The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-04
A Mad MARRIAGE;
The Heiress of Law.
renee Park.
A STORY OF ABSORBING INTEREST.
BY MRS. e. b. COLLINS.
CHAPTER XII.
AN AWFUL MESSAGE

Once alone in that pretty blue and
white room, Arthur Wynne went
straight to the toilet table, and took
thence that withercd spray of stephan.
otis. Pressing his lips tenderly upon
it, he placed it in an inner pocket.
Then once again he read the contents
Of that fatal letter, though he knew it
already by heart.
Glancing at the upper left-hand cor.
>ner Of the sheet, where the name OF the
manufacturer is always stamped, he
saw that tho paper had come from the
STANDARD Mills"
. He put the letter in his pocket, and
Just at that iuncture his eyes fell upon
the fireless CRATE full of gray ashes,
just as it had remained since that aw-
ful night. Some impulse prompted
him; he wheeled swiftly about and
crossed the room, then stopping he
peered into the CRATE.
Yes; there was something. Without
hesitation he thrust his hand into the
bed of feathery ashes, and drew forth
a large, crumpled sheet OF charred
brown paper.
Sitting an exclamation he started to
his feet, and going over to marble ia
ble near he laid it upon the slab and
smothered it out. He bent his head,
and an exclamation Of horror passed
his lips.
Z "My God! What does this mean 2"
lie painted, wildly. The cold perspira-
tion. stood upon his brow in great
drops; he trembled, and would have
fallen. but he clung to the mantel for
support.
Once moro lie bowed his head over
the dingy paper; it was covered with
writing. which with difficulty he man
aged to decipher; then faint and trem-
bling b. fell into a seat. The paper
was headed:
Last will and testament Of Gilbert
Lawrence, rand it bequeathed his en-
tire earthly possessions to his deeply
wronged wife Gabrielle st. Cyr and
her heirs, with the exception Of cer-
tain yearly sum to be set apart for the
maintenance of his daughter Ruby
Lawrence. How came that paper in
Ruby's room, in her CRATE?
Arthur started to his feet, and pushed
back the damp hair from his clammy
brow as tire horrible thought crept like
noisome reptile over his heart.
at looks as if she had taken The
will, as that woman down stairs in
sinuated," he groaned; "and then, in
her haste and fear of exposure, tossed
it into the fire. She wanted it de-
stroycd, anyway! But the dying fire
only charred the paper, and it has
arisen in evidence against her!"
But Arthur Wynne dashed these
thoughts aside as though they had been
poison. Heaven forgive mer he CRED,
"that I should for 4 single moment
harbor such thoughts as these: My
poor darling; my poor little Ruby!
Heaven help her and shield her wher-
ever she may bel"
He placed the charred paper care
fully between the folds of newspaper,
and, carrying it with him, turned to
leave the room. At the door he paused
and glanced back, and his eyes fell
upon a small object lying upon the car.
pet near the fireplace. He STOPPED and
picked it up. A comb which had evi.
IDENTIFY fallen from some woman's hair
an oddly shaped ornament, of imitation
coral. Not such comb as Ruby would
have worn. But Arthur Wynne slipped
it into his pocket with strange, eager
look upon his face.
sWorth ipquiring into at leastp he
muttered, sharply. Then he paused
as his eyes fell upon something else:
Over the mantel there hung = painted
picture-the portrait of Gilbert Law
rence-and at the top of the gilded
frame, like a crown, hung wreath OF
Green ivy leaves. He had heard some
one % say that the wreath had been placed
shore by Ruby's hands.
"As though q child who loved her
father so very. dearly could be guilty OF
bis deathl" he cried aloud. indignant'