The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-09-03

annoy me! ClllnR IL QlQ, On EeHecClOu,
but not in the way she intended.
thought of Mary's increasing pallor,
silence, alteration; surely she was chang
ing, but what had to do with it?
1never thought to ask what had Miss
Campsted to do with it.
Mary grew worse, The doctor said it
was some disease of the nerves. Miss
Campsted was full of solicitudc. She
and her handsome brother were very at
tentive.
When Invent into the hall Miss Camp
sted contrived to be there to bid me
good-morning. I never thought of her
now rs middle-aged. She appeared to
me, gradually, to become an imperti-
nent. forward young person.
One memorable day-shall ever for
get it'll went up stairs to say some
thing that had escaped my recollection,
after my usual visit to Mary's room.
1 found my wife weeping 'hysterically,
with all the children grouped about her
and crying in chorus.
"For Heavens sake, Mary, what has
happened?" l cried, frightened almost
out of my wits.
~"Don't stay, Harry" she gasped " it
does me no good. | am better alone.
Go down-please go down."
But I'm not going down or out, leav-
ing you in this state," said. throwing
down hat and bundles and trying to take
her in my arms.
But she resisted my tenderness.
mo matter tor me-" she sobbed. 81
shall be better soon out Of the way, per-
thaps."
"Mary, darling" l said, at my wits
end, "if you won't let me stay, at least
let me send Miss Campsted up"
THAT woman" cried my wife, with
hysterical anguish" Do you want
her to poison me? 1t is bad enough that
she has ruined my home"
was thunderstruck.
Poison you!-ruined your home! Miss
Campsted! What do you mean, Mary?
Are you crazy? | thought you considered
her Invaluable" repeated, still dazed
and nervous.
Invaluable" murmurcd Mary, great
tears running down her pale cheeks;
lean I like a serpent? Can / like one
who has stolen from me all that made
my life blessed-my husbands loveP l
hate her! Go! 60! SHE has told me, oh,
such miserable things! Leave me; Miss
Campsted is down stairs" md she fell
to shuddering.
have heard that an innocent man al
ways has his weapons about him. l
don't believe it. At all events, it was
not so in my case. So obtuse and con-
fused was ut this entirely new phase of
matters that it took a minute and twenty
seconds before the real import Of her
words reached my consciousness. ! am
quite positive of that fact for mechanic
ally / was following with my eye the
hands of the clock in the corner. Then
it dawned on me by degrees, and Mary,
after q while, told me pitiful story.
My wife, my one crown of glory, my
idolized Mary, had been subjected to the
most cruel ofall tortures-that OF hear
ing her husbands words and actions
misrepreSented, stories manufactured,
lies cunningly invented.
no longer wondered that my poor
wife felt a dread and adherence for the
creature, which no language could ex-
press, or even feared for her life in the
presence ofsuch viper.
The strangest thing to me was, then
in truth, always will be-that Mary did
not tell me of these things; but a foolish
fear of being thought jealous, and some
thing also Of pride and the sensitiveness
of her nature. sealed her lips.
In my anger | suppose rather over
stepped the bounds of prudence in my
next interview with the fascinating Miss
Campsted, as some Of my friends called
her. 1 had grand opportunity of wit
Messing the uncontrolled fury Of a VIC
man whose vileness had been prema-
turely unmasked.
Never, even upon the stage, have
seen such perfect piece Of acting.
Trouble never comes singly, they say,
I had given Miss Campsted warning,
when person whom I had reason to
believe was q detective entered my
house. In an instant Miss Campsted
grew pale and quiet, and begged me to
allow her to see the gentleman alone.
Of course I consented, keeping strict
guard, however, outside the door.
For some time the conversation went
on in low tone; then, gradually, Miss
Campsted's voice changed to entreaty.
Sobs followed and bitter weeping.
Suddenly in came Fred Campsted,
whistling softly an air from one of the
operas.
Seeing me in the hall, apparently on
guard, he started, slowly hung up his
hat, tr k it down again, asked for his
sister, and seemed very much surprised
when told him she had company.
You had better go in," l said, " for l
fear she is in trouble.
"Oh, hang it! was his rough re-
sponse, "she's always in trouble. /
have IN errand down town, and must be
excused"
He turned, and there, facing him,
standing on the doorstep, was another
detective. How long had they been
watching my house?
The man looked like tiger. He gave
one bound, but in that moment two Off
GERS were upon him; then he seized his
pistol, which was snug concealed. and
fired.
One of the men was wounded; but the
other secured the prisoner and brought
him. bound and raving horribly. into
the house.
"Do you know, sir?" asked one of the
detectives, afterward, that this house
has been rendezvous for thieves dur
ing the past six months?"
How should l, absent all day? How
was to be made aware that our cook
had been bought from time to time with
heavy brides to allow the ingress of
packages of great value?
How did know that Miss Campsted
brought three immense Saratoga trunks
with her, protesting that they had been
left in her charge?
After that we examined those same
trunks, wherein property was found
concealed to the amount of forty or fifty
Thousand dollars-silks, velvets, dia-
monds and jewels. :,
One of these packages-a very small
one-I looked upon with great distrust.
1t was taken with the other things to
the station-house, and found to be a
machine calculated to destroy both life
and property, for it was filled with ex-
plosive materials. and opened by igno-
rance or chance. life would most cer-
tainly have been the forfeit.
To this day l look with distrust upon
such advertisements rs the one that
heads this story; and though that was
probably the single exception in a thou
sand, no earthly power could induce me
to repeat the experience.
And if, after long search after some
article not to be found, we conclude to
give it up, we place it to the account of
I-1