The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-09-08
III ', " ys ~ sts,. n."a little way up," :" was the

he has been following US: ever since. Shall
we turn back ?"
{ Certainly not" said Roland. '"The fel.
low may have mistaken us for some one
else. Besides, 1 DIN well armed if he should
mean misshief" '"'''' 80. g.. 80 :
In the csnter Of the'sro3c the path was
bordered dn both sides by a-tangied thick
ct, and as they reached this plhce "a crack
ling was heard in the brush ashort distance
to the right. j.. 49," IL 80.
"He is sShidden in the thickct," said
Fanny, clnging in terror to Roland's arm.
"Please release my arm, and step bnck
little, Miss Clayson," said Roland. III
must have both arms free if am attacked;
besides, you will not be Harmed. Itis only
me they ale after" - ntJ ,i.I I.:. '...I
Fanny aiias requested, end Roland ad-
vanced carefully along the, path, which
was almot hidden by. the, darkness Of the
night. r." .,!a i. .j.j.a. e.. g.. =,
"They hean to murder me-" he thought,
a hard feeling taking possession OF his
heart. Il will not die without struggle,
at least, ",he muttered, keeping hls revolver
ready forsnstant use. ,ut,u. ..,. o.. -.
He stopped and listened, and the noise
in the tlHoket was repeated, and nearer.
than before. :iT..@ ,h 1T,y., 70 -i...,. :.
At this. moment. howeTer the sound Of
voices waF beard coming ,fFNnl the oppo9lttey
directions :! l.lj- L.Hi yLu.",i = i,..u,:
p Both. .Rplanil and Fanny felt relieved, fqrr
they were certain that Aatltlng would b..
attempted when others, we're SO hear.
Eve will hasten tlrcil;: h now" said Rol.
and, giving his arm to The trembling girl.
I'VE have Nothing f. qrtsrY tas4Y While otlsia are
in the grove a. y A4@Ao I = -
IA sheit dlatapcp aleqg they came upqn
the two .,san they h~l heard. talknc,T RaE
and huushed past them W;ithoyb '?oElpE, Up, /:
for be did not want to Ihe, recognized u ~
anyone!fJJ J Il
After they had passed them, however,
Fanny said, did You sec who they yereP
"I diduo was the reply, .,. ,
"It was Eugene ana Mr. Gray " ,-
Roland started. .s !,si.. ! "
"Did they recognize us2' he asked. =. :;
II don't see how they could have helped
it," said Fanny, in trembling tone: :,
In fact she appeared more frightened
over this meeting than she had over the
possibility of trouble from the nlnn who
had followed them. T',ITtpEH:i
Roland made no reply. Hsyas too busy
with his own bitter thoughts for conversa-
ion.GQit3IA ,uoatiW l. ! z;
"If they really meant to have me mnr-
dered tonight he thoug ght, "they have
defeated the plans OF their own rutfinn.
But for their approach I should probably
have had it hand to hand with a cut-throat
hired to put me out of the way"
His brain was IN a wbirl Of disagreeahle;
thoughts. "There ia mystery about 1T.
= all that.I can't comprehend" he muttercd.
ri can't believe that the brother OF the
girl love is capable of such villainy, md
still I fail to see motive for any one else
to attempt my life"
While he was still. pondering OYER the,
mystery Fanny paused in frantofthe house
they sought.
"1Iqiere%she said,yryou see 2BerthaJhaa
company. There will have to be more
lodging. T suppose" - 49, 49, - -,
.i"True enouy H. was the reply, '"what is.
to. be done now? must turn bq|fk, &! sus-
pect.' -, H.
"No," said Fanny, "it isn't safe for you
to 20 back now. If you have no objection
to sitting~by the kitchen fire, think I can
Am to geo Bertha ?"''''''! \ ''"''-~c
eyes" said the girl. with a smile at Rol-
and's eagerness, 81 will show you into the
kitchen, and you must wait until the way
is clear and,then eomaihT T'AG
Roland readily consented to this arrange:
,mnt, q and ?; Fanny 8 ateordinSly passed
around the house and admitted him to the
kitchen, where lie seated himself by the
stove.
"Will you care ifI leave you alone for
little time ?n she asked, after seeing him
comfortably seated. ~ will 60 around by
the front door and enter that way. Bertha
must know you are here, Of course"
Certainly" said Roland. II shall not
be lonely in this pleasant ROOM" -
To tell the truth, Roland was glad OF the
opportunity thus offered to .be alone. Fle
did not, however, make much headway in
solving thejprobleln be desired to consider.
for he could not help but hear the CONVEX
satior in the adjoining room. :. . 80
He was both startled and surprised, in
very few moments, to hear Eugene enter
the sitting-room.
ri WIS not mistaken, then" he said to
Fanny, after the callers had departed, "in
thinking that passed you in the grove.
But l don't SEQ your escort, Where is
he ?"
Roland did not hear Fanny's reply, but
it did not seem to satisfy her lover.
"More mystery, Fanny" he exclaimed,
in an excited tone. "lou are not dealing
fairly with me. Last night Theard a-man's
step in your hall when Grover said. no one
was there; to-day, in passing your window,
I saw a man sitting by your side, but when
l entered the room he was not in sight.
Just now saw. you walking in the grove
with stranger and you ,rsfuse to- tell me
anything about it. What does it mean,
FannyP" ..... ".;f ,.,>.,,;.. -..
II can't tell you now, Eugene" was
Fanny's reply. "If Grover is willing, you
shall know tomorrow" I " u.
"See," said Bertha, laughing, II believe
the boy is icalous.",. =: o.: 80
"Do youknow anything of this, Bertha?"
said Eugene, turning to his sister.
eyes, brother mine, know all about it,"
was the reply, "and don't sympathize
with you one bit. You remember how you
acted only two days ago about this prop
eGty." .....
1T seems, then. that mn the only ono
kept in the dark,r said EugenS ansrily.
Fanny, I ask you once for all, will you
tell me or will you not p
."It is not my secret" said the young
girl. firmly, "and refuse to tell"
Roland could stay to hear no moro.
lie walked softly to the door and stepped
out into the night. Hefelt that if he had
. waited in that room another second he
could not have prevented himself from
walking into the sittny-roonl, and explain
Ing thu. whole matter. That, he thought,
would have ruined all his plans.
In turning toward Mr.. Clayson's house
the young man unthinkingly struck into
the path through the grove, So busy was
he with his own thoughts that he did not
think Of the peril he had thus thrown him
self into until he was nearly half through
grove.
Then lie stopped and gazed intently
about him. All was still rs death.
II may as we'll go on now" he nuttered.
"It is Just as safe rs to return
The next minute, however, proved the
f.lsity of this reasoning, for he had not
proceeded dozen steps when aburly figure
arose in the narrow path and he felt