The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-17

ing himself to meet the FIRE of ques-
tons which his statement must neces-
sarily call forth when the sound of ap-
preaching steps drew the attention of
both toward q party of men coming up
the hillside.
Among them was Mr.. Courtney. pros
ecuting attorney for this district. and
as Mr.. Sutherland recognized him he
sprang forward. saying. There's Court
ney: he will explain this
Frederick followed. anxious and be
wildered. and soon had the doubtful
plea Of seeing his father enter his
study in company with the four men
considered to be most interested in the
elucidation Of the Webb mystery
As he was lingering in an undecided
mood in the small passa geway leading
up stairs he felt the pressure OF a fin
ger on his shoulder. Looking up. he
met the eyes Of Amabel. who was lean
! ing toward him over the banisters. She
! was smiling. and. though her face was
! not without evidences Of physical lam
guor. there was a charm about her per-
! son which would have been sufficiently
enthralling to him "a hours before but
/ which now caused him such a physical
repulsion that he started back in the
/ effort to rid his shoulder from her dis
/ urbing touch
She frowned. 1t was an instantane-
Gus expression Of displeasure which
was soon lost in one Of her Gurgling
laughs.
rs my touch so burdensome?" she
demanded. IF the pressure of one Gin
ger is so unbearable to your sensitive
nerves, how will you relish the weight
of my whole hand?"
There was q fierceness in her tone, a
purpose in her look that for the first
time in his struggle with her revealed
the full depth of her dark nature.
Shrinking from her appalled,. he put UP
his hand in protest, at which she
changed again in q twinkling, and with
cautious gesture toward the room in
to which Mr. Sutherland and his
friends had disappeared. she whisper
ed significantly:
I'VE may not have another chance to
confer together. Understand. then. that
1t will not be necessary for you to tell
me, in so many words. that you are
ready to link your fortunes to mine;
the taking off Of the ring you wear and
your slow putting Of it on again, in my
presence, will be understood by me as
token that you have reconsidered
your present attitude and desire my ST.
lence and-myself."
Frederick could not repress a shud-
der.
For an instant he was tempted to
succumb on the spot and have the long
agony over Then his horror OF the wo-
man rose to such pitch that he utter
ed an execration. and. turning away
from her face. which was rapidly grow
ing loathsome to him. he ran out of the
passageway into the garden. seeing as
he ran persistent vision of himself
pulling off the ring and putting it back
again. under the spell OF a look he re-
belled against even while he yielded to
its influence.
81 will not wear a ring. | will not
subject myself TO the possibility of
obeying her behest under a sudden /
stress Of fear or fascination" he ex-
claimed, pausing by the we'll curb and /
looking over 1t at his reflection in the
water beneath. .'If / drop it here, l |
at least lose the horror Of doing what |
she suggests under some Involuntary /
impulse" But the thought that the |
mere absence Of the ring from his fin
ger would not stand in the way of his /
going through the motions TO which |
she had just given such significance /
deferred him from the sacrifice of a
valuable family jewel. and he left the
spot with an air of frenzy such as a
man displays when he feels himself /
on the verge of a doom he can neither
meet nor avert
As he re-entered the house he felt
himself enveloped in the atmosphere
of coming crisis. He could hear
voices in the upper ball. and among
them be caught the accents of her he
had learned so lately to. fear. Impelled
by something deeper than curiosity
and more potent even than dread. he
fastened toward the stairs. When
half way up them. he caught sight of
Anna bel She was leaning back against
the balustrade that ran across the up
per hall. with her hands gripping the
rail on either side of her and her face
turned toward the Ave ren who had
evidently issued from Mr.. Sutherland's
study to interview her.
As her back was to Frederick. he
could not Judge Of the expression Of
that face save by the effect it had upon
the different men confronting her. But
to see them was enough. From their
looks he could perceive that this young
girl was in one of her battling moods
and that. from his father down. not
one Of the men present knew what to
make of her
At the sound his feet made. relaxa-
ton took place in her body. and she
lost something of the defiant attitude
she had before maintained. Presently
he heard her voice:
81 am willing to answer any ques-
lions you may choose to put me here.
but cannot consent to shut myself in
with you liz that small study. should
suffocate."
Frederick could perceive the looks
which passed between the FIVE men as
sembled before her and was astonished
to note that the insignificant fellow
they called Sweetwater was the first