The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-12-29
CHAPTER XI. CC =
WHAT WAS FOUND, BEHIND TUB sHeRsr
PANEL. >

aThree weeks ago." continued Noel, -
was in want of some papers OF Importance
which I had placed in the old bureau, IN
Madame Gerdy's room. Missing the Key,
Ithad to resort to. forcing the lock. whle
doing 30, a random blow Of the hammer
caused the chisel was using to slide from
the place where it was inserted, and strike
With much violence against neighborlng
mart of the bureau. To my astonishment,
the blow moved small panel, which l
had supposed to be backed by the solid
wood. 1 examined it. inserted the edge OF
the chisel in the crack or crevice 80 sud
denly discovered, and pushed aside the
little panel without much difficulty.
The recess was filled with papers-so
crammed, in fact, TINT they fell out, and
were scattered on the desk.
An instinct, q mere mechanical instinct
;mnossille for me to explain, led me to
take up one of the l-tter.-for they were
letters-and. il being unseaied, to open
and glance at it's contents." -:,:-
Old Corkscrew shook his head. "You
we're wrong" he murmured, looking at
his young friend gravely; "wrong-very
wrong"
.(iranted; but what is done cannot be
undone. 1 read the letter,and before I had
mastered six lines of it, was aware that
the letter was written by my father--my
father, os whom Madame Gerdy, despite
my prayers and entire aties. had refused
to let me know even the name.'
Here the young man paused, and looked
appealiugly in his listeners face.
.You must not blame me-; you can
hardly realize the hunger. nay. the an
guish of curiosity that possessed mo. l
closed the secret panel, gathered up the
letters, and hurried away to my room to
read them, one by one e
a curiosity which has already been
cruelty punished, my poor boy said Dad.
dyTabaret, surveying the working face of
the other with sadness that was full OF
I'm MY place, who could have resisted
such a temptationl l, WIS those very
Letters that gave me the proofs l spoke to.
you about just now
.You have the letters, Of coursel"
safely; you may l'e sure. You're my
only friend. I've no secrets from you.
You shall see them-nay, you must read
them!" ".
The young barrister opened one Of
the drawers Of his desk, touched q secret
spring. and drew from q recess small
pacKet of letters, which he handed to Old
Corkscrew.
!. - Now, giving way to his natural and ar
! dent curiosity, and placing his wonder
fully "detective-lookiug" spectacles upon
his queer nose, the Daddy settled himself
, comfortably in his chair, and unfastened
. the string that was around the papers.
He took up the FIRST letter that came to
his hand. and in obedience to gesture OF
/ Noel's, began to read.
! "My Darling Valerie--" -
.Yalerie," remarked the barrister, be.
tween his teeth. "is the name OF Madame
Gerdyw w. .'.4
II KNOW know.-pr.y don't inter-
rupt me." said the old man. II will read
each letter iii my own way, and we can
comment upon the whole afterwards"
The reading of the first letter concluded,
the Daddy stroked his, chin for some mo-
ments before he spoke. = ....
.This letter" he Inurmured to himself,
and not addressing his anxious listener, a.
he folded it carefully, and placed it aside
--"this letter expresses, in burning words,
the writer's deep love for the beautiful
valerie."' sN!I., r. .. .r.'.T Z 9
valerie Gerdy--" .. .. -
"pn not ,spenking to you. I'm only
making notes--notes on my own account
With your permission, Ill read all the let
ters through, and We'll postpone our de-
cision till the reading is over"
Then, witha methodical calmpess, very
irritating to the nerves Of the impatient
Noel, Monsieur Tabaret read letter after
letter, now and then pausing to make a
pencil note Of something that had particu-
larly struck him. till the last one was con-
cluded and placed with thesothers. q
FgA strange ,sterys.'s he auttered--@s
psrySstrahge story-a ronantic1 and'a q sad 8
one"
@And what do you advised"
i'.Stop a bit, my impetuous young friend
Just stop bit, and let me run over the
simple facts. If Hyouthink I've got them
clearly, why, then we'll proceed to discuss
them"
Half closing his eyes, but very keenly
watchful,, nevertheless, Daddy Tabaret,
leant back in his chair, crossed one leg
over the other, then clasped his thin. rest
less hands over his knees, and spoke rs
follows; Noel listening with nervous yet
absorbed attention, hanging. AZ it were.
upon the words that fell from the old
mans lips.