The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-07-22
V0LU M XII IN @ l5
was unlocked, and the secret com.

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; notes deposited there by madame q
; few hours previous, she snapped tho
T spring and reclosed the desk. Than
turning quickly away, she went over
to the store.closet.
l now left my hiding-place and
cautiously followed. When I reach
ed the door she was in the act of re-
moving the false bottom from large
|japanned box in one corner. Drop
ping it on the floor beside her, she
took from the box a roll Of notesS
and after adding the one just stolen
returned the bundle to it's place again.
Then hastily restoring the box to its
former order, she rose and turned
away.
I stepped back pace or two with
the design Of scizing her outside the
closet.
In moment she appeared and
confronted me, and for the first time
obtained fair view of her features.
But instead Of the horror and dismay
which I had been anticipating, I was
the one to fall back aghast. "a
My outstretched arms dropped
powerless as, with swift tread and
strong gaze, she swept past me and
out of the room.
"And this is the solution!" I nut
tered, drawing deep breath of re-
lief as the doer closed upon her.
what will madame say? Will she
readily credit the report ! must give"
Without deciding the question I
dropped on the sofa and made myself
comfortable for the remainder Of the
night.
As on the previous day, madame
sought me early. She looked at mo
scrutinizingly.
"Ah! monsieur has had another
good night, without the aid Of drugs"
she remarked, somewhat tartly.
eyes, madame, very good one," l
replied; 'but I first earned the right
"Ahw calculated madame again
but this time very tremulously.
"Then you have-you-"
eyes, madame" I answered, find
ing she could not fnisu the sentence.
"And now will you kindly allow me
to gee Mademoiselie De Gray?"
"No, monsieur! no |" she replied,
with hasty emphasis. "My poor An
tionette has sinned, no doubt; but
she shall be protected. You shall not
see my poor child, monsieur" she
concluded passionately. "Heaven and
I will make good woman of her.
yeti"
"My dear madame, you quite mis-
take me-" I answered feelihgly.
'.Mademoiselle is innocent"
was hardly prepared for the lit
tie Frenchwoman's outburst of Joy.
"My Antoinette Mypure darlingl
My white dove! My wronged angel /!
Sweet heaven, I thank thee !" she
cried, tearfully.
And before could say more, she
had darted from the room. In few
minutes she returned, leading tall
elegant, golden-hairod girl, whose
proud eyes glittered with tears. This
fair vision of youthful beauty left
madame's side and came to me.
"I thank you, monsieur" she said,
with simple, earnest dignity. 81
thank you most truly::"
"I have done little or nothing to
entitle me to your thanks, mademoi-
selle," I smiled in response. "But
have you no desire to learn the name
of the guilty party"
"Ah, true" exclaimed madame
"I forgot all but my infinite joy.
"Tell us, monsieur"
"First, madame" I answered, "per-
nit me to restore your stolen money.
You have your keys, 1 see; will you
be kind enough to open the treasure
box?"
And fastening to the closet I
brought out the japanned box.
Madame knelt down and wonder
ingly turned the key. Il then lifted
tho lid and removed the false bottom.
An astonished exclamation parted
Mademoiselle De, Gray's lips, but
madame leaned over the box like
one in dream, and could not be con.
vinced until the notes were in her
hand and counted, that it was no
dream at all, but most pleasant real
|ity.
"Yes, Antoinette," she at last said,
rising and casting the notes on the
tablo, "e7ery sou of it is here: And
to think of it being in the old box,
Antoinette"
"Yes," smiled mademoiselle, With a
puzzled expression, "but-
"But," interrupted madame, even
more vivaciously, "but who put it
into the box2 Yes, that is the point,
monsieur; who put it into the box 7"
And she fixed her eyes in eager OK
pectancy on mine.
"The-the apparition," l taltered,
"entered the room between two and
three o'clock, and went stralght 10
the cabinet. In few moments the
notes were purloined and deposited
where ycu just now found them"
"But the secret compartment, mon
sieur," interrupted madame excitedly.
"Was it opened without difficulty ?"
"Yes, madame"
"Strange! most strange" she q jac-
ulated, in perplexing tones, adding
the next instant, eco on, monsieur.
sThat is all, madame"
GALL But what did you do, mon
sieur2" she asked, sharply.
"Nothing, madame, but stagger
aside and gaze like an imbecilo alter
the retreating form I had extended