The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-01-04
10 kiss him goodnight. lie wasevidcntly
father to her.
1 cpoi1oS

ing when this occurred. Sne naQ neard
a clock strike the hour, and was just ret
tling to sleep again when she saw the
light in the hall below, and passing out
looked down to see Leonore."
aDid she see her face, Mr.. KetchamP.
ayes. She described it as set and
strong, the eyes dull and staring-such a
face, in fact, Doctor, as one might, ex-
pect to see upon person who has done
some awful deed"
"But, Mr.. Ketcham, how can you eX-
plain the fact that DR.. Seabury would
have been fool to have kept his deadly
enemy in the house with him all these
years."
II do not attempt to explain 1t, Doctor.
All the same, have a theory, which
must be proven false before leave this
trail and take up another"
II am deeply interested, sir. Have
you any objection to telling me about
it?" .E.
doctor, relying on your discretion ]
will tell you the theory that has come to
me. ,-.'
aThis young girl appears incapable OF
doing such thing, but do not forget
that appearances are deceitful. Men OF
nv profession dare not put much faith
in them. We would be humbugged out
of our boots by the fair Delilahs, just as
was Samson in days OF old.
"There is no apparent motive. Hence
I will manufacture one and tit 1t to the
case.
"You remember the words on the back
of the Photograph Leonore-the cause
of my sleep!ess nights and watchful
days .
aStrange that he should write that OF
one who was under his roof, and, to all
outwaru appearances, as dear to him as
ever daughter could be.
"I fancy have guessed the cause. She
is subject to fits Of insanity; it burns
deep in her liquid eyes.
During these states of lunacy, brief
though they may be, it becomes her one
desire to take the life of her benefactor.
You, physician, need not be told that
insane persons are generally more rabid
against those who love them than stran.
gers"
aTrue, true," I murmured, fascinated
by the clever construction he was putting
upon the mystery.
sSupposing this to be the case, then,
we have the whole mystery solved. The
old Doctor felt that some day his love for
her would cost him his life, and yet he
would not tear loose the tendrils of love
that had twined about his heart by sep
arating himself from her.
@Who she is or where he got her we
do not know: that is the secret Of the
dead.
"He prepared for the worst, and when
in the early watch of the morning he
saw her before him he realized that his
hour had at last come, and swallowed
the poison to save her from committing
q crime"
had to confess it looked plausible.
At the same time did not believe the
old detective had much faith in it.
"Mr. Ketcham, you present very
strong case, but If can read you Alright
you have not much faith in it."
II shall stick to it, Doctor, until it has
been proven false"
"You forget one thing, SIR"
"What is that?"
@Tell me what object could this girl
have had in entering that room by two
different means. You remember we are
positive the assassin climbed the vines
and crawled through the open window"
"Ah, Doctor. under the circumstances,
would say that the assassin had played
a clever trick, and had climbed that
trellis of vines to ward of suspicion. We
know that Leonore did not do that, cum
ming though insane people may be. You
have been in the garden, Doctor?"
"How do you know that?"
ain three ways. saw you from the
stable. Then found your tracks, and,
last of all, can discover traces OF the
loan Of the garden on your Shoes"
There was no use trying to deceive this
man, even in fun. Nothing seemed to
escape his eagle eve.
u confess the soft impeachment, sir.
! was in the garden"
@You investigated the ground at the
base Of the vines?"
II did"
@And found foot prints there?"
.Yes."
@Now, in your judgment, Doctor, was
1t a man or woman who made those?"
I hesitated before replying.
"If man, then he must have been OF
small stature, for they were not much
larger than a boys teet."
"Then you grant it as within the range
of possibility that they were caused by
woInapf"
1T Is possible, and even probable
aHaving been there on the ground be-
fore me, want to ask, Doctor, whether
you made any discovery"
started, having completely forgotten
the little instrument had picked up.
This now drew out Of my pocket and
placed in his hand.
Mr.. Ketcham seemed to attach more
importance to it than I had deemed pos
sible. He examined it all over, care
fully.
"Doctor, where did you pick this up?"
he finally asked.
sAmong the roots of the vines. Itwas
partly imbedded in the soft soil, and
gave evidence of having fallen fiom some
height"
"Allow me to keep it. will say there
Is q chance of this tool becoming a very
important factor in this terrible affair. 1"
at is burglars tool. believe"
"You are quite right. You followed
the tracks to the low portion OF the wall?
Now, what impression did you reach?"
"Only this, sir. That the party must
have watched the honse some time, for
they seemed perfectly familiar with the
peculiarities Of the grounds.
@Very true, Doctor. Miss Leonore has
gone out, believe"
"She said she was going for walk. I"
"Under the circumstances, may be
pardoned for visiting her room in order
to see whether or no can find clew to
this mystery; I would to heaven that it
might acquit her; at the same time, I
must do nv duty"