The Prescott daily news., 1908-06-04
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principal residence of Heyfordyille and it and its occupants were duly reverenced by the people It had passed down from one generation of Heyfords, from whom the town de- rived Its name, to another till it fell into the hands of Lawrence Heyford. bachelor about thirty. He kept serv- ants there and stayed there himself at times. Since he was a man of the world, the neighbors wondered why he stayed there at all, but he had little or no intercourse with any of them, and there was no way of finding out why he did so
 Some suspected that young woman named Agnes Dow had something to do with Heyford's visits to the stone house. This, however, was because he had once or twice been seen with her and for no other reason. Miss Dow was not especially handsome, but there was something about her attrac- tive to men. She had no friends among women. Whether this was because she did not care to be intimate with those Of her own sex or they did not care to be intimate with her was a mooted question among the men. The women knew all about 1t, but either could not or would not make any explanation.
 One day Edwin Tower, who knew Heyford, when passing through a town far removed from Heyfordville read in newspaper of singular trial that was going on. A men named Gesell was being tried for the murder of one Ptcton. Gesell bore evidence of refine ment. though he did not show 1t in his appearance or his clothing There was the best circumstantial evidence that he had committed the murder, though the prosecutor for the state could not find the slightest motive. The man would tell nothing of his antecedents, and no information with regard to them could be derived from others.
 Towers curiosity was excited, and. having time to kill, he went to the courtroom. The prisoner was evidently terribly depressed. He wore a stubble beard and a tramp's clothing. There
 " oc cOihSehih6 III lAo dPpodTduCe ld- miliar to Tower. Tower was sure he knew the man, but could not place him.
 Tower was obliged to leave for home that evening. On reaching Heyfords- vile he went to the stone house on the hill and asked if Mir. Heyford was there. He was not On the street Tower met Agnes Dow. He asked her if she knew of the whereabouts of Lawrence Heyford She drew down her brows and the corners sof her mouth in a singular fashion, paling slightly. and asked him why he ex- pected to gain such information from her. He apologized and went on. For awhile after that he was observed by his friends to have something on his mind.
 When Heyford made his next visit to tho stone house he shut himself up there for long while. Indeed. he had been there some time before any one knew of his arrival. He was seen out once or twice, but it was winter, and he was much mufiied. After awhile he went away again.
 Tower had kept in touch with the trial of Gesell and learned that he was acquitted rather from the fact that the chain of evidence against him was i'm perfect than as to any doubt that he was guilty. There are times when a person will connect different happen 1ngs without being conscious of any reason for doing so. Tower made such connection in his own mind between three persons-Agnes Dow, Lawrence Heyford and Gesell, the murderer. For his life he could not get rid of group Ing this trio in some mystery.
 Meanwhile the gap between Agnes Dow and the women of Heyfordsville grew broader. Then there were certain The more intelligent class of people have but little knowl- edge of the superstition of the lower classes. Where the idea emanated from no one knew, but the children of .he place came to speak of her to one another in whisper as witch. When hey met her on the street before pass ng her they would cross to the other side. Young women of her own age simply avoided her. Their mothers were divided on the matter. Some 'coffed at the treatment she received, while others forbade their daughters .o have anything to do with her. As 'or the young men, some of them would lave been glad to pay court to the ob- ect of all this variety of opinion, but # late Agnes would not permit any of hem to come near her.
 Years passed, and Lawrence Heyford