New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-08-30
CHAPTER z.
HELEN SURPRISES swEETwATER.


"HE servants returning from the
funeral drove up Just as
Sweetwater reached the lower
floor. He was at the side door
when they came in. and single
glance convinced him that all had
gone off 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 up
chairs quite as IL he 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 strange Mr..
Ranelagh! Why couldn't he wait FOR
the sheriff? It looks az II that gen
tleman would have the Job. all right"
"Oh. don'tw walled out one of the
girls. the impressionable. warm heart
ed Maggie. THE horrors Of this
house win kin me. can't stand It q
minute longer. I'll go-Tu 60 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 admiral ton 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
slow. surprised way that would have
abashed most men.
II don't know your name or your
business here" said she. but I do
know that you take good deal upon
yourself when you say what l shall
do or shan't do. don't even know
myself"
With the most innocent air In the
world he launched forth in TRADE
against the man then in custody. as
though bis 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
tramping about these rooms for months
Just as If he had no wicked feelings
in his heart and meant to marry Miss
Cumberland-nott to kill her.
'Oh. ohv' Maggie sobbed out. "And
a perfect gentleman he was too.
can't believe no bad Of him. He was
not like Her breath caught and so
suddenly that Sweetwater was always
convinced that the more cautious Helen
had twitched her by her skirt. Like
like other gentlemen who came here.
It was a kind word he had or a smile.
I-I"- She made no attempt to finish.
but bounded to her feet, pulling up
the more sedate Helen with her. Lets
co." she whispered. I'm afeared of
the man."
The other yielded and began to cross
the floor behind the impetuous Mag
gle.
Sweetwater summoned up his cour-
age.
Zone moment" he prayed. "Will
you not tell me before you 60 whether
the candlestick I have noticed on the
dining room mantel is not one Of a
pair?"
Eyes; 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 Gays ago"
A lowering of her head and sudden
make for the door.
Sweetwater changed bis 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 mantelT'
She nodded, involuntarily perhaps,
but decisively.
Sweetwater hid his disappointment.
The room mentioned was q thorough
fare for the whole family. Any mem
her Of it could have taken the candle
stick.