The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-25
a Mad MARRIAGE:
The Heipess of Law
renee Park.
1 STORY OF ABSORBING INTEREST.
By MRS. e. b. COLLINS.
Or
CHAPTER XVIII.
~ Iosrl

Ihe Old peddler was soon seated II
the great CHEEKY kitchen, surrounded
by group of servants, all gazing with
admiring eyes at the contents of the
open pack. Strings of beads; coarse
laces, scent bottles, fans, sashes. ano
similar fancy articles were spread out
before their eager gaze.
Here is Something's shust beau-ti
full" exclaimed the old peddler, hold
ing up Tor. inspection a gaudy silk
handkerchief, striped in blue and vel
low, "and it becomes you, my lady" he
added, depositing it in the ample laI
of the cook-a jolly, red-faced, round
eyed female, looking like nothing SC
much as mold of Jelly. A decidedly
simple-minded lady, she proved not at
all impervious to hattery.
"Will de fair lady be pleased to
egsept de shmall token of admiration ?"
he added, slyly.
Cooks face was like mirror, so
bright did it grow, and her round eyes
twinkled with delight.
"Shure, an it's kind We are, sir, !" she
cried, in her strong .Hibernian voice,
@and it's the rale gintleman ye are, sir.
Hiven rist your sowl! Shure an. it's
ilegant," she went on, her fat fingers
smoothing the soft folds Of the hand
kerchief with tender touch.
"Why, if there amt a comb exactly
like. .Maggie's," intervened pertrlook-
ing maid, turning over in her hand the
identical comb which Arthur Wynne
had found in; that locked room up
stairs.
II declare it is Maggie's comb, went
on the girl, eagerly, "for it's marked.
You remember, cook, how Maggie put
her initials on the inside, to know it
from mine? Look!"
She turned the articles over. There,
upon the reverse side, scratched upon
the fantastic carving in rude letters,
were the initials m. W.
"She bought mine after she lost
hers!" the girl added, slowly. "Say,
old man, where did you get this comb?"
she demanded, sharply.
The peddler shook his gray head.
II shust pought lot o'goods from
auctions" he replied, "some O. dem
secondhand. Mebbe de comb was,
too, I don't know. Here, young lady,
7 gives you Something's too"
And a huge bottle labeled eau de
Cologne was transferred from the pack
to the housemaid's eager hand.
:; II allus gives Something's to de pretty
ladies'" he added, with smirk. II
puys secondhand goods" he went on.
"Got anydings to sell, ladies? Old pail
tresses, ribbons, flowers. IIshnst mokes
dem over SO peter as new, and sells
dem agin."
The girl looked thoughtful
"I've got pair O. white satin shoes
as used to be Miss Ruby's," she an
nounced. @If you want 'em, you be
)twelcome to 'em, I'm sure, " and she hur-
Fied away, returning little later with
q pair of tiny white satin slippers, with
dainty rosettes and high French heels.
:. The peddler gszed on them with a
long, steady stare from behind the
sRectacles. Then rolling the slippers
up in tissue paper, he slipped them in
his pocket, after which small ex-
change of goods was effected with the
housemaid, and then he arose to 60.
II gees now, but I comes again
after a whiles," he said, laconically,
and amid shower of good-bys he took
his departure.
: @That's a perfeck gentleman, if
ever there was one!" exclaimed the
housemaid, emphatically. "Such pres
ents; and he amt never been here be-
fore" -
In the meantime the old peddler,
having left Lawrence Park behind him,
hurried into the woods near by, away
from prying eyes, and seated himself
beneath a tree. He drew the satin
slippers from his pocket and pressed
them to his lips.
"My poor little darling" he muir
murcd. You shall be found, or
avenged"
He drew forth something elsa
drawing of shoe, woman's shoe,
small, graceful, shapely. He removed
one of the slippers from its wrapping,
and placed it upon the drawing before
him.
The slippers were much smaller than
the drawing. He uttered an exclama-
tion of approval.
IT knew it!" he painted swiftly.
aThis drawing made from the i'm
print outside the library window here
st Lawrence Park.
.@After the murder was committed I
carefully examined the ground below
Che window, and found there several
footprints embedded in the soft soil.
F, II took the impression of the plain
est, and this is it. It is not Ruby Law
rence's foot; then whose is it?
SNo woman has been concerned or
6AaAby Gilbert Lawrence's death
6hske St cyr Lawrence and
Bwly but sureNy T will gather up
breads of evidence in this strange
II and T will yet show the world how
3 IN misjudge.
Heaven grant that my poor Ruby
sisAstill alive to triumph over her enc
T1es. God forbid that it should be too
$1ste"
I'm his excitement, his spectacles
had fallen to tho ground at his feet,
the gray wig was awry, he was so ex-
cited over the prospect of vindicating
the woman he loved that no had for
gotten his disguise-forgotten every.
thing.
J "I will find Ruby Lawrenoe!' he
painted, starting to his feet. II will
clear her before tie world, and it shall
vet bend its knee hulnbly before this
wronped womanp