The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-19
CHAPTER XIII.
HOW HE WAS FOILED.

| Impossible! Incredible!
! Like a wave suddenly lifted the
whole assemblage rose in surprise II
not In protest. But there was no out
burst The very depth Of the feelings
evoked made all ebullition impossible,
and as one sees the billow pause ere 1t
breaks and gradually subside, so this
crowd yielded to the awe within them
and one by one sank back into their
seats till quiet was again restored and
only a circle Of listening faces con-
fronted the man who had just stirred
a whole roomful to its depths. Seeing
this and realizing his opportunity, Fred
erick at once entered into the explana-
lions for which each heart there pant
ed.
This will be overwhelming news to
him who has cared for me since in
fancy. You have heard him call me
son. With what words shall l over
throw his confidence in the truth and
rectitude of his long buried wife and
make him know in his old age that he
has wasted years of patience upon one
who was not of his blood or lineage?
The wonder. the incredulity, you mani
fest are my best excuse for my long
delay in revealing the secret intrusted
to me by this dying woman"
An awed silence greeted these words.
Never was the interest of a crowd
more intense or its passions held in
greater restraint. Yet Agnes tears
flowed freely. and Amabels smiles
well. their expression had changed.
and to Sweetwater, who alone had eyes
for her now, they were surcharged
with tragic meaning strange to see
in one of her callous nature.
Frederick's voice broke as he pro-
ceeded in bis self imposed task:
1.-The astounding fact which / have
just communicated to you was made
known to me by my mother. with the
dagger still plunged in her breast. She
would not let me draw 1t out. She
knew that death would follow that act.
and she priced every moment remain
ing to her because of the bliss she en-
joyed of seeing and having near her
her only living child. The love, tile
passion. the boundless devotion. she
showed in those last few minutes
transformed me in an instant from a
selfish brute into a deeply repentant
man. / knelt before her In anguish. |
made her feel that, wicked as l had
been, | was not the constituencies
wretch she had imagined and that she
was mistaken as to the motives which
led me into her presence. And when |
saw by her clearing brow and peaceful
look that l had fully persuaded her OF
L ner speak wnaJ worus sue
would and tell. as she was able, the Sc
cret tragedy of her life.
''It is a sacred story to me. and il
you must know it let it be from her
own words I'm the letters she left be-
hind her. She only told me that to
save me from the fate of the children
who had preceded me-the five little
girls and boys who had perished almost
at birth in her arms-she had parted
from me in early infancy to Mrs. Suth-
erland, then mourning the sudden
death of her only child; that this had
been done secretly and under circum-
stances calculated to deceive Mr.. Suth-
erland, SO that he had never known
l was not his own child, and she en-
Joined me never to enlighten him If by
any sacrifice on my part l could right
fully avoid it; that she was happy in
having me hear the truth before she
died; that the JOY which this gave her
was SO great that she did not regret
her fatal act, violent and uncalled for
as 1t was, for it had showed her my
heart and allowed me to read hers.
Then she talked of my father. By whom
l mean he whom you call Philemon,
and she made me promise l would care
for him to the last with tenderness,
saying that 1 would be able to do this
without seeming impropriety. since she
had willed me all her fortune under
this proviso. Finally she gave me
key and. pointing out where the rest Of
her money lay hidden. babe me carry it
away as her last gift. together with
the package Of letters 1 would find
with it And when / had taken these
and given her back the key she told
me that but for one thing she would
die happy. and. though her strength
and breath were fast failing her, she
made me understand that she was wor-
rfed about the labels, who had not
come. according to a sacred custom be-
tween them. to celebrate the anniyer-
sary OF her wedding. and prayed me TO
see the two old gentlemen before 1
slept, since nothing but death or dire
distress would have kept them from
gratifying the one whiru Of my fathers
failing mind. l promised. and with
perfect peace In her face she pointed TO
the dasSer IN her breast
x1Hkeusflsx'rnxha hand. upon