The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
A Mad MARRIAGE ::
The HeiresS of Law.
renee Park.
A STORY OF ABSORBING INTEREST.
by MRS. E. b. COLLINS.
CHAPTER I.
A GHOST FROM THE PAST.

A GHOST FROM THE PAST.
freight; rosy freight streaming
over the costly apartments of a luxuri-
Gus library, a very symphony in olive,
walnut, and old gold.
The lamps had not yet been lighted,
but the fire burned warm and red be-
hind the silver bars of the wide CRATE,
and spread it's rosy glow over the vel
vet carpet and costly furniture.
Over the bay window, with its olive
velvet and white lace curtains, yet un-
drawn leaving glimpse of the night
without.
Over the marble busts of Shakespeare,
Milton. and Byron, upon their velvet
draped brackets.
Over the two rare paintings hung
upon the tinted walls, "Belshazzar's
Feast" so wildly depicted by the
| touch of some old master that you
trembled involuntarily at sight of that
realistic Handwriting upon the wall. y
The other, a copy of that weird, gro
tesque creation, Holbein's "Dance OF
Death"
The freight fickered over all, and
strayed lightly over the face of the
man who sat alone in q low walnut
armchair before the fire, his head BENT
his eyes fixed upon its rosy glow.
Outside, the wind howled shrilly,
and the rain beat persistently against
the window panes, tapping lightly for
admittance.
Of in the distance, the thunder NUT
tered hoarsely, while occasional blue
sulphurous lightning flashes cut the
inky sky in twain.
A night of storm and tempest; but
| the war of elements without were not
as fierce as the tumult within that
mans breast.
He arose to his feet at length, with
low moan, which smote the silence
like blow.
"My God!" he pauted, brokenly !;
chow long must this torture last? Can
I never forget? Am I doomed to carry
this awful burden with me to tho
grave?
"For eighteen years-aighteen long,
hard years I have hoped for oblivion
but, try as I may, Z cannot strangle
memory!
II cannot forget the woman whom I
have wrongedl Even in the midst Of
my prosperity, in my palace home, with
everything that heart can wish, I can
not forget. Poor, Gabrielle!
"Bah; what fool! What driveing
idiot am! What if the wurld should
suspect that I, Gilbert Lawrence, of
Lawrence Park, have skeleton in my
closet "a hideous, grisly skeleton,
which mocks me at every turn!
"No, nc: let the dead past bury its
deadp There is no resurrection for
Gabrielle st. Cyr! She is dead long
years ago, and /"
He came to a sudden halt, the words
dying upon his lips in a gasp of horror.
Above the bowling of the wind and
the beating of the rain, above the dis
\ tant booming of the thunder, sound
had reached his ears.
A hand was upon the fastening of the
window reaching to the veranda, and
/ slowly it was opened from without.
The wind rushed in with an eerie
wall, and then!
He wheeled about with wild cry; a
woman sprang lightly over the sill and
confronted him.
She stood there straight and erect,
in the center of the fragrant, frelit
room, slight, slim figure, with drip
ping garments "clinging like cere-
ments," with the rain drops trickling
slowly down, and falling in pools upon
the rich velvet carpet.
A pale, stern, resolute face, a woman
Of some eight and thirty years,
of rare brunette beauty; eyes like
black velvet, hair soft and dusky, feat
ures delicately chiseled; face of cold,
white scorn.
She was all in black, dingy, faded
garments, torn with thorns ana pr1ers,
and hanging in disorder about her.
An old bonnet, the ghost of what had
once been q bonnet, had fallen from
her head and lay forgotten upon the
wet carpet; her hands clenched each
other convulsively. A pair of great,
black, liquid eyes were lifted to the
face of Gilbert Lawrence with long,
long look, which made him shiver.
"Gabrielle! My God! You?" he
painted feebly. I'm the name Of
heaven"
She lifted her right hand with an i'm
i perious gesture.
@Silencel" she commanded, sternly.
T have not come all this distance-l
have not forced my way into your
presence, Gilbert Lawrence, to listen
to your lies!
dYou thought me safe-lost-gone to
destruction, away off in that Southern
city; but I have arisen like an unquiet
spirit conjured up from space to de-
nounce you! Do you know for what
purpose have Gomez"
Once more he shivered, like one with
q chill.
"What?" he gasped hoarsely.
She drew little nearer and lifted
her solemn eyes once more to his
frightened face.
! U have come to Kill YolP she Raid
s... . 10.