The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-24
''rhose on the tone Tree are white

i
| ped 10 look ~ the fruit. While doing
so n man came and. leaning on the
fence. began TO talk with her. he had
very restless eye and was constantly
changing his position. He asked her
. number of questions pertaining TO The
locality and finally began to talk about
| the tree
1T was here" said Gretchen. that
my rather more than a year ago part
ed with peddler whom he had been
showing over his farm. The peddler
has never been heard from SINCE
/ What became of him." asked the
man. looking away and changing his
position from one foot to another.
My father was accused of murder
ing him.
"And was il proved against your IA
ther?" asked the stranger.
mo. There Were no witnesses. Bur
father is rs inDocent AS you or T."
Gretchen thought she saw the mans
pale face grow Il little paler.
"And is he believed to be guilty."
Some people think so because he
comes up here ut times and sits under
the tree They Say that something
draws murderer back To the scene Of
his crime
| Gretchen saw the stranger tremblc
! Her mind was absorbed IN her fathers
| trouble. which also kept her and her
lover apart I his made her garr,lious
She kept on:
I've tried to persuade father not TIC
come up here. But he will In spite Of
all l can do
| Doesn't that look as if he were
/ guilty." asked the man
mo. 1t seems to mo that he ex-
poets To meet the real murderer here.
| And If it's true that niurtcrers must
revisit the sceoeS of their crimes per.
hapS father will find him here some
! day
The man hurriedly turned to 80
Gretchen noticed that the hand he re-
| moved from the fence WAS trembling
like Il leaf in the wind
Wont you have an apple?' she
asked.
NO. no. no. Then. Suddenly check
ing himself. he a,,drd; Thank you my
girl never eat apples. They're sour
and hard"
These are not. They're sweet ana
juicy" She moved toward him. hold.
ing out one of the apples she had
/ plucked from Il lower branch of the
| tree.
NO. no, no. repeated the main. star,
ing at The apple aS if there WAS some
thing about il To be drraded
Gretchen in0kcd ut him in astoniSh.
! plent Then. us if To show him thar
the fruit WAS harmless. she raised il
TO her mouth. took Il big bite and held
the exposed pulp up for him to see
| Down ut the farmhouse Herman
Zeltner heard Il wild cry 1t seemed
| to him that it came from the direc-
| ton of the lone apple tree. Bounding
up the incline. in another moment he
came in sight of his daughter. y man
was standing on the other side of the
fence holding to the top.
Take it away cried the stranger
There's blood on it, Its, from his
| veins. 1t has grown up through the
trunk and has got into the apples.''
Gretchen stood speeches. Sudden
| Is her father dashed up to the stran-
| ger. leaped the fence and. grasping
him by the shoulder. forced him down
into Il kneeins position.
You fend. You killed him and left
ME To suffer for your crime, What
! do you mean by blood from his veins:
| Where did you bury him? Under the
| tree
Yes. gasped the man, his terror
at the blood stains. rs he supposed
| them. in the grated apple dominating
, bis terror at being accused of the
| crime
| Zeltncr called for assistance. and
| some uf his farm hands came running
| toward lhe party.
| There is the murderer" he said
"Hc killed the peddler and has buried
him uNder the apple tree Bring
! spades.
! Spades were brought, and the body
/ of the peddIcr was eXhumed. His
murderer refused to look on it. cover
ing his face with his hands.
| so you took Il grated apple for
| blood stains. did you?" cried Zeltner.
white with rage. Thank heaven. who
| prompted me to put red apple on this
! tree for heaven. who sent you back
! here, must have led me to furnish the
means To draw out your confession.
| Then to the others, Take him away
| to jail
| When the man had gone Zeltner
| questioned Gretchen as to how it hat
/ occurred. and when he found that sht
| had been The instrument by which be
! had been freed from the incubus thai
! had been resting upon him he took
| her in his arms and wept tears Of
/ JOY.
| The good book says" he cried. that
| a woman tempted a man with an ap
| pie 1t has been for you. my child. to
| convict man with the same fruit and
| avouaro tf yoIJr father