The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-29
CHAPTER XVI.
THE OLD CHEST.

CHAPTER XVI.
THE OLD CHEST.
It will be remembered that when DR..
Lennox removed Dorothea's possessions
from her fathers cabin he found an old
chest which contained number OF
papers. These papers the doctor merely
glanced at, and finding them to be Of
family nature, laid them back for future
investigation. But for several weeks ne
was pressed by professional visits, and
the papers passed entirely from his mind.
When he did think of them, his interest
in then: had subsidized, and one excuse
after another was made for leaving them
unexamined. At first he imagined that
they would prove Of importance to Doro-
thea, but after few weeks this idea
faded from his mind and with it his in
terest in them.
So they lay, neglected, until Dorothea
was married, when they were turned
over to Egbert. To him, also, they
proved of no interest or Importance, until
one day while Dorothea was i'll and he
had nothing to relieve his long watch
over her. Then the thought came to him
that in the old chest he might find some
thing to entertain him, and he opened it.
On raising the lid, which had been
forced, the doctor having no key to the
chest, he found pile OF dusty papers
lying on the top of several dresses OF fifty
years before. The papers were merely
deeds and leases, which failed in the
slightest degree to interest him, but be.
fore he had glanced at half the pile he
found that they belonged to noble fam
lily of England, and he began to look at
them more closely. His attention was
attracted most closely to some old
manuscripts, from which he drew out
one yellow with age and written in old
English letters. 1t was patent of no.
bility granted by James l., by which the
title Of lord and the rank of baron was
given to one Richard W.
The next paper which Egbert drew out
was one dated seventy-fiye years before,
and was q warrant raising Sir z. w.,
lord Of -, to the rank Of earl.
Then followed several copies OF deeds
and grants of land from the crown to the
baron and the earl.
Under these was paper which bore
less of the marks Of time than any OF
the others, and, on opening it, Egbert
found it to be Q COPY Of an olden paper
made by one Lady Elinor. The paper
claimed to be true copy OF q patent
granting the honor Of dukedom to -
grandson of the first baron of -, with
the title Duke Of -.
The arms of the newly made duke
were here given, and the, next paper gave
a short sketch Of the bearer Of them and
his family. 1t seemed that his grace, the
Duke of Clancy, possessed q large es-
tate, and with a larger generosity than is
often found among men OF his rank,
gave a ruined castle and 9 tract OF land
to younger son. Here genealogical
tree was copied, and the descendants OF
this second branch of the family were
given minutely. This was traced down
to date not more than twenty-five years
previous, and the second made was:
aDorothea, only child OF Alfred Kenelm,
born June 4, 10"
Only one paper remained in the chest,
or rather one bundle tied with white
ribbon. Egbert opened it and drew
forth first statement Of the preceding
papers. This traced the line Of the two
branches down to the year 10, and then
stated that the only remaining descend
ants OF the great duke were Henry,
Duke Of, and Cecil, country squire,
the last of the descendants Of the
younger brother Of tho first Duke Of.
The next paper proved to be state
ment in woman's hand, to the effect
that tho only daughter Of Cecil had been
disowned by her father for marrying one
Mark Hillary, and inclosed in this docu'
ment were several letters which bore out
the truth Of the statement.
Egbert read the papers with care, and
then replaced them. He learned from
them that his wife was descendant OF
the younger branch of the Duke OF
Glancy's family, and that only one life
stood between her and the peerage.
That night Dorothea murdered her
babe.
, The next morning after Dorothea was
acquitted Of the charge of witchcraft,
which had rested over her during her
whole life, she was brought into the
presence of the Governor and magis-
trates to plead why she should not suffer
the penalty Of death for numbering her
child. A tide of pity had set in in her
favor, but the Puritan law was strict.
and it was not expected, even by her
counsel, that Dorothea could possibly be
acquitted.
The trial was short. Dorothea was
placed upon the stand, and when asked
about the tragedy she answered in such
vague way that she was dismissed. And
it was well, for she could give but an un'
satisfactory account OF what had oc-
CURED on that wild, wet night.
Egbert was called, and testified to
what he knew. He had been asleep, but
there had been no one in the cabin dur
Ing the night save himself and bis wife