The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-20
CHAPTER XII.
pkNrErp To ru --.

HliuoHS Oh the law.
I AS he had sat, during his brief inter
view with Mr.. Bancker, with his back
to the open door, he had failed to no.
tlco the apparition of a messenger who
made significant signal to the detec-
tive, which virtually was the cause of
Arnlm's being discharged 80 suddenly: !:
nor did he, being wholly absorbed in
his own thoughts, see the elderly gen.
tieman, of distinguished appearance,
who stood waiting for an audience with
Detective Bancker.
Had Arnim been of a curious turn of
mind, which decidedly he was not, and
had he chosen to listen at the door of
tis private Office after the elderly gen
| the first words he might have heard
would have been:
"Have l the pleasure Of meeting Mr..
Banckcr, the gentleman in charge of
the Clifford murder case?"
eyes, sir. And you are?"
"Mr. Edgar, the lawyer employed
by the late Mr.. Orrin Clifford Mt the
time of his death"
"Then permit me to say, Mr. Edgar,
that you are the missing link in our
operations! Thank you for calling
upon me-"
But as Rupert did not hear all this
and the mass of vitally important bust
ness that followed, perhaps for tho
present we need not be inquisitive; let
us, rather, return TO little Oracle Gar
land onr long-suffering heroine, where
we left her on the preceding night in
that upper room of the old building,
PROSTATE upon the lifeless body of her
supposed. father.
The shock of the information which
Nicholas Garland had impaired with
his dying BREATH coupled with the ex-
element and fatigue of the night, had
bereft the poor child of her senses for
the time being, and like one dead she
lay there, needing not the dazzling
ray of the hull's-eye lantern that en.
compassed the pathetic picture in its
pale of light.
It may be needless to state that the
lantern was held in the hand of that
astute detective, Mr.. Bancker, since
the reader has already suspected as
much.
1t was he who, by chance, came upon
Max Boyden, as he came strolling down
the avenue to keep his appointment
with Nicholas Garland; it was he who
ptI UircnI IIfttu ~, Al>~s;->--loi
left unlocked; it was he who had
locked the door on the inner side after
little Oracle had found ndmittance
there, and it was he who now knew
more than was good for certain parties
in the case.
After the terrible climax had passed,
Mr.. Bancker, in his cool, calculating
way, affixed the bulls eve to his belt,
approached and gently raised the girl
from her unsuitable resting place. AL
most his first touch recalled her to her
| senses.
"Oh, what has happened? Who are
YOU ?" she walled in a dazed way, strug-
Cling out of his arms and staring at him
wildly.
Always mcthodical and calm, if any
thing, Banckcr replied to each query
"a man has been murdered here.
am friend"
desperate conflict between Garland and
an unknown man; the dying confession,
and then the silence of death!
"A man!" she cried, glancing invol.
UNFAIRLY ut the dark, distorted form upon
upon the floor; "he was my fa--- Oh
no, no Oh, sir, if, as yOu say, you are
friend, tell me what it all means"
II know no more about it than you do
my poor girl" replied the dete ctive
gently; "probably much less. But we
will take time and clear up the matter.
"Who has done this thing?" she de
manded, shudderingly.
II am not vet prepared to say" wa
the cvasivc reply; "ali that / have tt
advise is that we leave the matter nls
where it is for tonight"
What Leave him all alone here il
the dark"
"The body cannot be removed unit
the Coroner is notified"
"Then l shall not leave him."
"What was he to you?"
"My--Nothing."
She could not accustom herself t,
the thought that the man for whom sh
y would have sacrificed her very life,
need be, was not her father; and tn
detective, who was n monument of pa
tCnce in such matters, was not ii
, the least ANNOYED by her contradictor,
replies; indeed, he went on systemat
ically:
"Where is your home?"
az have no home"
GLOW came you here?'
81 do not know"
"Wcll, we'll talk of this anothc
time. when YOU are rested and less eN
cited In the n can time you had bet
ter come with me. My wife vii
make YOU comfortable for the night q
least"
Oracle clasped her hands, and the ho
tears coursed one after another owe
her pale cheeks.
Must I leave him ?" she sobbed.
"You certainly can't stay here; yo
, would catch your death of cold, beside
doing no good"
{ II might as we'll die What have | t
live for?'
Mr.. Banckcr smiled, in spite of hin
, self; it was grim, but an homes
smile.
"I'm sure I can't say" lie replied
{ "but I should think that prett
| young girl like You had good deal I
| live for. But Molly can answer sue
| -, hon