The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-11-28
CHAPTER x.
A Difference of Opinion.

CHAPTER X.
A Difference of Opinion.
| At an early hour the next morning,
| Sweetwater stood before the coroner's
desk, urging a plea he feared to hear
| refused. He wished to be present at
| the interview soon to be held with Mr..
Brotherson. and he had no good rea.
son to advance why such privilege
should be allotted him.
The coroner, who had had some
little experience with this man, sur
veyed him with smile less forbid
| ding than the poor fellow expected.
you seem to lay great store by it, y
| said he; eff you want to sort those
papers over there, you may"
Thank you. l don't understand the
| job, but I promise you not to increase
| the confusion. If l do; if / rattle the
leaves too loudly, it will mean, Press
him further on this exact point but
doubt if l rattle them, sir. No such
| luck"
The last three words were uttered
| soto voce, but the coroner heard him.
and followed his ungainly figure with
| a glance Of some curiosity, as he set
| tied himself at the desk on the other
side of the room.
us the man" he began. but at this
! moment the man entered, and DR..
Heath forgot the young detective, in
| his interest in the new arrival.
"Mr. Brotherson, believe" said he.
as he motioned his visitor to sit.
"That is my name, sir"
"Crlando Brotherson"
"The same. sir"
'I'm glad we have made no mis-.
take" smiled the doctor. ''Mr. Broth.
erson, have sent for you under the
| supposition that you were a friend OF
the unhappy lady lately dead at the
Hotel Clermont"
| "Miss Challoner?"
Certainly; Miss Challoner."
81 knew the lady. But" here the
| speakers eye took on a look as ques'
| tioning as that of his interlocutor-
but in way so devoid of all public.
lily that l cannot but feel surprised
/ that the fact should be known
At this, the listening Sweetwater
hoped that Dr. Heath would ignore
the suggestion thus conveyed and de-
cline the explanation it apparently de-
manded. But the impression made
by the gentleman's good looks had
been too strong for this coroner's
proverbial caution, and, handing over
the slip of note which had been
found among Miss Challoner's effects
by her father, he quietly asked:
| do YOU recognize the signature?'
Eyes, it is mine"
! "Do you remember the words of this
note, Mr.. Brotherson?"
Hardly. l recollect its tenor, bat
not the exact words"
Read Them"
Excuse me, / had rather not.
am aware that they were bitter and
should be the cause of great regret
/ was angry when wrote them"
I THAT is evident. But the cause OF
your anger is not so clear, Mr.. Broth
erson Miss Challoner was woman
of lofty character, or such was the
universal opinion Of her friends
| What could she have done to a gen.
tleman like yourself to draw forth
such tiradaf"
| "You ask that?"
| 81 am obliged to. There Is mystery
surrounding her death-the kind Of
I, mystery which demands perfect frank
ness on the part of all who were neal
her on that evening, or whose rela
tons to her were in any way peculiar
You acknowledge that your friendship
was of such a guarded nature that II
surprised you greatly to hear 1t recog
nized. Yet you could write her let
ter of this nature. Why?"
Because" the word came glibly;
but the next one. was long in follow
ing. Because" he repeated, letting
the fire of some strong feeling disturb
for a moment his dignified reserve
II offered myself to Miss Challoner
and she dismissed me with great dis
dain."
"Ah! and SO you thought a threat
| was que neT
| "a threat?"
These words contain q threat, dc
they mott
They may. was hardly master OF
myself at the time. may have ex
! pressed myself In an unfortunate man
ner."
Read the words, Mr. Brotherson.
really must insist that you do So"
There was no hesitancy now. Ris
ing, he leaned over the table and read
the few words the other had spread
out for his perusal. Then he slowly
rose to his full height, as he an
swered. with some slight display d
| compunction:
II remember 1t perfectly now. I,
is not a letter to be proud of.
] hope"