master
Doubt. that seed of ramifyfng growth,
had been planted in more than one
breast. and while it failed as yet to
there were evidences enough in the
very restraint visible in such groups OF
people as they passed that suspicion
had not been suppressed or his inno-
cence established by the overfavorable
verdict of the coroner's jury.
To Mr.. Sutherland. suffering now
from the reaction following all great
efforts. much, if not all, Of this quiet
but significant display of public feeling
passed unnoticed. But to Frederick.
alive to the least look. the least sign
that his story had not been accepted
unquestioned. this passage through the
town was the occasion of the most
poignant suffering.
For not only did these marks of pub
lie suspicion bespeak possible arraign-
ment in the future. but through them 1t
became evident that even il he escaped
open condemnation in the courts he
could never hope for complete rein
statement before the world. nor. what
was to him a still deeper source of de-
spair, anticipate q day when Agnes
love and domestic happiness should
make amends to him for the grief and
errors Of his more than hayward
youth. He could never marry so pure
being while the shadow OF crime sep
arated him from the mass Of human
beings. Her belief in his innocence and
the exact truth of his story (and he was
confident she did believe HIM could
make no difference In this conclusion.
While he was regarded openly or in
dark corners or beside the humblest
Preside as possible criminal neither
Mr.. Sutherland nor her father nor his
own heart even would allow him to
offer her anything but friends graft
tude or win from her anything but a
neighbours sympathy. yet in bidding
goodby to larger hopes and more impor-
tant desires he parted with the better
part OF his heart and the only solace
remaining in this world for the bound
less griefs and tragic experiences of
his still young life. He had learned to
love through suffering. only to realize
that the very nature Of his suffering
forbade him to indulge in love.
And this seemed. even in this hour Of
public justification, final Judgment
he had told his story and been for the
moment believed. but what was there
in his life. what was there in the facts
as witnessed BIZ others. what was there
in his mothers letters and the revela-
ton of their secret relationship to cor
roborate his assertions or to prove that
her hand and not his had held the
weapon when the life blood gushed
from her devoted breast? Nothing.
nothing; only his word to stand against
all human probabilities ard natural in /
ference. only his word and the gener- /
Gus nature Of the greet hearted woman
who had thus persisted Though q /
dozen of his fellow citizens had by
their verdict professed their belief In |
his word and given him the benefit of /
a doubt involving his life as well a. his /
honor. he as well as thes knew that /
neither the police nor the general pub /
lie were given to Sentimentality and I
that the question Of his guilt still lay T
open and must remain - till his LxinG !