The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

approval of this arrangement. Observed
Fanny to him:
"Now, Mr.. Beauchamp, I shall leave
you to your devices there she indulget
in the tiniest ripple of laughter)-youl
devices, mind"
every we'll, my dear, they shall b.
ready, if wanted"
"And he"-
Everything is ready, Miss Harebell
and everybody. Let that suffice you.
Seated in her snug little room, Fanny
dreamily awaited the coming of hel
ancient prosecutor. She had not to wal
long.
"Mr. Blanchard, M" announced the
maid-servant, and thereupon ushered
that gentleman in.
Miss Westbrook rose and acknowl
edged his elaborate bow with silence
that was full of scornful eloquence,
She then resumed her seat.
"Miss Westbrook, can you divine
why I am here?"
EYES,"
"Oh, you can? You are frank. After
all, why should you not be? We car
spare each other the recital of long
preface of dull retrospection. After 9
long and painful search 1 have found
you-no matter how"
II know how" she calmly interposed.
"Ah p he exclaimed, "perhaps you
would not mind enlightening me-" His
tones were sneering. Her perfect equa'
nimity put him about.
"Not at all. You got the informa-
tion from my brother"
"Even so. And-your brother /? Had
ne informed you also that he is just as
completely in my power as was another
person of our acquaintance more than q
year since? Did lie tell you there is a
bundle of papers which would give
him penal servitude if I chose to put
the law in operation ? Did he"-
"No, Mr.. Blanchard. he did not. u
A tear had stolen down her cheek at the
suggestion to Harold. but now that
she confronted the West Indian her
eyes blazed defiance upon him. "He
did not. Remove your mask. I can
read the rascal underneath it. So, then,
my hand bestowed on you is to be the
price of your silence concerning my
brothers crime, if crime it be. But
you have shown your claws too soon,
sir see that they are not clipped"
"And who is to clip them?"
"I!" exclaimed o voice that came
from behind the chair near which
Blanchard stood, while at the same time
his arms we're seized in grip of iron and
wrenched violently back. "l-Harold
White Fan. take possession of those
papers,"
$50 you think to trap me, do you p
growled Blanchard, actually foaming
with rage )" but you are mistaken"
"Not a bit of it," observed obligine
Mr.. Beauchamp, at that moment enter.
ing by the door on the landing. Coolly
turning the key and placing it in his
pocket, the manager of the Easthampton
theater continued "Now look here,
Mr.. Blanchard, I have stage-managed
too many little thing of this kind not to
know what's required to strengthen the
situation. I have two of my fellows
handy on the stairs. My property man
is On the other side of those folding
doors. My friend here and myself
reckon for something, to say nothing of
Mrs. Harold White -
"Mrs. Harold White?" gasped
Blanchard.
eyes, Mr.. Blanchard" releasing him
and approaching her, "my wife. She
always believed in my perfect innocence
of the charge you helped to fasten on
me, and when poor, miserable Gus con-
fessed the part which he had played in
the conspiracy, we got married"
Confessed conspiracy |" sneering-
ly exclaimed Blanchard; j; "where are
your proofs?"
"Here !" replied Harold, pointing to
the papers "and here they remain
until
"Until what?"
"Until the father of my dear wife has
perused them line by line, and the mag
istrates of Singlebridge have made my
innocence as public as year since they
proclaimed my guilt"
"Then I may co." said Blanchard,
after pause and taking for granted
the consent of the temporary custodians,
he stepped toward the door, which was
under the janitorship of MIR. Beauchamp.
That gentleman gracefully waved him
back.
"You may go on one condition, sir
pardon me-and it is this 1: That you
leave for Jamaica by a certain steamer
which leaves this port tomorrow. Ihave
tonight bespoken your berth. Pardon
me-if you decline, take the conse.
quences one of which will be the TEN.
porary occupatian by yourself of neat
and commodious apartment within the
precincts of Easthampton Jail p
"Open the door," Not another word
did he utter, but taking his hat, and
looking straight before him, he LETT the
hotel and proceeded-not Unattended
in the direction of the Jamaica boat.
1t was a pleasant hour or so which
Mr.. and Mrs. Harold White and their
friend Beauchamp spent together that
night. 1t was a more than pleasant
meeting that took place few days after
in Singlebridge. Silas Westbrook' IS
happiness was unspeakable. There was
II streak OF sorrow in it, though, when
he thought of his absent son, and prayed
That the lad had turned over new leaf
at the other end OF the world.-London
Society.