The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-12-26

the ghost! He perceived the sr.ell of
tobacco from the adjacent room, and
glanced at the door. 1t was shut.
Turning again to Mrs. Sewer, he found
her eyes fixed on it with terrified fear OF
discovery.
"Poor Tom !" thought Keyes, as he
beat dreary tattoo on the window.
Mrs. Sewer sat down and stared III
the ire, her hands clasped on her knee.
She felt very much as a man who has
passed through an earthquake, and finds
his house, his belongings, his very foot
hold, wreck beneath him. What was
this she had promised to do? To meet
friend in a casual morning walk
There was no wrong to Tom In that.
For years it had been kind OF gospel
with her, much more forcible than that
her first love, and in the man to whom
she gave it. She had been used to listen
to mournful music, to find the voice OF
that first love in it, and then to recall
Toms virtues with a sigh, acknowledge
ing to herself that he was the most eroi-
nently respectable of men, but that her
heart was irrevocably given to man Of
higher order. She was cropping about
now miserably for this man, bewildered
by a cloud of stale tobacco, whisky
and oaths.
: Meantime, Colonel Chaplin was lay
ing his plans. He had been in forced
state of idleness for q long time, and
now, in the very moment when life
seemed emptiest to him, the woman he
had once loved was placed within his
grasp. Nothing came between them but
a man he hated, and the colonel's talent
for hating was exceptional. After an
hours reflection, and several drinks be-
yond the hourly average, he went down
and introduced himself to Tom and DIR.
Keyes.
Keyes held him at arms length but
Mr.. Sewer was cordial and hearty with
him beyond his wont.
"Poor old Chaplin; terrific wreck, he
said afterward, to Fred. "I prom
ised to 20 fishing with him tomorrow
morning. I thhoght Betty would like
some mountain-trout."
Mrs. Sewer woke the next morning
with start and smile. Her husband
was dressed, standing by the fire.
"What is it, Betty?"
"I thought Lou had crept on the bed
to waken me as she used TO do.
She covered her eyes with her hands
and cried quietly. Tom stroked her
hair.
"My poor girl, you've had hard mea-
sure in this world p he said.
She took her hands away and looked
at him steadily. Had she hard mea-
sure? In that moment, for the. first
time since she had been married, she
felt how strong, how true this mans
love was; how firm a foundation it was
for her. The searching. wild look she
fixed on him puzzled Tom. The next
moment she drew coldly away from
him.
"H you are going down now, I will
Dress"
But she lay quiet thinking when he
was gone. Had she not loved Louis
Chaplins Had she not married Sewer
in mad whim of pique2 Was she to
be persuaded that it was for him she
really cared now? Love was love for
ever. All these years she had looked ON
herself as woman set apart for a con-
aict of mighty passions. Was she to
find herself only good wife with good
husband of the commonplace, happy
sort2
She came out on the upper porch pres
emily, and looked down. Tom was be-
low with Colonel Chaplin. She never
had noticed before what on erect, clean
skinned, clear-eyed man he was beside
other men; how true and merry his
voice was. Bah it Ieeded other quail
ties than these to win womans heart.
But she did not 60 10 the ford.
Colonel Chaplin waited there for her
an hour or more. Sewer was a tyrant.
The poor creature WAS evidently in ter
ror of her life. She would never dare to
come to him as her heart prompted,
while her husband lived.
The colonel folded his arms, and gazed
darkly into the water. To-day should be
the eliminating point of his life. There
was that narrow pass in the Catalouche
"a sheer descent into the stream of fifty
feet. When he had brought Sewer to it,
he would tell him calmly how matters
stood between them, and then
They should never both leave the pass
alive. But there must be no weapons
used. Bullets tell tales. If Sewer
missed his footing, and fell into the De.
mons Grave, he wss not the first man to
whom the accident had Happened. If it
was Louis Chaplin who was worsted,
Sewer could tell what he chose.
"As we'll that end as the other," blus-
tered the colonel, with 8 portentous sigh.
But he surveyed his bulky limbs COM
placently. Tom Sewer was not half the
man he was.
"Shall I take my gun, colonel? ?" called
Tom, as soon as he appeared in sight.
"We may start buck"
"No, nor even pistols; one sort of
game at time is my motto"
"I'll be with you in moment"
he ran up the stairs to the little porch
where his wife sat looking beyond the
mountains into vacancy, her hands, as
usual, clasped on her knees. DR.. Keyes
was reading an old newspaper.
"Good-by, Betty"
"Good-by," without turning her eyes.
It had once been habit with him
never to leave the house without kissing
her. He had given it up of late years.
But he hesitated now.
II may not be back until night.
Don't be uneasy, Betty"
emo"
"Good-by," turning to GO down the
stairs.
80 Tom !" said Keyes, looking up,
shave you called at Judge STEMS since
you came?"
emo"
"Your cousin Lola is living still ?"
eyes," glancing quickly at his wife.
"Unmarried ?"
"I believe so"
He went hastily down the stairs.
Keyes coughed significantly, and turned
to his paper.
"Who is Lola Stein2 ?" asked Mrs.
Sewer, sharply.
"Lola9 Toms cousin. You've
heard of her, surely?"
Fred spoke reluctantly. She knew by
his face there was something to conceal.
"I've heard of her, but nothing par
fio,,1orn -