The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-22

$50 I told him yes; that six hundred
and fifty pounds of mine were still in Gi!.
bert Marlowe's hands. I would obtain
the money on the following day, and lift
The incumbrance.
You are out in your reckoning, he
sneered. MIR. Marlowe has Eeen looking
over the old firms accounts, ana says
there has been a mistaken computation
that in fact. instead of his owing you,
you are slightly in his debt. Look sharp,
Alworth, for if you don't have my money
Tor me in time shall certainly fore close
and sell you out
Then he went away, leaving me stupe..
fed and all bat distracted. Weak as
was, l managed to get dressed, and at
once sought Gilbert Marlowe at the bank.
will not recall the miserable lnterV!e"
hat ensued. It ended by him showing
me the books, and in some way ma4!ne
out that Croak had spoken trul YIN ms
forcing me to sign an agreement turning
over the entire rickety concern to MIN,
and his offer to engage me thence1ofto
as his head clerk, at salary barely SUI
6cient to keep body and soul together,
but accompanied by the PERMISSION &c
occupy his garrets there gTstult1pus.y, p
the ill-paid servitude, which MarloWs
has himself dissolved to-day. =.
"On the following day, true to his
tbreat. Croak foreclosed, and had JAS
mine Lodge put under the hammer. With
it's two acres, it was we'll worth five times
the face of his claim. but. BY his devilish
chicanery, he managed to buy it himself
for nve hundre1 :au eighty pounds. Since
then it has trebled in real value, and ht
has made small fortune in letting it.
furnished, to seaside sojourners; this
Boncourt and his sister being the ninth
or tenth careless tenants that have occu.
pied it.
y brought you here with Mrs. Riggs
as our housekeeper. You we've eleven
years old when she died. Since then, my
child, | have been your care, rather than
as it shocld have been-God help mel"
Gwerdoline embraced him tenderly.
But there is still more to be told.
said she. More of the family history
-Ah, I understand. Well. Gilbert al
once tried to ingratiate himself with the
deserted wife. The little cousins, Noel
and Cuthbert, became inseparable. They
were of about the same aye, and strlk-
inely resembled each other.
But Isabel Marlowe would never gel
over her dislike for Gilbert. Even when
the news came of her recreant husbands
death year after his fight, she repulsed
Gilbert even more decidedly than before,
though he had recouped his fortune, and
would gladly have married her.
Il thiuk she would even have left High
:ombe in anger, to escape his impo-tuni.
ties, but that, about this time, both chill
dren fell ill of scarlet fever. Mrs. Mar
lowe, on the doctors advice, took them
to Penzance, accompanied by nurse.
They grew worse, and Gilbert hurried
after them, The next news was that
Cuthbert had died, while Noel was recov-
eTing.
This was the truth. There was sor-
rowful return, with but one live child,
md the other corpse.
-One would have thought that the loss
she had sustained would have granted hel
at least brief respite from the pressure
Of Gilbert's unwelcome suit. But 1t was
not so. He continued to urge it SO pas
sionately, so pers:stently, that at last he
drove her away.
.One day she disappeared from hel
cottage. It was supposed that she had
gone back TO London, but she has never
since been seen. Gilbert, who was we'll
nigh maddened by her fight, lavished
time, money, and patience in prosecuting
the search for her. but in vain.
Then Miss Winford appeared, with
recommendations. She was engaged to
look after Noel and the household. and
has been here ever since. That is the
IL
After long pause, Gwendoline asked:
How did Mr.. Marlowe manage to re-
instate the business here, father, after il
had become SO run DOWN."
His habits changed. for one thing. He
rev cautious, shrewd, abstemious and
fan. seeing. Then, in less than year at.
ter INV misfortune, he borrowed a large
sum from Mr.. Creak. which he ut once
invested in the business to great advan.
taee. Oddly enough, the loan he effected
corresr onded precisely in amount with
what had been stolen from ne-eighteen
thousand pounds"
Strange! Why, father, should say it
~as!"
The old man laughed bitterly.
colbert Marlowe called it q chanee
coincidence. said he. We'll. we'll; per-
haps it was"
Gxendoline knitted her pretty browa
IN thought. Then, perceiving her faith
er's despondency returning. she began tc
hustle about tho place In some Light
housewifely duties, humming q cheerful
air.
Presently, again taking her hat frcm
It's peg, she Iau ghingly placed on open
book in hor fathers lap, and announced
her intention Of quitting him oLce more
for short time.
He looked up inQuiringly.
II shall only ron down to- the shore &c
see Aunt Joan, she explained. smiling.
1t vet wants two hours 10 tea-timc. You
will be dear, good papa till Icome back
won't your
"Oh, sha'nt 60 away" be sighed, a.
she kissed him and disappeared.
Ten minutes later, when Mr.. Alworth
was debating as to whethrr some one had
lust knocked mt the doc. >r not, he wa;
Slightly startled by Perceiving the stout
thick ivy vines Just outside the dormel
window pulled down with sudden jerk
Ha rubbed his spec;acles and looked
at tie ivy curiously. ,
He remembered that little boy had
cnce climbed to the top of the roof by
that means and been soundly thrashed
by Mr.. Marlowe for the trespass: Then
the thought of thieves entered his mind,
but withort causing hin. much disauiet,
80 secure did he feel in his own destitu-
ton.
Then, were his old eyes playing him
false, or was that face-a bronzed and
bearded face, eager and inGuisitive-
looking in at him from the bushlng green
err?
It was gone in an instant, even if it had
been there at all.
Then rubbing his glasses again, he
turned his head, to perceive MISS Win