The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-25
Whispering
 Pines

He inspected the former and noted that one was finished with a high col lar, but he passed the latter by-it was I not derby. The table stood next the rack, and on its top lay nothing more interesting than clothesbrush and one or two other insignificant ob- l jects; but, with his memory for de- tails, he had recalled the keys which one of the maids had picked up some where about this house and laid on a hall table. If this were the hall and this the table, then was every inch of i the latter's simple cloth covered top of the greatest importance in his eyes. He had no further time for even l these cursory Investigations. Hexford's step could be heard on the veranda, and Sweetwater was anxious to locate himself before the officer, came in. En- tering the room before him, he crossed to the small group clustered in it's farther doorway. There were several empty chairs in sight, but he passed around them all to dark and incon- sSicuous corner from which without effort he could take in every room on
 
 which the casket stood to the remotest region of the servants hall.
 The clergyman had not yet descend ed, and Sweetwater had time to ob- serve the row of little girls sitting in front of the bearers, each with small cluster of, white flowers in her hand Miss Cumberland's Sunday school l class, he conjectured, and conjectured rightly. He also perceived that some of these children loved her. His eyes dwelt Hngeringly on these before pass ing to that heaped up mound of fow- CTS under which lay murdered body and 8 bruised heart. He could not see the face, but the spectacle was sufi- ciently awe compelling without that. Would 1t have seemed yet more so had he known at whose request the huge bunch of lilies had been placed over that silent heart?
 The sister sick, the brother invisi- ble, there was little more to hold his attention in this quarter, 50 he let it roam across the heads of the people about him, to the distant hall commu- nicating with the kitchen.
 Several persons were approaching from this direction, among them Za- dok-the servants of the house, no doubt, for they came in all together and sat down side by side in the chairs Sweetwater had so carefully passed by. There were five persons in Nall-two men and three women. Only two interested him-Zadok, with whom he had already made a super flcial acquaintance and had had one bout, and a smart bright eyed girl with resolute mouth softened by an fnsistent dimple. who struck him as possessing excellent sense and some natural cleverness. A girl to know and girl to talk to was his instan- taneous judgment.
 During the services Sweetwater found himself watching, with anx- tous curiosity, the, attitude and ab- sorbed expression of good looking young man whom he was far from suspecting to be the secret representa- tive of the present suspect, whom no- body could forget. yet whom nobody wished to remember at this hallowed hour
 Had this attitude and this absorp- ton been directed toward the casket over which the clergyman's words rose and fell with ever increasing i'm pressiveness he might have noted the man. but would scarcely have been held by him. But this interest, sim cere and strong as it undoubtedly was, centered not so much in the services, careful as he was to maintain de corous> attitude toward the same, but in the faint murmurs which now and then came down from above, where inconsistencies reigned and the stricken brother watched over the de lirious sister with a concentration and abandonment to fear which made him oblivious of all other duties and almost as unconscious of the rites then being bald below over one who had been as a mother to him as the sick girl herself, with her ceaseless and importunate "Lila, Lilaw The detective. watching this preoccupied stranger, shared in some measure his secret emotions and thus was pre- pared for the unexpected occurrence of few minutes later
 The final words had been said and the friends present invited to look their last on the calm face which to many there had never worn so sweet a smile in life. Some had hesitated, . but most had obeyed the summons, among them Sweetwater. But he had not much time in which to f1x those features in his mind, for the little girls, who had been waiting patiently for this moment. now came forward, and he stepped aside to watch them es they filed by, dropping as they did 30 a tribute of fragrant flowers upon the quiet breast. They were followed by the servants. among whom Zadok had divided his roses. AS the las cluster fell from the coachnan's tren bling hand the undertaken advanced with the lid and, pausing momen to be sure that all were satisfied, be gan to screw it on.
 Suddenly there was a cry. and tht crowd about the door leading into ths main hall started back as wild steps were heard on the stairs and young man rushed into the room.
 '"rake it offp' he cried, pointing at the lid which had just been fastened down. ''I have not seen her! must see herl Take it o6y'
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