The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-05-22

IN the darkness the tnonSnt or rose
Wynne would come over me with kline
of thrill, and L seemed to hear her say
ing:
Remember your promise. "
tried to shake off the impression
but all to no purpose, and at last I step
ped into a store and said to q clerk,
fellow whom l recognized as one Of
Roses old admirers:
sis there q young girl living rounC
here by the name Of Rose Wynne'
Cause I've got letter for her."
"Then you've got letter for deat
woman" he said. "Rose Wynne il
dead; drowned in the river"
"Who did it?" I asked, turning
cold.
"Did it herself, I suppose. I never
heard of any one else being accused o.
it,"
"And why should she? Where is
Andy Davis?" blurted out, before
knew what 1 was about.
"Oh, Andy went away ever 80 long
ago. I guess Rose and he were engaged.
It was thought that they quarreled may
be, and that was why she drowned her
SELF"
T did not continue the conversation
but left the store and went back to my
room.
That night I dreamed that Rose came
to my bedside, and stood looking at me
Just as she had under my window, and
said:
cit was Andy Davis; remember your
promise"
Well, I made some more inquiries
round and I found the general impress
sion was that Rose had drowned herself,
just as the clerk had told me. The body
had never been found, but she was
missing, and her handkerchief and
gloves, and the hat she wore the night
she disappeared, were picked up on the
river bank. The water was very swift
here, and it was generally believed the
body had drifted out to the lake.
Well, had some pretty curious
thoughts. Was Rose dead or wasn't she
At all events there was a mystery, and
I was just the fellow to ferret it out.
The first thing was to find Andy Davis.
So, Just as soon as I had got through
the business T was on, I started on his
track.
I was obliged to hunt for him much
longer than I expected; but 1 found him
at last. The longer I looked for him
the more suspected he had something
ugly on his mind. People with clear
consciences amt, as general thing, SO
hard to find. Well, as I said, I found
him at last, working on farm, and ne
carpenter by trade. He was good
two hundred miles from Evans Corners,
and he'd got new name besides that.
He called himself Thompson, but he
couldn't Thompson me. I knew him
the minute put my eyes on him. He
was at supper with the man he was work:
ing for and the other farm hands, and
stood and watched him through the
kitchen window some minutes. He'd
changed good deal, got thin and yel-
low, and had sort of hunted look in
his eyes, that settled his case for me
then and there. I never saw that look
in an innocent mans face.
The kitchen door stood open, and |
walked in without any ceremony, and
going directly up to him I laid my hand
on his shoulder.
Glow do you do, Mr.. Davis?" said
II. You should have seen him. I've had
some experience with frightened men.
but I can safely say with truth, that !
never saw one SO scared as he was. l.
never in my life saw face turn so
white as his did. First he jumped up
and looked round as if he was going to
run, then he sat down again and set his
teeth hard. You see, he recognized me
and knew that was detective.
"My name amt Davis" said he,
glowering at me with eyes like Goals. "
I don't know you, sir."
"Your name is Davis, and I know
you if you don't know me-" I answered
in low voice. "Who do you suppose
sent me here after you?"
His eyes almost jumped out OF his
head, aud his teeth would chatter in
spite of himself.
"Rose Wynne sent me-" 7 went. on;
'tyou know what for ..
When I said that, the wretch fell on
his knees and fairly howled for mercy.
"I'll confess" he shrieked, 'I killed
her, I did. I'd sworn Sheldon shouldn't
have her, and I killed her to keep her
from marrying him. She said she'd
hunt me for it. She said she'd come out
of her grave to hang me. and she has
kept her vow."
took him back to Evans Corners
as fast as we could travel, and lodged
him in the prison there.
The trial came off in due time. There
wasn't one atom of evidence that:he did
the deed, except his own confession to
me. He hadn't opened his lips to any
one since; and when he was called upon
to plead "Guilty, or not guilty." the vii
lian answered, "Not guilty." after all.
As he said the words, there was a
slight stir among the crowd behind him.
He looked round, and something he saw
there turned his face chalky.
He gave sort of gasp, staggered
upon his feet, and fairly screamed out
"Guilty p and fell down in fit.
They carried him out writhing and
foaming at the mouth, and as they did
80, q woman dressed in black came for
ward and threw back her vail. 1t was
Rose Wynne alive and standing before
us more beautiful than ever.
"He tried to kill me, she said. 1t
was not his fault that he did not sue
ceed. had been engaged to marry Mr..
Sheldon a long time, but because my
father was opposed to him and favored
Mr.. Davis, we had kept the engagement
secret from every one. had gone out
that night, by appointment, to meet my
promised husband, and as I was crossing
on the railroad bridge, over the river,
Andrew Davis came from the other side
and met me. He told me if I did not
promise to marry him then and there
he'd throw me over the bridge into the
water. I was always afraid of him; he
had such a savage look in his eyes some
times, and J. knew him to be terribly
jealous of Mark Sheldon. But l would
not promise him anything of the kind.
could not believe he would really carry
out his threat, and I expected Mark
would come every minute.
"When he took hold of me, and I saw
he was in earnest, and really intended
to drown me, struggled with him, and
told him if he did harm me, I'd have
him hung for it, if I had to come out Of
nv grave to do it. And also told him
was going to marry Mark Sheldon, and
that I had come out there to meet him