The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-19

Who knows what he lsr
'Mr. Devarges is a perfect gentle
man, and that is more than one can Say
of some Others I said, hotly. 'And
MIR. Holly, in regard to your future
wife, I believe I do not aspire to thai
honor, and-here is your ring I drew
off the golden band, and handed it te
him.
"Nell, do you mean this p inquired
Jack, with white lips.
"'Yes, I do. I'm tired of your carp
ing and criticising,' I said, pettishly.
$3.50 be it, chen. Goodbye said
Jack, and without another word he left
the room.
"To tell the truth, I hadn't meant
half I said, and every minute expected
that Jack would kiss me, and we'd make
up. A mist came over my eyes as
watched him fast disappearing again,
and would have indulged in good cry,
but just then the special came up,
putting, and the president of the road
came in. He was kind old gentleman,
whom I had known since I was wee
girl.
= "Gooi day, Miss Nellie. Every.
thing prosperous, I hope. Will you dc
favor for me?'
Certainly, sir, il I can.'
"Well, you see, when we were com.
ing down, 1 met a gentleman that owed
me some money; he paid me 5000, and
now T do not know what to do with it,
rs we are going into the woods to see
about layirg out a new railroad. We
shall be gone two days. Don't want to
take the money with me; will you take
charge of it while am gomez
) "'H you will trust me.
"'Bless my soul! yes, of course; here
is the money. Must hurry away. Good
morning.
"Scarcely had portly Mr.. Sayre gone
away before Mr.. Devarges came saun-
tering in.
"Got quite little sum there, haven't
you, Miss Nellie2" cycling the bills in
my hand.
"Yes,' replied, laughing; 'Mr.
Sayre has made me his banker. Look
Nine hundred dollars How rich I
would be if it were miner
"You deserve to have much more,
and doubtless that pretty face II win
it,
sSomehow this bold compliment failed
to please me, and it was with coldness
that said
"'Take chair, Mr.. Devarge.'
"No, thank you, Miss Nellie. Ihave
m appointment. But will you allow
me to call Oh you this EVENING"
"'Well, I Iscarcely think I will be at
home. You know that mother and sis
ter Lulu are away, and little while
ago I got word from grandmother say
lug perhaps I had better come and stay
all night with her.
cit was true that I had received such
word from grandma, but I had not
thought of accepting it. I hoped that
Jack would come and make up, and OF
course, didn't care tohave Mr.. Devarges
call on me at the same time.
"'What will you do with that money,
Miss Nell p carelessly inquired Mr.. De-
yarges.
"Ob, I shall put it right here in this
drawer. No one knows about it, and il
will be perfectly secure.
"Dare say; good morning. and with
courtly bow, my aimirer left.
call during the day 1 busted myself
about my numerous duties, and when
night came I put on the dress Jack liked
best, and anxiously waited his coming.
"Seven o'clock eight o'clock nine
o'clock The last train had come and
gone, and my duties for the day were
over. put out the light in the ticket
office and went into the sitting-room,
and watched and waited. Ten o'clock
Half-past ten! No use waiting any
longer-he wouldn't come.
1" I went to the door, opened it and
looked out. There seemed everything
wiered about the whole landscape. Even
the shadows seemed alive. The sky
was beginning to be overcast, and the
moon peeped ont of an inky black cloud.
The frogs down the river were croakiag
dismally; the wind seemed to whisper
and moan.
"I shivered out witha nameless dread,
and closed the door went to bed and
cried myself to sleep.
"I had slept an hour, perhaps, and
then awoke with q sudden start, feeling
a great difficulty in breathing. A part
of the quilt lay across my mouth, l
thought, but on reaching my hand to
remove it, T found that it was a hand
korchief saturated with-what2" Chlo-
roform!
ga thrill of terror passed over me.
Who had done this? Was there some
one in the house ?" 49,.
81 half arose and gazel about mo. All
was dark except little ray OF light fall
ing through the partly closed doors.
II silently arose, and just then almost
screamed in fear when sudden sound
smote upon my ear. It was only the
clock striking the hour of midnight. I
placed my hand upon my heart to soothe
its fierce throbs.
stepping along, carefully avoiding all
obstacles, l reached tho door, opened
it, aud glance,i into the sitting-room.
No one was there, but some one vas in
the ticket office, for I saw light and
heard voice. What did they want
The money oh, the money left in my
charge. Somebody was stealing it, and
what should l say to Mr.. Sayre? My
God 1 might be accused of taking it
myself, and thus lose honor and po.
sition.
"'Rather lose life, said to myself.
Il will defend that money unto death,
and looked about for some weapon.
"Under the stove was a large iron
poker. Seiz;ng it carefully, | started
slowly toward tho door. The light fell
upon the mirror, rejecting my figure,
and I've often thought since, with a sick
feeling of horror, what n picture OF des-
peration T was, clad in my flowing, white
night.dress and my hair all unbound,
my face white rs marble, and eyes d.
lated and glittering with a strange,
steely light.
"FGod aid mel I said with white
lips, aud then opened the door of the
office and stole softly in. A man with
his back toward me was at the other end
of the room. He had forced open the
drawer, taken out the money, and was