The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-20
THE BANKERS CRIME
Diamond Cut Diamond.
By NATHAN D. URNER
CHAPTER XII.-tContinued.)

CHAPTER Xu.-tContinued)
Wormcr here managed TO exchange
slances with his employer and the banker,
ss much as TO say, Get for me a fail
chance at Boncourt. I'm good to pump
him for all he's worth.
I'VE shall then have quite dinner
party" said Marlowe, after an uneasy
pause. Hope you will join US, I'm sure.
Croak and Wormer will be there, togethe,
With some others.
Shall be charmed, certainly; for Adele
always likes to be alone with headache.
And then Boncourt, who was, gifted
oonversationalist, went on chatting agree.
ably on various topics of general inter.
est, and monopolizing the talk, until o
servant came over from the great house
80 announce that dinner would be served
In quarter Of an hour.
Mr.. Marlowe and Boncourt arose, but
Croak, with glance down over his sloF-
emily attire, observed that he would re.
quire the allotted fifteen minutes to
freshen himself up bit, and Wormer,
while carefully wrapping mp his precious
bottle in the newspaper he had been read
ing, said that he would follow with his
master.
The two others we're then about to
stroll out. when the old woman-Mrs.
Beane-suddenly made her appearance OF
the back door adjoining the woodshed.
'Is it true, master" she called out,
sharply, that you're to dine elsewhere,
and ali my trouble with this joint of meat
to 60 for naught?"
Back to your den, bedlam, and be
duietl" was the angry reDly,
The look, as if peering out through q
sheet Of flame. suddenly leaped into the
old woman's face.
-Oh, I'll be quiet and be trampled on,
Of course!" she exclaimed, harshly. I'm
nothing but slave, q char-woman, a
cinder- drudge, am I? But mark you,
Master Croak-"
She paused as abruptly as if striken
dumb, the fame-look flashing away and
leaving the wild, strange face in ashes.
She had at that instant caught glimpse
Of Boncourt's handsome face, and was
xlsring at it as at Q ghost, while for an
Instant Boncourt himself seemed to
change countenance.
-Hag! what are you incoming at?"
furiously cried the lawyer, advancing
menacingly toward her. In with you,
and lay me out my linen, or I'll put you
&otorture."
She shrank back coweringly before his
spgroach.
Of the incident.
what very odd old creature" lazily
commented Boncourt, as he strolled out
Of the garden with Marlowe. Quite as
grotesque as her master. Is she his moth
or or grandmother"
Neither, fancy, and perhaps not so
very Anticipated as she looks, either,
was the abstracted >,ply, for the banker
vas preoccupied with something else.
In fact. he was pondering over Wor.
mers theory, and wondering If there could
be truth in it. He resolved to venture
upon test.
by the way. Boncourt, said he, COM
ing to pause under one of the fine shade
trees in front of his gate, do you know
that still feel sore over that let-down Of
ten thousand pounds on your sisters
dowry2"
mo, reslly?"
by Jove, but I do, though! Now. just
suppose a case. Suppose should be SO
.ll-nstured as to repudiate it-break of
the match altogether, you know. With
what justice could you complain? And
and-blast it oil! in what way could you
help yourselt?"
Boncourt laughed lightly.
Look; in just this way, he replied;
and he accompanied the words by brush
ing from his sleeve caterpillar that had
fallen from above, and he set his shapeiy
foot upon it in the path, with signi6-
cant relentlessness of movement.
-Ha! ha! pretty good, must declare,
laughed the banker, nervously. How
ever, though only joking, really don't
believe that you had any such piece Of
writing as you boasted possession of yes.
terday afternoon"
Your memory IS at fault, Marlowe.
made 10 such boast. I merely asked how
you could know that did not have it ir
my possession"
The bankers face frightened, and he
Eenturcd upon long breath of at least
partial relief.
You dare not be more explicit, said be-
You're agnin mistaken, for dare any.
thing" said Boncourt, his voice ono;
more having the low, metallic distinctnes:
suggestive Of rapie- gliding from it:
velvet sheath.
Then I was merely 'blufine' you, as
We gamblers say; nor there is no need ot
that-the cards are in my hands-the win.
ming card, which it required 10 attempt
at murder for me to obtain"
Marlowe whitened and trembled, fol
he could scarcely longer doubt the mans
power.
The gathering at that Sundays dinner
was such as the Marlowe mansion was but
little accustomed TO, hospitality having
never been one of its characteristics.
1t had caused futter among the SER
wants, aad, as for the gool housekeeper,
she still seemed to be under the influence
of some trepidation as to the true re-
quirements of such o grand occasion.
even when duly throned at her end of the
table, and with the seated guests ranging
smilingly along on either side.
Bot to no one, perhaps, was the gath.
Marlowe. ho returned from Jasmine
Lodge just as the guests Were abou: be-
ing seated. The appearance among them
of old Mr.. Alworth and his daughter was
In itself surprise to the young man,
such a thing never having before oc-
cured in his recollection; and this was
increased, together with not little dis.
comfort, by his presently finding himself
seated at Gwendoines side, with the
consciousness that Lawyer Croak was ai
her other elbow. Never till that n noment
had Noel received the least intimation oi
Mr.. Croak's matrimonial designs, and
now, though at first disposed to he
amused at them, they were not long il
causing him both mystiic.tion and dis.
quiet.
Gwendoline's apparent Indifference to-
ward himself seemed ss manifest as was
the puzzling complacency with which she
appeared to tolerate, if not actually to