The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-08-04
V0LUM EXXIII---NO II

VII
man face, and tried with his trembling
hands, to staunch the blood, which was
oozing from the cut in his head, and form.
ing red pool on the carpet, Butall his
efforts were unavailing.
What was to be done2
It would not do to let the body lie there.
That would make his arrest for murder
certain, unless he could make strong,
showing in his own favor.
After studying over the case for mo-
ment, the attorney decided that the bold
est course would be the best, and proceed
ed to act at once. ,ssa
First, he dragged the prostrates body to
the door. Then he turned his lamp down
as low as it would burn, in order that nj
CLEAN Of light should betray The opening
of the door, and hauled the prost Hg.,
!. ure:to thegsF 1ofs the stairs Refras
3rin9 carried th Sifbos tHs. ffonk
Office, and turned it up.S.~ p - = $ssss;
: Then he crept soft ihtpst11fe hall .66nces
more, and. when heSstDoa shiGefing with
fear, in his room agstn,s = dull heavy
sound as Of something sfalfing on.the stairs
and striking with Q sitkering thud at the
bottom, revealed what the desperate man
had done. ;";t ~
Are you hurt ?"
He had opened the door, and his voice
rang out high enough in the still night air,
to be heard by any chance passer in the
street.
Leaving the door open, he hastoned to
the foot Of the stairs. Two Or three late
ramblers had already gathered about the
place.
els he hurt?" demanded the attorney,
with seeming anxiety. Cant he get up?
He left my office Well enough but mo-
ment ago. Did anyone see him fall ?"
Asking these questions in breath, he
knelt, for the second time, by the side Of
the still form, and placed his hand on its
breast.
ellis heart beats but worry family" he
said arising to his feet. "carry him into
my office, and some one go for doctor"
Perhaps drug store, would be q better
place." suggested one of the men.
"No, no." said Gray, hastily. "that
would not be comfortable place, and he
must not be moved again tonight"
So, he was carried tendcrly up stairs. In
the hallway the men paused, and would
have entered the front Office, where the
light was burning, but the attorney sprang
ahead and opened the other door.
"It will be quieter in here he said.
"Lay him here, where the carpet is clean,"
where the body ha2 lain but a mo-
ment before.
"Now, some one the lamp" he said,
f1,ol loJ H. l,o1 + ,1o ooI b. l.,
faction. cor stay" he added, coneeiving
Of plan to gain time, and thus better
account for the quantity Of blood on the
carpet. "Stay, will bring it myself"
He fastened into the room and seized
the lamp, but in doing 80, extinguished it.
It was sometime before it was relighted,
and when he entered the rear room with it
in his hand, he saw that the fresh blood
from the still bleeding wound, had mingled
with the old, and that there WAS no longer
any possibility of his guilt being dis
covered.
"It is Hugh Gordon :" exclaimed one Of
the men in evident surprise. "What
could he have been doing here?"
"He happened into my Office an hour
ago," Gray explained, "and feeling lone
some, I invited him to sit and chat with
me-"
GLOW did it happen ?" queried another
Of the crowd.
The attorney made no reply, for he saw
that it would be best not to seem too ready
with explanations.
"The hallway was dark, and the poor
fellow must have made misstep at the
very top" suggested one. "I wonder if
he is badly hurt?"
He bent over the body, but quickly
arose with shudder.
He is dead" he said, looking into the
scared faces Of his companions. "The
fall must have broken his neck"
"Not So" said the first speaker 4" see
there isa terrible cut on his head"
{" 1t can't be that be is dead" said Gray,
He was so full Of life and strength mo.
ment ago 1t don't seem possible.''
"What shall we do with the bodyP" was
the next inquiry.
eve may as we'll leave it here for to-
night,' said the attorney. "I can't sleep
in this room now, and will go to the hotel
for lodgings"
"With the facts SO plainly shown" said
one of the men, addressing the attorney,
"will it be necessary to order post NOR
tenn examination"
"That is only necessary in cases where
there exists a doubt as to the manner Of
DEATH was the reply, and am of the
opinion that no such doubt can exist in the
present case"
So it was arranged that formal inquest
should be held in the morning, anil The
body be made ready for buric'. The
crowd soon dispersed, and the attorney,
who, in the meantime, had taken possession
of the young mans papers. locked the
door on his victim, and turned toward the
village hotel.
As he walked along the deserted street,
leading thitherward, lie was conscious of
being followed. When he stopped to
listen, the heavy footsteps in the distance
stopped also, and when he continued his
way, he heard them again. All at once, his
pursuer, whoever he was, seemed to change
his tactics, for his pace increased almost
to run, and the attorney turned and
waited, with his hand on his revolver for
him to come up.
TO BE CONTINUED.
ANEST TIE POPE