The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-05-10
CHAPTER XIV.
BADLY DECEIVED.

For an instant our hero stood with
bated breath. Then, as no heard the
sound of Footsteps ascending the stairs,
he opened the door and glided out into
the hall.
Another moment and he had reached
the head of the stairs and saw Sears IN
the act of unlocking door, not fifteen
feet away.
AS for Luke, he was not in sight,
and Cole concluded that he had re-
NAMED in the lower part Of the house.
He applied his ear to the door, but q
murmured mass Of confused sounds
alone rewarded his vigilance.
He had little doubt as to who was held
a prisoner there, but he resolved to know
beyond all persdventure.
Not only were his chances OF learning
ANYTHING small whare he then was. but
he ran the risk OF being detected in the
act of listening should Seers leave the
room without giving him any kind OF
warning.
Accordingly he passed on to the adjoin-
ing apartment, the door Of which, to his
great Joy, he found to be unlocked.
Closing it after him. he advanced and
entered large closet on the side next
the room which his enemy had just un-
locked.
calm yourself. tell you! Calm
YOURSELF"
Cole had barely entered the closet when
he heard these words, pronounced in the
voice Of Almon Sears.
Why have you torn me from my poor
dead father?"
-Berenice!" murmured the listening
lover, in intense excitement.
Because I don't propose to be tricked
out of my rightful Inheritance returned
the new conner. THE bonds are gone,
no one can tell where.
"Well?"
Il propose to possess myself Of the re-
mainder of the estate"
Il will gladly give it up to you as the
price of my freedom from persecution"
Ill agree to that.
And that also Of the young man, Cole
Winters"
THAT will be difficult Of accomplish
ment, since he is now under srrest, bu1
I'll see that be goes free"
What do you ask of me?"
Your signature to this paper.
.N ait until your part is DONE"
Il can't accomplish that and secure the
release of Winters without your signature
to this. My partner in the business will
not permit it. If you care to save his
life, to set him free"
Il do! I dol"
Then sign on the lower line. Rere is
pen
This came in the voice Of the servant
Luke, who was calling from below.
Important as it was for Cole to remain
where he was, he might learn more by
leaving. Sears was still talking and
evidently had not heard the hail.
In moment Cole had glided noise
lessly into the hall.
What is it, Luke?" he asked in low
and muf1ed tone.
THE masters in the library md wants
to see you"
All right; I'm coming"
I..s he spoke be began descending the
When he reached the lower hall tho
servant had disappeared:
Without the delay Of O moment hs
threw open the door and entered the
BOOM hs bad recently left to shadow
Sears,
he had half expected to see Max Morris,
and was not at all astonished when he
found himself confronted by that indi-
vidusl.
But he was to receive q surprise Of q
kind he had not anticipated.
AS he entered the room the banker
sprang to his feet and seized him by the
hand.
Il congratulate ysu on the nights
work." cried he.
Cole Winters was completely dunn.
founded.
Il don't-that is-" he stammered.
you don't2 The girl is secure, the
detective dying, and. the young fellow 6
fugitive from Justice, who can only save
his life by keeping himself to himself.
But the bonds?" asked our hero, who
felt that he must say something, though
he could not imagine the cause Of th'
bankers strange conduct.
That's the very point.
Have you found themf'
| "No; but l have theory. By the way
how came you to turn blonde to com'
hers?"
Like flash the secret Of Morris
strange mistake dawned upon Cole Win
! ters. He had, no doubt, seen Almol
Sears wearing The disguise he had appro
| priated, and had mistaken him for hi
partner in crime.
The knowledge almost deprived tn
young man of wits, and he narrowly es
capped betraying himself.
He wondered now that Sears had no
discovered his identity, but remembered
that we are not 80 familiar with our OWL
appear nee rs with that of others.
| I've been doing some work on nv owl