The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-28


hand.
MIR. Ketcham watched me closely.
"Gracious heaven! woman!"
CHAPTER Nv.
It was face to fascinate one.
gazed upon it as though some subtle
charm had bound me.
There was dusky shade to the
rounded cheeks, and q midnight dark
ness in tresses and eyes, that told OF life
beneath the sun of some warm cline.
I remembered what the detective had
said about the Malay creese.
1t was used to great extent by the
thugs of India, in connection with their
nefarious cord.
Could it be possible that one so lovely
would stoop to such base passion?
What wrong had this learned ply
sician done her to induce such an action?
could see that there was depth OF
feeling in those tathomless eyes, power
that had not been fully developed when
this picture was taken, but which might
have been brought out.
At last I looked up.
Mr.. Ketcham had been observing mo
closely.
.@Wellp"
l understood that he wished for my
opinion.
ut seems impossible to me, sir, that
the original of this picture should be the
terror of Dr. Seabury's life"
sAnd yet you will acknowledge, Doc
tor, that even there, in picture taken
some years ago while Seabury was in
India. one can see remarkable power In
that face. If that girl made anything q
life work, she would carry it out"
81 grant you that, sir. Now: will you
kindly tell me what makes you think
this is the assassin of DR.. Seabury?"
Readily. First of all, let me state
plainly that this is not positive but q
negative case. In the absence OF other
clejws, have decided to test this one
first.
ITO begin, then, I was not long coming
to the conclusion that the enemy the
good Doctor feared was woman.
although he did not state so plainly
himself, ! inferred as much from his
words, and one of the earliest things l
did was to cast around to seeif ! could
make this out to be fact.
sHere you will see the positive evi-
dence, which 1 think can not be refuted.
Again he drew out something from the
pocket of his coat.
This time it was an envelope.
He opened it and placed the contents
in my hands.
twas nothing except few shreds OF
hair about q foot long.
They were of sable hue.
Instinctively I turned again to the
picture.
Such hair as that would correspond
with the owner OF this dazzling face.
Somehow it made me sick to think OF
this; but mastering that feeling, turned
once more to the old detective.
"Mr. Ketcham, where did you get this
tress of hair?" 1 asked.
"Guess, Doctor"
aFrom some projecting nail that stole
It as the owner passed"
"Try again, Doctor"
"Was it wrapped up with this pic
ture?"
mo, sir. This hair was taken from
the head of the assassin as she bent over
the bed yonder."
"Ah!"
Il see you have guessed it now, Doc
tor" with grim smile.
silently pointed to one of the white
hands of Doctor Seabury.
"Yes, I found these strands OF hair
fastened about the fingers that now
clutch the coverlet so intensely. They
were snatched from the head of the
party who bent over him, and who,
there is at present every reason to be-
lieve, was the original of that photo.
graph"
! caught at straw, as very often O
man who has about given up hope will.
"But, my dear sir, having found that
picture among his r-.pers, as presume
you did, what tangible evidence have
you to connect her with the case? This
is most brutal crime. The fact OF this
hair resembling hers in color woult
hardly warrant the suspicion that sh
is the guilty party"
He smiled at my earnestness and
half imagined he believed I was in love
with the photograph.
"Hardly, Doctor. To begin with,
don't think you have examined tha
picture as thoroughly as you might"
! started and looked at it again.
"Turn it over. Upon the back 20,
may discover something"
Sure enough did.
In mans handwriting found few
/ words, as follows:
| Lenore
The cause Of my sleepless nights an,
| watchful days
There YVES no getting around that
must mean that this girl was the part,
whom DR.. Seabury feared.
1 could not but admit that the cas-,
seemed dark for her, but why need
care so decply-that picture was som,
years old, and its original might nov
have been transformed into an ugly
woman by reason of passion.
"By the way, Mr. Ketcham, what fam
lily has the old Doctor?"
! was beginning to wonder why he hxG
not aroused some member of his OWE
household when danger threatened; also
how il was we had not met with or heard
living soul.