The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-06


station ON the way back-there to de-
post your plunder with old Croak, until
such time ss you could conveniently bor-
row it again for investment in your bust
ness, with the lawyer himself as silent
psrtaker of the profits, as hush-mcney!"
.Measureless liar!" exclaimed Gilbert.
gritting his teeth and clinchlng his hands.
would you dare"
BE Quiet and let me talk. Turn and
turn about is fair play. These items
of real history, in sequence, have come
to me through reflection during my
wears of exile. l confess they did
not occur to me at first. But you will
acknowledge that my name, before my
insane fight abroad, was not dreamed OF
in connection with the forgery.
Il will not dwell on the arts and argu-
ments by hich permitted yon to per-
suade me that appearances would array
themselves against me-that. If did moi
fly, should surely be suspected, arrest.
ed, tried upon the charge, and convicted,
in spite of my innocence and my utter ig'
norance of the disposition that had been
made of the stolen funds.
NO; such review Of my pusillanlmity,
nv oowardice, my feeble surrender to
your powerful will, I willingly torego
But Years of reflection and privation
have, thank heaven! made another man
ofme. am no longer the contemplate
nature, the putty image that was but as
wax in your molding grasp. But aven this
was not enough.
Even after having been thus, in a
measure, persuaded, l still refused to fly.
What did You resort to? I loved my wife,
I adored my child. fou undertook to
prove that the former was unworthy Of
nv confdence-that I %ould sacri6cs
nothing in abandoning her"
WAS she not so proven?"
Il doubt it, though was mad enough
to believe it then. You took me to win
dow secretly overlooking and within
earshot of IN interview which she wac
holding in our garden with man-with
@ stranger to me. TheiI relative attitudes
betokened intimate acquaintanceship, ne
more, but myawakeuing jealousy invested
the rendezvous with an unjustifiable slg-
nifcance. likewise overheard her com.
panion teseeeh her for money, and then
thought heard her promise to try to pro.
cure some from me for his benefit. have
since thought that he might have been
some dissip pated or needy relative of hers,
seeking her assistance out of some entan.
clement. She had such relatives, who were
personally unknown to me; and six words
of explanation from her, if frankly request
ed, might have cleared up all. Bu'
this is irrelevant now. You have Sc
cured your Infamous end. Then
believed in her unworthiness OF con-
fdence-I believed she had ceased to
care for me-the very thought of oul
child became temporarily hateful to me.
I consented to bear the stain of your
puilt-to 20 far away, never to return, or
the receipt of siE hundred pounds IRON
you, toge her with your written promls<
to send me, at the end of one year, i've
thousand more, in full, for my interest
in the bank here. Well, hard-pressed al
you were, you raised for me the first
mentioned amount on that very day. for
had not the cash yourself; but poor, NILS
used, plundered old Alworth still hae
about the required amount IN yonde.
vault. You appropriated it, covering uE
the transaction by series OF false en-
tries against his account, and gave mt
the money"
1'Tis false! This is monstrous!"
Softly, softly, as you yourself en-
Joined but short while ago! There II
Still more. Having got the money-haV
ing proceeded thus far in your tolls.
hesitated again. l wanted better guar
anty for the future. l still refused II
fee, without q written acknowledgment
on your part OF nv total innocence ant
# your guilt, by Implication, which l
on my part, agreed on oath never to make
public, save in solf-protection from nj
unjust prosecution for the crime. A
your best, you would never have placed
such an instrument in my hands. Blu
YOUR fears were thickening around you
It was absolutely necessary that my figh
should divert suspicion from yourself
continued delay was dangerous. In you
desperation, you wrote out and signed
the paper had demanded. Fool! Doyor
prate Of proofs? That paper is yet in m!
possession"
False, false, false!" repeated tht
banker, hoarsely. and his outstretehet
hand Just then coming in contact with
the heavy ebony 1uler, that had falleI
amid the litter OF the table at the begin
ming of the interview, his grasp instinc
lively closed upon it. There is no sued
diaper in existence"
SSee, villain, it is bere!" CRIED thu
other, and, slightly STOPPING forward, h'
drew from his tosom on oilskin, out o
which he produced folded document
somewh at soiled md discolored, though
otherwise fairly preserved. 'Here!" b.
cried, unfolding and Haunting tie pape
in the bankers f, ce. Behold the proc
in your own writing, over Your own sig
nature! Read it, if you still doubt, ant
then"
He was init rrurted by the heavy rale
descending on his head with crushing
force, and without an other word, withou
groan, he fell to the floor like log.
Gilbert Marlowe snatched the paper
and then hastily examined the fallel
man.
"Heavens!" he exclaimed. The list o
my misdeeds is complete! am mnr
derer!"