Show AGATHA WBBB I A Powerful New Story By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN Author of The leavenworth Case CHAPTER TIE PURPLE ORCHID The dancr a over From the great house ou the bill the guests had all departed and only the musicians re mimed As they filed out through the ample doorway with their instruments under their arms the first faint streak c of arly dawn became visible In the cast One r > f thzn 3 lak plain featured yung man of ungainly asutct t U nitrating eye called the r ilium T the others to It L K j 1 hi there is the day licu Tr 11 hen a guy night for Suh rlarl to11 P Ti R o muttered another star Irpr ice tne slight figure of a j o iv 11 n < iiing from the house be I il in1 ushrd hastily by Why v ho s IU Vs th > > f and all had recognized I th ft imi thus alluded to no one an sv 0 tr 1 > < had dashed out of the i te and 01 f jared In the woods on t1 thr sid ff the road Ten they a Ttlif < 1 Its MrFip leuck He seems in 1 a desperate hurry He trod on my toes Did you hear the words he was muttering s he went by As only the last question was calculated calcu-lated to rouse any interest it alone re ciiod attention No what were they I heard him say somethIng but I did not catch the AS ords He want talking to you or me either but I have ears that can hear a eye wink He paid Thank God this terrible night is over Think of that After such a dance and such a spread he calls this night terrible and thanks God that it is over I thought lie was one to enjoy this kind of thing more than most folks So did i I And so did I The five musicians exchanged looks then huddled in a group at the gate He has quarreled with his sweetheart sweet-heart suggested one Im not surprised at that declared another I never thought it would be I a match Shame if it were muttered the ungainly un-gainly youth who had spoken first As the subject of this comment was the son of the gentleman whose house they were just leaving they necessarily neces-sarily EDolce low but their tones were rife with ouriositr and it a evident that the topic deeply Interested them One of the five who had not previously epoken now put in 3 word I saw him when he first led out Hiss Page to daCe and I saw him again when he stood up opposite her in the lat quadrille and I tell you boys there was a mighty deal of difference in the way he looked at her the last time from what he did the first You wouldnt have thought him the same man Reckless young fellows like him ore not to be caught by dimples only They want cash Or family at least and she hasnt either But what a pretty girl she is Sortie fellow as rich a he and a well connected would be satisfied with her good looks alone Good looks High scorn vas observable ob-servable in this exclamation which was made by the young man who I have before characterized as ungainly a ugn ly I refuse to acknowledge that she has any good looks On the contrary I consider her planO plan-O C burst in protest from more than one mouth And why does she have every fellow In the room dangling nrtr her then asked the player on th yellow flageolet Put she hasnt 3 regular feature What difference does that make when it isnt her features you notice but herself I dont like her A laugh followed this That wont trouble her Sweetwater Sutherland does If you dont and thats much more to the point And hell marry her yet he cant help it Why shed witch the devil Into leading her to the altar if she took a notion to have him for her jridegroom There would be consistency In that muttered the fellow just addressed But Mr Frederick Hush Theres someone on the doorstep door-step Why Its she They all glanced back The graceful figure of a young girl dressed in white was to be seen leaning toward them from the open doorway Behind her shone a blaze of light the candles not having been yet extinguished in the hall and against this brilliant background back-ground her slight form with all its bewitching be-witching outlines stood out in plain relief lief There was an anxious bend to I however which none of them had ever observed In i before Who was that she began in a high almost strident voice totally out of keeping with the sensuous curves of her strange sweet face But the ques tion remained incompletef as well as unanswered for at that moment her unaswere attention as well as that of the men lingering at the gate was ttracted by tiP sound of hurrying feet and con fus < d cries coming up the hll Murder Murder was the word panted out by more than one harsh voice and in another instant a dozen men and bcs came rushing into sight In a state of such excitement that the five musician recoiled from the gate and onA of fiem went so far as to start back tovard ilio hou e A he did s lie noticed a rurmus thing The young woman wbm they had all perceived Handing in the door I moment before had vanisho wt fhp was known to profess th k < nest curiosity of any I ont in town Murder Murder A terrible and unprrvedented < 1 y in this old God fearing town Then came in hoarse explanation planation from the jostling group a thy stopped at the gate r Webb ha been killed Stabbed with a knife Tell Mr Sutherland Mrs Webb 9 As the musicians heard this name so honored and so universally beloved they to 3 man uttered a cry Mrs Webb Why it was impossible Shouting in their turn for Mr Sutherland Suther-land they all crowded forward Not irs Webb they protested Who could have the daring or the heart to kill her God know answered a voice from the highway but shes dead weve Just seen her I Then its the old mans work quavered qua-vered a piping voice well known a I that of the village shoemakers Ive always said he would turn on his best friend some day Sylums the best place I for folks a has lost their wits But here a hand was put over his mouth and the rest of the words be w came an inarticulate gurgle Mr Sutherland Suth-erland had just appeared onthe porch and these were not men to let their voices be heard in his presence He was n superblooking man with an expression of mingled kindness and dignity that invariably awakened both awe and admiration In the spectator r Xo man In the country was going to say no womanwas more beloved t nor was any held in higher esteem Yet he could not control his only son as r everyone within ten miles of the hill well knew e At this moment his face showed both pain and shock e What name are you shouting out there he brokenly demanded Ago i tha Webb Is Agaha Webb hurt j Yes sir killed repeated a half f dozen voices at once Weve just come from the house All the town is up Some say her husband did it r < No no was Mr Sutherlands decisive F de-cisive though half inaudible response Philemon Webb might end his own < life but not Agathas I was the p money Here he caught himself up and rais 1 I I L L lag his voice addressed the crowd of villagers more directly Wait said he and I will go back I with you Where is Frederick he demanded de-manded of such members of his own household as stood about him No one knew I wish someone would find my son I want him to go into town with me Hes over in the woods there volunteered woos unteered 3 voice from without In the woods repeated the father In a surprised tone Yes sir we all saw him go Shall we sing out to him No no I will manage very well without him And taking up his hat Mr Sutherland stepped out again up Ion I-on the poarch Suddenly he stopped A hand had I been laid on his arm and an inslnua Ing voice was murmuring his ca Do you mind if I go with you I will not make much trouble the have I was same young lady we seen before The old gentleman frowned he who never frownedand remarked shortly A scene of murder Is no place for women The face upturned to his remained unmoved unmme I think I will go she quickly persisted per-sisted I ca easily mingle with the crowd He said not another word against it Miss Page was under pay in his house but for the last few weeks no one had undertaken to contradict her In the interval since her first appearance on the porch she had exchanged the light dress In which she had danced at the ball for 3 darker and much more serviceable ser-viceable one and perhaps this token of her determination may have had Its influence in silencing him He joined the crowd and together they moved down hB This was too much for the servants of the house One by one they too left the house till I stood absolutely I ab-solutely empty Jerry snuffed out the candles and shut the front door but the side entrance stood wide open and I into this entrance a the lat footstep died out on the hillside passed a slight I and resolute figure I was that of the musician who had questioned Miss Pages attraction questoned Iss I CHAPTER H I Sutherlandtown was a seaport The village which was 3 small one consisted con-sisted of one long street running parallel allel with the coast and numerous cross streets running down from the hillside and ending on the wharves On one of the corners thus made stood the Webb house with its front door on the main street and its side door on one of the illlside lanes As the group of men and boys who had been in search of Mr Sutherland entered this last mentioned lane they could pick out his house from all the others as It was the only one in which 3 light was still burning Mr Sutherland lost no time in entering upon the scene of tragedy As his imposing im-posing figure emerged from the darkness dark-ness and paused on the outskirts of the house a murmur of welcome went up after which a way was made for him tothe front door But before he could enter some one plucked him by the sleeve Look up whispered a voice Into his ear He did so and saw a womans body hanging half out of an upper window I hung limp and the sight made him I sick notwithstanding his three score years of experience Whos that he cried Thats not Agatha Webbs head and shoulders No its Betsy the cook Shes dead too We left her where we found her for the coroner to see But this is horrible murmured Mr Sutherland Has there been a butcher I here As he uttered these words he felt another quick pressure on his arm Looking down he saw leaning against him the form of 3 young woman but before he could address her she had started upright again and was moving on with the throng I was Mfcs Page I was the sight of this woman hanging from the window which first drew attention to the house volunteered volun-teered a man who was standing a 3 sort of 3 guardian at the main gateway gate-way Some of the sailors wives who had been to the wharves to see their hnsbands off on the ship that sailed at daybreak saw it 3 they came up the I lane on their way home and gave the alarm Without that we might not yet have known what had happened But Mrs Webb I Come in and see There was 3 board fence about the simple yard within which stood the humble house forever after to be pointed ed out as the scene of Sutherlandtowns I most heartrendering tragedy In this fence was a gate and through this gate I now passed Il Sutherland and his wouldbe companion Miss Page A path bordered by lilac bushes led the way to the house the door of which stood wide open As soon as Mr Sutherland Suth-erland entered upon this path a man appeared from the house and came directly di-rectly toward him I was Amos Fen ton the constable Ah Mr Sutherland said he sad business 3 very sa business But what little girl have you there This is Miss Page my housekeepers housekeep-ers niece She would eome Inquisitiveness Inquisi-tiveness the cause I do not approve of it itMiss Page must remain on the doorstop door-stop We allow no one inside excepting except-ing yourself he said respectfully in recognition of the fact that nothing of importance was ever undertaken in Suthorlondtoun without the presence of Mr Sutherland Miss Page curtsied looking sn bewitching be-witching in the fresh morning light that the tough old constable scratched his chin in grudging admiration But he did not reconsider his determination Seeing this she accepted her defeat gracefully and moved aside to where the bushes offered heY more or less protection pro-tection from the curiosity of those about her Meanwhile Mr Sutherland had stepped Into the house He found himself in a small hall with a staircase in front and an open door at the left On the threshold of this open door 3 man stood who at sight of him doffed his hat Passing by this man Mr Sutherland entered the room beyond A table spread with eatables met his view beside which In an attitude i atti-tude which struck him at the moment as peculiar sat Philemon Webb the well known master qf the house Astonished at seeing his old friend In this room and in such 3 position he was about to address him when Mr Fenton stopped him Wait he said Take a look at poor Philemon before you disturb him He was sitting just as you see him when o broke into the house 3 half hour ag and we have let him IK for reasons you can easily appreciate Examine Ex-amine him closely Mr Sutherland he wont notice I But what ails him Why does he I sit crouched against the table Is he hurt too No look at his eyes Mr Sutherland stooped and pushed aside the long gray locks that half concealed con-cealed the countenance of his aged friend friendh Why he cried startled they are closed He isnt deafl No he is asleep Asleep Yes He was aslceo when we came in and he is alee yet Some of the neighbors wanted to wake him but I would not let them His wits are not strong enough to bear a fudden shock No no poor Philemon But that he should sit sleeping here while she but what do these bottles mean and this parade of supper theroom they were not accustomed to eat In We dont know It has not been M P J I I eaten you see He has swallowed a I glass of port but that is all The other glasses have had no wine In them nor have the victuals ben touched Set set for three and only one occupant oc-cupant murmured Mr Sutherland Strange Could he have expected guests I looks like it I didnt know that his wife allowed him such privileges but she was always to good to him and I fear ha aways for it with her life Nonsense he never killed her Had I his love been anything short of the worship It was he stood in too much awe of her to lift his hand against her even in his most demented moments I I dont trust men of uncertain wits returned the other You have not noticed everything that is to be seen In j this room Mr Sutherland recalled to his duty I by these words looked quickly about him With the exception of the table and what was on and by it there was nothing else in the room Naturally his glance returned to Philemon Webb I I dont see anything but this poor sleeping man he jn I Look at his sleeve Mr Sutherland with a start again I bent down The arm of his old friend 1 lay crooked upon the table and on its blue cotton sleeve there was a smear which might have been wine but which I wns hi nod As I Sutherland became assured of this he turned slightly pale and looked inquiringly at the two men who were Intently watching him This is bad said he Any other mars of blood below stairs No that one smear Is all 0 Philemon burst from Mr Sutherland Suth-erland in deep emotion Then as he looked long and shudderingly at his friend he slowly added He has been in the room where she was killed s much is evident But that he understood what was done there I cannot believe or he would not be sleeping here like 3 log Come let u go upstairs Fem on with an admonitory gesture toward his subordinate turned directly toward the staircase Mr Sutherland folowe him and they at once pro ceeded to the upper hall and Into the large front room which had been the scene of the tragedy I was the parlor or sitting room of his small and unpretentious house A rag carpet covered the floor and the furniture was of the plainest kind but the woman who lay outstretched on the stilt oldfashioned lounge opposite the door was far from being In accord with the homely type of her mar roudings Though the victim of a io lent death her face and for both of n beauty seldom to be found among I women of any station were s majestic in their calm repose that Mr Sutherland land accustomed as he was to her noble appearance experienced 3 shock of surprise that found vent in these I words wors Murdered phe You have made some mistake my friends Look at her face I But even in the act of saying this his eyes fell on the blood which had dyed her cotton dress and he cried Where was she struck and where is the weapon which made this ghastly gatl wound She was struck while standing or sitting at this table returned the constable con-stable pointing to two o three drops of blood on Its smooth surface The weapon we have not found but the te wound shows that it was inflicted by a I threesided dagger A threesided dagger Yes I didnt know there was such 3 thing in town Philemon could have had no dagger It does not seem so but I doe one can never tel Simple cottages like thEse articles often contain the most unlookedfor Mr Sutherland thought of what this cottage did contain and scrutinized the constable closely But the latter showed no discomposure I cannot imagine 3 dagger being among Its effects he pursued Where was the body of frs Webb lying when you came in Where you see It now Nothing has been moved or changed She was found here on this lounge in the same position in which we see her now Yes sir But that Is Incredible Look at the way she lies Hands crossed eyes closed as though made ready for her burial Only loving hands could have done this What does i mean I means Philemon that is what i means Philemon Mr Sutherland shuddered hut said nothing He was dumbfounded by these evidences of a crazy mans work Philemon Webb always seemed so I harmless though he had been failing In mind for the last ten years But cried I Sutherland suddenly I rousing the Is another victim I t saw old woman Bat hanging from a window ledge dead Yep she is in this other room but there is no wound on Batsy How was she killed then That the doctors must tell us Mr Sutherland guided bv It Fen tons gesture entered 3 small room opening into the one in which they stood His attention was at once attracted at-tracted by the body of the woman he had seen from below lying half In and half out of the open window That she was dead was evident but as Mr Fenton had said no wound was to be seen upon her nor were there any marks of blood on or about the place where she lay This is 3 dreadful business groaned Mr Sutherland the worst I have ever had anything to do with Help me to lift the woman in she has been long enough a show for the people outside There was a bed in this room indeed i was Irs Webbs bedroom and upon this poor Batsy was laid As the face came uppermost both gentlemen I started and looked at each other in amazement The expression of terror I and alarm which it showed was in strking contrast to the look of exaltation exalta-tion to be seen on the face of her dead II mlstemCHT CHAPTER IH As they reentered the larger room they were astonished to come upon Miss Page standing in the doorway She was gazing at the recumbent figure fig-ure of the dead woman and for a moment mo-ment seemed unconscious of their pre enceHow How did you get in Which of my men were weak enough to let you pass against my express instructions agnst asked the constable who was of an I Irritable and suspicious nature She let the hood drop from her head and turning surveyed him with a slow smile There was witchery In that smile sufficient to affect a much more cultivated and callous nature than his and though he had been proof against It once he could not quite resist the effect of its repetition I insisted upon entering said she Do not blame the men they did not want to use force against a woman She had not 3 good voice and she knew i but she covered up this defect by a choice of intonations that carried her lightest speech of the heart Hard visaged Amos Fenton gave a grunt which was as near an expression I of approval ap-proval a he ever gave to anyone Well well he growled but not ill naturedly Its a morbid cMriosity that brings you here Better drop it girl it wont do you any good In the eyes of sensible people Thank you was her demure reply her lips dimpling at the corer in away a-way to shock the sensitive Mr Sutherland Suther-land Glancing from her to the still outlines of the noble figure on the couch he remarked re-marked with an air of mild reproof I do not understand you Miss Page If this solemn sight ha no power to stop your coquetries nothing can As fo your curiosity i IH both illtimed and unwomanly Let me see you leave this house at once Miss Page and 11 in the few hours which must elapse before breakfast you can find time to pack your trunks you will still further oblige me Oh dont send me away I entreat you It was a cry from her inner heart which she probably regretted for she instantly sought to cover up the anxiety I anxi-ety it showed by a submissive bend of the head and 3 step backward Neither Mr Fenton nor Mr Sutherland seemed to hear the one or see the other their attention having returned to the more I serious matter in hand The dress which our poor friend I wears shows her to have been struck before retiring commented Mr Sutherland erland after another short survey of I Mrs Webbs figure If Philemon Excuse me sir Interrupted a voice but the young woman is listening to what you say She is still in the haL I was the young man speaking who had been left in the hal She is is she exclaimed Fenton sharply his admiration for the fascinating fascin-ating stranger having oozed out at his companions rebuff I will soon show her But the words melted into thin air a he reached the door The young girl had disappeared and only a faint perfume remained in the place where she had stood A most extraordinary person grumbled the constable turning back but stopping again a u faint murmur came up from below The gentleman is waking called I up 3 voice whose lack of music was I quite perceptible at a distance I I With a bound Mr Fenton descended the stairs followed by Mr Sutherland Miss Page stood before the door of the room in which sat Philemon ebbs ebb-s they reached her side she made a little bow that was half mocking half deprecatory and slipped from the house An almost unbearable sensation of Incongruity vanished with her and Mr Sutherland for one breathed like a relieved man I wish the doctor would come Fen ton said as they watched the slow lift Ing of Philemon Webbs head Our II fastest rider has gone for him but hes out Portchester way and it may be an hour yet before he can get here Philemon Phiemon < Mr Sutherland had advanced and was standing by his old friends side Philemon what has become of your I guests Youve waited for them here till morning I The old man with a dazed look surveyed sur-veyed the two plates set on either side of him and shook his head < James and John are getting proud said he or they forget they forget James and ohn He must mean the Zabels yet there were many others answering to these names In town Mr Sutherland made another effort I Philemon where is your wife I do not see any place set here for her Agathas slIck Agathas cross she dont care for poor old man like me Agathas dead and you know it thundered back the constable with ill judged severity Who kileld her tell me that Who killed her A sudden quenching of the last spark of intelligence in the old mans eye was the dreadful effect of these words Laughing with that strange gurgle which proclaims an utterly whic prlaims utely irresponsible irresponsi-ble mind he cried cre The pussy cat I was the pussy cat Whos killed Im nol killed Lets go to Jericho Mr Sutherland took him by the arm and led him upstairs Perhaps the sight of his dead wife would restore him But he looked at her with the I same indlfljerence he showed t every thing else I dont like her calico dresses said he She might have worn silk but she wouldnt Agatha will you wear silk to my funeral The experiment was too painful and they drew him away But the constables consta-bles curiosity had i been roused and after they had found some one to take care of him he drew Mr Sutherland aside and said What did the old man mean by say Ing she might have worn silk Are they batter off than they seem Mr Sutherland closed the door before replying They are rich he declared to the utter amazement of the other That is they were but they may have been robbed If so Philemon was not the wretch who killed her I have been told that she kept her money in an old fashioned cupboard Do you suppose they alluded to that one He ponte to 3 door set In the wall over the fireplace and Mr Fenton perceiving I ceiving 3 key sticking in the lock stepped quickly across the floor and opened i A row of books met his eyes but on taking them down a couple of drawers were seen at their batik land Are they locked asked Mr Suther landOne ladOne Is and one isnot Open the one that Is unlocked Mr Fenton did so I is empty said he Mr Sutherland cast 3 look toward the dead woman and again the perfect serenity renity of her countenance struck him I do not know whether to regard betas bet-as the victim of her husbands Imbecility Imbecili-ty or of some vile robbers cupidity Can you find the key to the other drawer I will tr Suppose you begin then by looking on her person I should be In her pocket if no marauder has been here I is not in her pocket string Hanging to her nek then by a No there is a locket here but no key A very handsome locket Mr Sutherland erland with Never mind we will see that later it is the key we want just now Good heavens What is it I I is in her hand the one that lies underneath I Ah A point Fenton A great point Stand by her Fenton Dont let anyone any-one rob her of that key till the coroner comes and we are at liberty to take it I will not leave her for an instant Meanwhile I will put back these I books He had scarcely done so when a fresh arrival occurred It was one of the village clergymen clerJymenCT CHAPTER IV This gentleman had some Information to give As he was returning home from the bedside of a sick parishioner some little time before he had been run against on this very corner by a man rushing out of the gateway in 3 state of I great agitation This man held something some-thing in his hand that glittered and though the encounter nearly upset them both he had not stopped to utter an apology but stumbled away into the darkness In a dazed and feeble way I showing that he was neither young nor active The minister had not been able to see his face but noticed the ends of a long beard blowing over his shoulder as he hurried away Philemon was a cleanshaven man Asked if he could give the time of this encounter he replied that it was after 1 and before 12 for he was in his own house by 12 Did you look up at these windows before leaving asked Mr Fenton for this Interview had taken place in the presence of the dead I must have for now I remember they were both lighted Were the shades upI up-I think not or I should have noticed no-ticed the ceiling of the room I remember re-member seeing nothing How were the shades when you broke into tho house this morning inquired Mr Sutherland of the constable con-stable Just as they are jow we have moved nothing The shades were both down one of them over an open window win-dow dowWell Well we may find this encounter of Mr Cranes of decided importance I wish I had seen the mans face remarked the latter What did the object look like you saw glittering in his hand I should not like to venture an opinion I saw It but an Instant Could it have been 3 knife oran old fashioned dagger I might have been Alas poor Agatha That money 1 h < f something she so despised should cause the death of 3 creature so grand and death simple Unhappy life unhappy Fenton I shall always mourn for Agatha Webb Yet she seems to have found peace at last said the minister I have never seen her look so contented Then leading Mr Sutherland aside he whispered What is I you say about money Had she any considerable amount of it I ask because in suite of their humble means of living she always al-ways rut a generous donation on the plate and I have received more than once during my pastorate an unexpectedly unex-pectedly large but anonymous contribution contribu-tion for certain charities As It was always 1 for sick or suffering children Yes yes I have no doubt it came from her She was by no means poor though I myself never knew the extent of her means till lately Philemon was a good business man once but they evidently preferred to live simply having hav-ing no children living They have lost six I have been toldSo So the Portchester folks say They probably had no heart for display or for even the simplest luxuries At all events they did not indulge in them I Philemon has long been past indulging rnon dulging In anything O he likes his comfort and he has had I to Agatha never stinted him But why do you think her death was due to her having money She had a large sum in the house and there are some who knew this And Is i gone That we shall know later As the coroner arrived at this moment mo-ment the ministers curiosity had to wait Fortunately for his equanimity no one had the presumption to ask him to leave the room The coroner was 3 man of but few Yet they were surprised at his first question Who Is the young woman who is standing outside there the only one in the yard Mr Sutherland moving rapidly to the window drew aside theshade I is Miss Page my housekeepers niece he explained I do not understand under-stand her Interest in this affair she followed me here from the house and could hardly be got to leave this room into which she intruded herself against my express command But look at her attitude I was Mr Fenton who spoke Shes crazier than Philemon It seems to me There was some reason for this remark re-mark Guarded by the high fence from I the gaze of the pushing crowd without I I she stood upright and immovable in the I middle of the yard like one on watch I I The hood which she had dropped from her head when she thought her eyes and smile might be of use to her in the furtherance of her plans had been I drawn over it again s that she looked look-ed more like 3 statue in gray than 3 living breathing woman Yet there I was menace in her attitude and a purpose In the solitary stand she took in that circle of boardgirded grass which caused a thrill in the breasts of those who looked at her from that chamber of death A mysterious young woman muttered I mut-tered the minister And one that I neither countenance nor understand interpolated Mr I Sutherland I have just shown her the displeasure i feel at her actions by dismissing her from my house The coroner gave him a quick look seemed about to speak but changed his mind and turned toward the dead woman To be Continued |