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THE MYSTERY OF AGATHA WEBB. By Anna Katharine Green, Author- of "The LcavcnwnrO Com'' "Lost Wan'* l/int" "Hand and ttirw." Ltc.. Etc. COPYRIGHT, 1W*>. DY ANNA KA1 M ARINE GREIR. I ^Ali this was more than surprising to me. for I had never thought of nssocl atiug an old man with this crime. In deed 1 was so astonished to find him In possession of this weapon that I forgot all about my errand and only wondered bow 1 could see and know more. Fear lug to he observed where 1 was. I slid In among the bushes and soon found myself under one of the windows. The •hade was down, and I was about to push it aside when I heard some one moving about Inside and stopped. But I could not restrain my curiosity, so. c / “Z rushed au-tij/ Uncord the lonely rood " pulling a hairpin from my hair. I work ed a little hole in the shade and through this I looked into a room brightly il lumiued by the moon which shone in through an adjoining window And what did i see there?” Her eye turned on Frederick. His right hand had stolen toward his left, but it paused under her look and remained motion less. “Only an old man sitting at a ta ble and”- Why did she pause, and why did she cover up that pause with a wholly iueousei|uential sentence? Perhaps Frederick could have told. Frederick, whose hand had now fallen at his side. But Frederick volunteered nothing, and no one. not even Sweet water. guessed all that lay beyond that and which was left hovering in the air to be finished—whenV Alas, had she not set the day and the hour! What she did say was in seeming ex planation of her previous sentence. "It was not the same old nia’i 1 had seen on the doorstep, and while l was look ing at him I became aware of some one leaving the house and passing me on the road up hill Of course this ended my interest in what went on within, and. turning as quickly as 1 could. 1 hurried into the road and follow ed the shadow 1 could just perceive disap pearing in the woods above me. 1 was bound, gentlemen, as you see. to fol low out my adventure to the end. But my task now became very didicult. for the moon was high and shone down upon the road so distinctly that I could not follow the person before me as closely as I wished without running the risk of being discovered. I there fore trusted more to my ear than to my eye. and as long as I could hear his steps In front of me I was satisfied But presently, as we turned up this very hill. I ceased to hear those steps and so became contidcnt that he had taken to the woods. I was so sure of this that I did not hesitate to enter them myself, and. knowing the paths well, as I have every opportunity of doing, living as we do. directly oppo site this forest. I easily found my way to the little clearing that 1 have reason to think you gentlemen have since be come acquainted with. But. though, from the sounds 1 heard I was assured that the person I was following was Dot far in advance of me, i did not dare to enter this brilliantly illumined space, especially as there was every in dk-ation of this person having com rdeted whatever task he had set for liimself. Indeed I was sure that I beard his steps coming back So. foi the second time, 1 crouched down in the darkest place I could tind and let this mysterious person pass me. \\ hen he had quite disappeared. 1 made m.\ own retreat, for it was late, and I w as afraid of being missed at the hall. But later, or. rather, the next day. I re turned and began a search for the money which. 1 was contidcnt. had been left in tboso woods by tbe person 1 had been following. I found it. and when the man here present, who. though a mere tiddler, has presumed to take a leading part In this inter view, came upon me with the hills In my band. I was hut burying deeper the ill gotten gains 1 hud come u|k>u ” "Ah. and so making them your own." quoth Sweetwater, stung by the sar casm In that word tiddler But with n suavity against which every attack fell powerless she me! his significant look with one fully ns significant and quickly said: “If I hud wanted the money for my sell. I would not have risked leaving It where the murderer could find It h> u bunch of sodden leaves. No I hud another motive for my action, a motive y, lack ,ft£\y, 11 uay, y o ^ y\ 111 be willing to credit me i wlr.hcd to save tiie murderer, whom I had some ren son. ns you see. for thinking 1 knew, from the consequences of his own ac tlon." Mr. Courtney. Dr Talbot and even Mr Sutherland, who naturally believed she referred to Znhel and who. one and all. had a lingering tenderness for this unfortunate old man which not even this seeming act of madness on his part could quite destroy, felt a species of reaction at this and surveyed tbe singular being Itefore them with per haps the slightest shade of relenting in their severity Sweetwater alone betrayed restlessness. Knapp showed no feeling at all. while Frederick look ed like one petrified and moved neither hand nor foot "Crime that Is the outcome of fore thought Is despicable,” she went on. with a deliberateness so hard that the more susceptible of her auditors shud dered "But crime that springs from some Imperative and overpowering ne cessity of the mind or body might well awakeu sympathy, and I am not ashamed of having been sorry for this frenzi«*d and suffering man Weak and Impulsive as you may consider me. I did not want him to sutTer on account of a moment’s madness, as he undoubt edly would If be were ever found with this money in tils possessiou. so 1 plunged It deeper Into the soil and trusted to the confusion which crime always awakens even in the strongest mind for him not to discover my sub terfuge.” “Ha! Wonderful! Devilish subtle, eh? Clever, too clever!" were some of tbe whispered exclamations which this curious explanation on her part brought out. Yet only Sweetwater showed his open and entire disbelief of the story, the others possibly remembering that for such natures as bers there Is no governing law and no commonplace in terpretation To Sweetwater, however, this was but so much display of feminine re source and subtlety Though he felt he should keep still In the presence of men so greatly his superiors, he could not resist saying: "Truth Is sometimes stranger than fiction I should never have attributed any such motive as you mention to the young girl I saw leaving this spot with many a backward look at the hole from which we afterward extracted the large sum of money in question But say that this reburying of stolen funds wys out of consideration for the feeble old man you describe as having carried them there, do yon not see that by this aet you can be held as an accessory after the fact?" Her eyebrows went up. and tne deli cate curve of her lips was not without menace as she said: "You hate me. Mr. Sweetwater. Do you wish me to tell these gentlemen why?” The flush which, notwithstanding this peculiar young man’s nerve, in stantly crimsoned his features was a surprise to Frederick. So was it to the others, who saw in it a possible bint as to the real ‘•ause of his persistent pur suit of this young girl, which they had hitherto ascribed entirely to his love of Justiee. Slighted love makes some hearts venomous. Could this ungainly fellow have once loved this bewitching piece of unreliability and suffered from her disdain? It was a very possible assumption, though Sweetwater’s blush was the only answer he gave to her question, which nevertheless had amply served Its turn. To fill the gap made by his silence Mr. Sutherland made an effort and ad dressed her himself. “Your conduct.” said he. "has not been that of a strictly honorable per son Why did you fail to give the alarm when you re-entered my house after being witness to this double tragedy?” Her serenity was not to be disturbed "I have just explained.” she remind ed him. "that I had sympathy for the criminal.” "We all have sympathy for James Zahcl. but"- "I do not believe one word of this story.” Interposed Sweetwater, in reck less disregard of tbe proprieties "A hungry, feeble old man. like Zabel. on the verge of death, could not have found his way up into this woods, as you say You carried that money there yourself, miss: you are the”-* “Hush!” interposed the coroner au thoritatively. “Do not let us go too fast mlnilde man once, ai d If be was i u Into theft and murder it was not tin .1 his faculties had been weakened by bis own suffering and that of bis much loved brother.” “Thank you.” was her simple reply and for uit first time every man there thrilled at her tone. Seeing it. all the (l.iMgemus fascination of her look and manner returned upon her with double force. "I have been unwise." said site, "and lot my sympathy run away with my Judgment. Women have Impulses of this kind sometimes, and men blame them for It till they themselves come to the point of feeling the need of Just such blind devotion. I am sure ] re gret my shortsightedness now. for I have lost esteem by it. while he”- Wlth a wave of the hand site dismissed the subject, and Dr Talbot, watching her. felt a shade of his distrust leave him and in Its place a species of ad miration for the lithe, graceful, be witching personality before them, with her childish impulses and womanly wit which half mystified and half im posed upon them. Mr Sutherland, on tbe contrary, was neither charmed from his antagonism nor convinced of her honesty. There was something in this matter that could not be explained away by her ar gument. and his suspicion of that some thing be felt perfectly sure was shared by his sou. toward whose cold, set face he had frequently cast the most un easy glances. He was not ready, how ever, to probe into the subject more nearly, nor could he for the sake of Frederick urge on to any further con fesslou a young woman whom his un happy son professed to love and in whose discretion he had so little confi dence As for Sweetwater, he had now fully recovered himself and boro himself with great discretion when Dr Tulbot finally said:_ This story will be continued in the Friday edition of The Ledger until its conclusion. Women as Well as Men Contemplating a change in our business on Are Made Miserable by January 1st, 1902, we offer our entire stock Kidney Trouble. j ^ Home of Swamp-Root. IL»% are among the best known of the many dangerous wild plants and shrubs. To toych or handle them quickly produces swelling and inflammation with in tense itching and burning of the skin. The eruption soon disappears, the suf ferer hopes forever; but almost as soon as the little blisters am pust ules appeared the poison had reachei the blood, and will break out at regula* intervals and each time in a more aggra vated form. This poison will loiter in th> system for years, and every atom of i‘ must be forced out of the blood before yo can expect a perfect, permanent cure. Nature’s Autldol: FOR Nature’s Poisons, is the only cure for Poison Oak, Foisor Ivy, and all noxious plants. It is com posed exclusively of roots and herbs. Now is the time to get the poison out of youi system, as delay makes your condition worse. Don’t experiment longer with salves,washes and soaps—they never cure. Mr. S. M. Marshall, bookkeeper of the Allan's (Oa.j Ga» I,iuht Co., was poisoned wi:h Poison Oak. He took Sulphur, Arsenic and variou* other drugs, and applied externally nmuerov. lotions and salves with no be?iefit. At times th swelling and inflammation was so severe he w.a- almost blind, l-'or eight years the poison would break out every season. Bis condition was much improve 1 after taking one bottle < f S. S. S . anil a few bottles cleared his blood of the poison, and ’’ all evidences of the disease disappeared. People are often poisoned without knowing when or how. Pixplain your case fully to our physicians, and they will cbeerfully give such information and ad vice as you require, without charge, and we will send at the same time an interest ing book on Blood and Skin Diseases. THE SWIFT SPECIFIC CO.. ATLANTA, CA. Clerk’s Sale, i State ok Sor t n Carolina. I Count> of Cherokee. f J. J. Scruggs. <:t. al. vs. John C. Mills, et. al. In obedience to an order made herein, for partition, dated Oct. 2nd I'.til. 1 will -ell at Gaffney, S. C.. before the Court House door, j during the legal hours of sale, on S ile-day Nov. 4th 11101, the following desci ibed lands, t -wit: (A) All that tract of land in the town of ; Gaffney, beginning at stake at intersection | of Mills Gap road with Buford street; tiienee N. 5514 W. 2J.4- chains to stake; tuence S. 35‘j I W. IMMMOchains to iron pin at Carpet Mill; j i hi nee N. 55* ; \V. f> 42 chains to rock Srrugg’s ' c ironer; th< n(.*e .ifvo 12.11.20 chains to rock Scrugg's corner; thence 55U K 1.Ik) chains t" stake Brown’s corner; ihenee S. :>4 J a K. 2 chains to Brown's (and; thence S. IHU K. 4 00 chams to stake Browu’j land; theneeS 24', K. ii.30 chains to rock on Brown’s land; thence a.")'i E. H.00 chains to stake on Mill- Gap road; tiienee 25 E. 5.un chain.-, to bend; thence ». 1 \V. 1;».70 chains to beginning corner, containing twenty-five and sixly- ntne one hundredths acres (25 On-1 on). (B) All that plantation or tract of land ly ing and iK'ing on the North of Beaverd .ru i creek waters of Thickcly cre.-k, containing one hundred and forty acres, more or less. ' being a part of the tract of land originally •granted to Win. Mart in the year ITTU, begin ntng on a post oak originally W. Bostick’s corner; tnenee N. s7 \V. to a rod oak; ,hence along Wm. Hostivk’s line to Heaven.am 1 creek; tiienee down the meandtrs o, said | creek to the, mouth of a branch that divines ( said traet and Thomas Littlejohns land; i thence up said branch ri. 74 L. »7> chains to .. dogwood iii Hart’s old line; thence to begin- i nlng corner. For a better description set deed from Michael Gaffney to H. G. Gaffney Truste -. dated Sept. 15th,IS52, and recorded in 1 Glerk s office of Spartan on rg C,,ui.ij in book C. C. pages 521 and 522- • C) All t hat lot of laud in the town of Ga - r fh THE WORLD'S GREATEST FEVER MEDICINE. For al! forms of fever take John son'* i.lnll and Fever I unit 1* is 100 linics better than quinine n.nd does in a single day what slow ni;|. nine cannot do in hi days. It’s splendid cures are in striking con trast to the feeble cures uiaue by quinine. Costs 60 Cents If It Cores. COCAINE 1 ” WHISKY HabiU Oared at my Suanto* him, In 80 day*. Rnndrad oi merenoea. 28 years a Mieoiaity-. hook f.-. Home Treatment sent KKKK. Addrer* B. M. WOOLLEY. M. D» Atlanta. Cr L Ah Ait ^ . - imuca 'ThU / aw rftit/y to tnucar to before Ood and />e'on- twin'' yet. Miss Page has an air of s|H*ak- lug the truth, strange and unaceonnt- able as it may seem. Zabel was an ad QA.-ALA BU8INE88COLLECE. i Assignee's Sale. State of South Caium.ina. t f’HEROKEK county. { Ity virtue of authority contained In a cer tain real estate mortgage exrrutod by l> f liny to C M. Ann s, and assigned to the un dersigned and recorded in the office of Clerk of Court of Cherokee county, in Vol. 2, page :;-5, I will scdl it public suction, to the high est bidder, before the court house of Chero kee county. Gaffney, **. <’.. during the legs hours of sah- on salesday in October, all lie right, title and Interest of O. K. Hay In all the real estate of A. I>. Kay. d. ceased, Ivliu in Cherokee county, near Maud postoffice, s. on waters of Suck creek, containing 2,-.' acres, more or less; the said Interest lielng one-tiflh of said undivided estate. Consent of the mortgagor living obtained in writing and recorded in office of Clerk of Court of Cherokee county on the 2nth day of June i 1!m1, in Vol. 2. page ;iK>. K. C. Sahhatt, i Assignee, Kidney trouble preys upon the mind, dis courages and lessens ambition; beauty, vigor .and cheerfulness soon disappear when the kid neys are out of order or diseased. Kidney trouble has become so prevalent that it is not uncommon for a child to be born i 3 afflicted with weak kid neys. If the child urin ates too often, if the urine scalds the flesh or if, when the child reaches an age when it should be able to control the passage, it is yet afflicted with bed-wetting, depend upon it. the cause of the difficulty is kidney trouble, and the first step should be towards the treatment of these important organs. This unpleasant trouble is due to a diseased condition of the kidneys and bladder and not to a habit as most people suppose. Women as well as men are made mis erable with kidney and bladder trouble, and both need the same great remedy. The mild and the immediate effect of Swamp-Root is soon realized. It is sold by druggists, in fifty- cent and one dollar sizes. You may have a sample bottle by mail free, also pamphlet tell ing all about it, including many of the 1 thousands of testimonial letters received from sufferers cured. In writing Dr. Kilmer 8t Co., Binghamton, N. Y., be sure and mention this paper. Final Discharge. I shall apply to i Is Honor J. E. Webster, Probate Juuge of CmroKt-e County, South i Carolina, at his office at Gaffney. Thursday. ! November 7. at 10 a. in., for a linal settlement i of the estate of Mrs. Mary Petty, deceased, and a discharge as administrator thereof. Charles Petty, Adm'r. with will annexed. & October 8.1901. lC-ll-4c-law uniting with C. M Smith and K. Willis line 160 feel to stake Kooo’s corner; thence no feet to stake Kobb’s corner; thence 160 fewt to Smith street; thence'.Hi teel to beginning corner, containing 14,4oo squate feet more or less. The 25 acre tract will be sub-divided into suitable and convenient building hit.* and plats of same can be seen on day ol sale. Will also sell all the street* and alley ways that may appear on the plat made for the division of said land which lies in the town of Gaffney, S. C. Tei-iiisof Sale: One-half cash and the bal ance in one year with interest fr in day of Sale secured by Ijond and mortgage of premises, w ith the option to pay all cash. Purchaser to pay for papers, recording and revenue stamps. J. Em. Jkkkkhiks, CT’k. G. C. Pi’s. October IKh. l!<Ul-3 times. Clerk’s Sale. State of South Carolina. county of Cherokee. | 8. T. McCravy. vs. A. H. Foster, et al. In obedience to an order made herein, for partition, dated Oct. Kith 11)01,1 will sell at public outcry Indore the Court House door, at Gaffney. S. C., during un-legal hours ot sale. Sal* sday. November the 4th. lldl, the following described land, to-wit: All t hat certain piece or tract of land cou- t lining sixty acres, more or le», situate in t u-County of Cherokee near the Pacolet river, adjoining lands now or late of F. W. Kison, John 1*. Jefferies. Ja .. Littlejohn, and Tims. .1 Hames, being the same tract former ly known asthe Iv nuckles and VriUGoid mi :es and now known as the Pacolet Gold mines. Tories of Sale: Cash; purchaser to pay for ill papers and revenue stain! s. No bid will be received fora sum less than Fifteen Hundred dollars, which is the upset price lived by the decree herein. If there be no sale on the date fixed herein, the property w ill !*• offered on same terms on each succeeding salesday hereafter, with out f.ti tle r advertisement until a sale lie ef fected or until the further orders of the coart. J Eb. J effeiues, Cl'k. C. V. Pi’s. October isth, lltol-3 times Dry Goods, Notions, Millinery, Clothing, Shoes and Hats, If you want bargains, come to see us. J. C. LIPSCOMB & BRO. This T ra d e Mark On Sk° es means Your Protection They are guarantee?/ \ and cost no more thsn ? the ordinary. j FOR SALE BY 1. R. T01LSS0R * CO. 1st. The Ghoicsst Fabrics, Patterns anil Styles To be found in our stock of Fall and Winter Clothing. 2d. The most popular patterns worn during the coming Fall and Winter season will be rather quiet in effect but noted for good taste and quiet elegance. 3d. The always-popular Sack Suit will, of course, be the most worn of any style, and we have a beauti ful showing in warm Cheviots, serviceable Cassimers and handsome, dressy Worsteds. 4th. We have only such garments as are thor oughly reliable and they have our reputation behind each and every one. We want every man who can to come to our store and see how the clothes he wears should look. We have selected carefully ; have a large stock for you to choose from, and we have some pattern or style that will suit or please you. We take special pains to fit the hard-to-fit. No matter how tall, how short or how hard you are to fit we can fit you. The Company Store. 1 have just returned from Bal timore and New York where I bought a nice line of Dress Goods, Waist Goods and a big lot of La dies, Gents and Men’s undershirts. 50c to $1.50. Overshirts 5<k* and up. Suspenders5 to50c. Pants Wk* and up New line men’s suits «i.no to fl5.no. Shoes for every body and at ail prices. Blench goods 5 to 10 6, s and In inches. Kubber belting. Children's Hosiery. Infants' Sacqucs, 15c up. Infants' Caps. 25c to $1.00. Inf: a Bootees. 10c. Ladies’ Skirts, f 1.25 to $1.50. Nice line Draperies. Embroidered Mull. Dress Flannels, 10 to 25c. Fleece-lined goods, loe. Serges. 15c and up. Table Damask, 55 to 7.V. Towels, 15 to 50c per pair. Linen Table Covers. s5 tof|.5n. Negligee Shirts.30c to f 1.25. Work Shirts, 20c to fl.on. Guns $6 on to $25.m D’sc Harrow: Grain Drills, BuggU Wagons, B a g g I n and Ties. All kinds Fertllli ers for grain. Harness, Collar! 1500yards prints t go at 4c. I also have a com plete line at my Go fortli store. See me before buying as I can save you money. J. T. JVT'T. 818 Limestone St M Gaffney, S. C.