The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-20

With his written confession yet in my
| possession, l can, almost at my option,
cause his downfall, get back my own. re.
store Door old Alworth to his own, con-
| found the schemes of both my cousin
Giltert and that villain Croak, and at the
same time bring justice and vengeance
on their heads"
1t was only Boncourt's perfect self-con-
troll that prevented him from moving un-
easily in his seat.
He rather liked the man before him
his recollections we're agreeably assocl-
ated with him-and, in the abstract, he
was perhaps disposed to sympathize with
his misfortunes, his weaknesses, the
wrongs he d done. But that was all.
Never for an instant did Boncourt dream
of permitting an unselfsh sentiment to
| step in between him and his own inter-
ests. And now. in view of his prospects.
through AdeIe's contemplated marriage
with the bankers son and heir, he, as
nc after of course, was desirous of any
| thing rather than Gilbert Marlowe's hnan-
cial ruin and social disgrace, though II
was matter of vital moment to him that
the latter should feel himself wholly in
his power. -,
aAnd YOU have that written and signed
confession still in your possession, JAS
PERI" said he.
ITO be sure"
Strange that you should have still re-
tanned what he risked so much-even at
tempted to murder-to snatch from your
keeping!"
1T is strange. can hardly think it
less than providential! I can only ac-
count for it in this way. By the way,
that bov-my messenger Of this morning
did he recount fully to you the manner
of my escape, as instructed him."
Il suppose so; but he said no more
about the paper than merely to mention
your still having it."
We'll, account for my singular good
luck something in this way: Gilbert's
murderous assault upon me with the
ebony ruler Was wholly unexpected-it
fell upon me like a thunderbolt. But
there was single feeting instant, mere
atom of time. between my receiving the
blow ana failing 10 the noor, during
which preserved nv consciousness.
1T comes back to me now like the veri-
est flash, but in which I, nevertheless, re-
call his snatching at the paper still
clutched in my hand, mingled with the
hurrying sound of approaching footsteps.
Then all was oblivion.
Il now think that, in snatching OF the
paper, he had just time to seize and per-
haps scan It, when the noise of approach
ing footsteps caused him terror Of de-
lection in murder, which, for the instant,
banished every other thought.
W hat more likely than he should then
have cast aside the paper, in order to pick
up my supposed corpse, and bear it out
Of sight? What more likely, too, than
the accidental falling of the paper back
On my body to be included in the terrified
clutch, with which he bore me out of sight
of the coming intruder, whoever he may
have bsen2"
This theory Of Jasper,s was, by a
singular coincidence such thorough
reflection of the one that Wormer had
ventilated, that that ingenious and
analytic individual would have been
vastly delectated to have overheard its
elucidation in terms SO nearly CORES
ponding with his own.
The intruder at that critical juncture
could have been no one else thsn Noel
Marlowe, the bankers own son." said
Boncourt, tboughtfully.
He was in the garden with r'y sister,
q friend of mine and myself, and, at about
the time your messenger has told me the
assault was made, he returned to the
house in search of newspaper which he
said he had left on the Office table, and
from which he wished to read something
to Adele. Yes; the intruder must have
been be. However. Jasper, your theory
of accounting for the retention of the
paper seems to me simply absurd"
1T seems so, at the first glance. But
how else could you account for my still
possessing the paper?"
Il don't attempt to; only your way OF
doing SO strikes me as improbable in the
! extreme. OF course, Marlowe missed the
paper as soon as he had locked you up
in the vault, aud had been aisembarrassed
of his inopportunc visitor. Why, on dis
| covering his loss-the sudden disappear.
ance of what had just caused him fresh
crime, from almost un'!er his eyes-he
must have gone nearly distracted! Why
would not this theory of yours have oc-
cured to him at once, and sent him to
search your supposed corpse ever and
oEer at the first opportunity"
Merely, suppose, because hs was too
startled and hor:i6ed to think of such q
possibility. Men are not apt to be oyer
| logical directly following their first mur-
der; and certainly Gilbert was then un-
| der the impression that he had taken my
life"
Well, we'll; the whole complication
beats me out entirely. However. 60 on
with your story about the paper, Jasper.
All I know is this. When my prison
door was opened this morning at the
break of day, and I was sufficiently re-
| suscitated to move feebly about where I
lay, and get back glimmering Of recol.
lection, felt paper that was crumpled
up and lying beside me on the floor of the
vault. instinctiyely felt that it was the
precious document. I seized it, and, as
I staggered out into the narrow pass ge,
I examined it as best I could in the un-
certain, cleaning light that came in
through the adjoining conservatory. Sat-
isfed that it was the same Of which ny
murderous cous' n would have deprived
me-not caring just then, as You may
we'll imagine. to puzzle over how it ha1
remained with mel lost no time in
wrapping it up again in the oilskin that
had preserved it for so many years, and
securing it once more next to my heart.
There it shall remain until decide upon
my best manner of making use of it. The
rest of the story YOU are familiar with. !"
Il say, Jasper" " sad Boncoart, stretch
ing out his hanl, 1let me examine the
paper by which you hold Gilbert Mar
lowe in your power. Will your"
"No, Boncourt. must refuse your re-
quest" said Jasper. shaking his head,
and buttoning up his coat to the chin,
with the gesture which the spy had SO
eagerly noted from his lurking place in
the adjoining garden. Il know you are a
friend of mine; but made mistake,
Gell.niph to the cost of my life, in eX-