Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-12-01
CHAPTER Y.
HELEN SURPRISES swEETwArER.

| funeral drove up lust as
Sweetwater reached the lower
hoor. He was at the side door
when they came In. and a single
glance convinced him that all had
gone OF decorously at the grave and
that nothing further had occurred dur
ing their absence to disturb them.
He followed them as they filed away
into the kitchen and. waiting till the
men had gone about their work, turn.
ed his attention to the girls, who
stood about very much as If they did
| not know just what to do with them,
selves.
"Sit. ladies'" said he. drawing I'D
chairs quite as If be were doing the
honors of the house. you're all up.
set. you are, by what Mr. Cumberland
said In such an unbecoming way at
the funeral. He'd like to strangle Mr..
Ranelagh! Why couldn't he wait for
the sheriff? 1t looks as If that gen.
teman would have the job. all right"
"Oh. don't" walled out one of the
| girls, the impressioLable. warm heart
| ed Maggie. "The horrors of this
house will kill me. can't stand It
minute longer. I'll go-Ill go to-mor-
row."
"You won't; you're too kind hearted
to leave Mr.. Cumberland and his sis
ter in their desperate trouble" Sweet
water put in, with a decision as sug-
| gestive of admiration as he dared to
assume.
Her eyes filed. and she said no
more. Sweetwater shifted his atten-
ton to Helen Working around by
her side, he managed to drop these
words into her ear:
"She talks most, but she doesn't feel
her responsibilities any more than you
do. I've had my experience with wo.
men. and you're of the sort that
stays"
She rolled her eyes toward him In a
slow. surprised way that would have
abashed most men.
81 don't know your name or your
business here" said she, "but l do
know that you take good deal upon
yourself when you say what I shall
do or shan't do. / don't even know
myself"
With the most innocent air In the
world he launched forth in a trade
against the man then in custody. as
though his guilt were an accepted fact
and nothing but the formalities of the
law stood between him and his final
doom. 1T must make you all feel
queer" he wound up, ito think you
have waited on him and seen him
| just as If he had no wicked feelings
in his heart and meant to marry Miss
Cumberland-not to kill her."
"Oh. ohv' Maggie sobbed out. And
a perfect gentleman he was too. |
can't believe no bad Of him. He was
suddenly that Sweetwater was always
convinced that the more cautious Helen
had twitched her by her skirt. Like
like other gentlemen who came here.
| 1t was a kind word he had or a smile.
II She made no attempt to finish.
DuL DOuuutu W uCl ltSts puliihS up
the more sedate Helen with her. Lets
co." she whispered. Pm afeared Of
| the man."
The other yielded and began to cross
the floor behind the impetuous Mag
gle.
Sweetwater summoned up his cour-
age.
"One moment" he prayed "Will
you not tell me before you go whether
| the candlestick | have noticed on the
| dining room mantel is not one of a
pair?"
"Yes: there were two-once," said
Helen, resisting Maggie's effort to drag
her out through the open door.
Once" smiled Sweetwater; "by
which you mean three days ago"
A lowering of her head and a sudden
make for the door
Sweet water changed his tone to one
Of simple inquiry
"And was that where they always
stood. the pair of them. one on each
end of the dining room mantel?"
She nodded. involuntarily perhaps,
but decisively,
Sweetwater hid his disappointment.
The room mentioned was thorough,
fare for the whole family. Any mem
her of it could have taken the candle
stick.
"I'm obliged TO yUa, S"l he and
might have yentur@N lGr,iIrr had she
| given him the opportunity. But she
was too near the door to resist the
temptation of fight. In another mo-
ment she was gone, and Sweetwater
found himself alone with his refec-
tons.
The moon shone that night, much to
| Sweetwater's discomforture.
The house presented an equally dolor.
GUS and forsaken appearance, and In
the stable it was no better. Zadok
had bought an evening paper and was
seeking solace from its columns.
Sweetwater had attempted the So
ciable. but had been met by decided
rebuff.
Soon Sweetwater realized that bis
work was over for the night and plan
ned to leave. But there was one point