The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-09

| scouting the poor man till he had a Mt,
and was almost given up for dead?"
Ihad here the clew to the contents OF
| that letter which had such an effect upon
| LII. Sarsteld. aud which I had seen FnM-
uett snatch from his fingers and read. 1t
was clearly an attempt at extortion, a
| threat of exposure, a resolve to make
| public some facts known to the writer
and dangerously compromising to MI.
Sarsfeld.
Who could be the writer?
Only one person-Cornelis.
I was now more than ever convinced
that the waiter was an important witness
in this case; that he knew more about it
and MIR. Sarsfeld's connection with 1t
than any of us. he must be found and
compelled to speak somehow, by fair
Q or foul; to that I had quite made
mi. Smart's letter did not tell me much
more. He said that Mr.. Sarsfeld had
been very ill-he had had some seizure, it
wa supposed-but at any rate he had
not left his room since his fall, and that
little had been seer of the ladies. For
tunately Captain Fawcett had paid his
visit to the police Office, and had an
swered my question as to Mr.. Sarsfield's
faith; otherwise I should not have heard
30 soon.
Ramon came to be by appointment that
afternoon, and We took the train together
to within q mile Of the village Puertocito
del Rio, where I was told the dead mans
mother lived.
It was only q small place, half a dozen
whitewashed huts lying at the mouth ola
cam With fiat, sandy banks.
".Q1ien esq" (Who is 1t?) asked an aged,
uuavs-ing voice from inside the hut they
told us belonged to the Gbuela grand
mother Yriarte.
We entered the hut, q mere howell, with
q circular strip Of mating on tho sandy
floor, q table and one OF two cane-bot-
toned chairs the only furniture.
The occupant was in keeping with her
house; an old, very aged woman she look
ed, with her shriveled, parchment-like
skin, her struggling, now-white elf locks,
toothless gums and pointed chin. She
seemed half crazed, yet there was still fire
in her dark, wandering eyes, ~ferceness IN
the well-developed beard and mustachios,
and she spoke in the deep bass OF Vigor-
GUS man.
Who are you? What brings you hith-
err" she asked, most ungraciously.
Ramon replied with the utmost sweet
ness:
I'VE came, madam, to inquire for your
worship's son. Can you give us news of
him?"
Il cannot. He is not here. BECOME"
But you saw him lately, I think? He
visited your ladyship not many weeks
ago?"
@May not a son come to his mothers
house without furnishing gossip for every
evil tonpueP Was it strange he should
return after all these years Of absence2 I
mourned him as dead"-she said this to
herself-4dead, my only son."
sHe was shipwrecked, I Think" went
on Ramon, seeking to bring her back to
the point.
did they tell you 20? They lied. He
was in trouble, terrible trouble. They
kept him from me by force. He was &C.
cused, convicted. But he was not to
blame, not alone she repeated more
than once, "and those that made him
suffer shall pay for it; yes, they shall pay.
We shall be rich, very rich"
She leaned her skinny fingers on Ra-
mons sleeve, as with deep impressive
ness she whispered these words, which he
quickly translated 10 me.
What has he done? Ask her that"
hurriedly told Ramon.
Let him tell you, was her answer I
will not, not till he gives me leave
You may not see him for some time"
It was thus I sought to break to herthe
news OF mis- awful death, news that couia
have hardly reached her yet.
He is coming to me soon, soon, to
take me away from here, from this howell,
these rags; he will give me a big house
on the sea- wall at Cadiz, and I shall never
soil my fingers or weary my limbs with
work again. I shall be rich! I shall have
gold, goldl He is coming soon."
you are mistaken, sonora"
He sent, himself, TO tell me SO" she
cried, angrily ~interrupting. His messen-
ger was here only q few days ago, the
man he sent for his sea-trunk."
A message from the dead, from beyond
the grave! Impossible! Some one, per-
haps, that Yriarte had commissioned be-
fore the foul blow was struck? This was
my first thought; but a sec ond told me I
was probably wrong.
fro BE CONTINUED