The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-15
A Weird MYSTERY
Tracing a Dark Crime.
BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON, M. D.
CHAPTER xVIII-(Continued.)

evidence that the man had been In the
Seabury house on that terrible night.
At first my search was without avail.
looked in every crack and Granny
could find, but success did not greet my
efforts. II he had brought anything
with him tho man seemed to have been
careful enough to have securely hid
den it.
Still did not despair. 1t was not my
nature to give up easily.
The more difficulties that arose, the
more determined appeared.
My search was continued with ever in
cressing vigor.
Half of the ten minutes had already
elapsed, and I could expect to hear the
footialls of the Colonel on the dark and
narrow stairs at any time.
While searched kept my ears open
for such sounds.
At last I believed was rewarded. In
Q dark hole, where it had evidently been
thrown contemptuously as Of little value
because it was alone, I found Q silver
spoon.
It was old and light.
! Upon the end was engraved name.
read 1t with such satisfaction as the
QuQGGI Cdu 1861 NuOu hlS 6dmO 10 aoOe
along the gun barrel, OF perhaps the
angler when violent tug announces
that his line has been taken by the wary
bass
A little diplomacy now and the game
was surely mine.
The name was "Seabury."
The spoon had come from the house
where the murder had been committed.
Mr. Ketcham had been right in read
ing the handiwork of Colonel Cain upon
the pantry window.
He had been there. This man knew
more concerning the mysterious murder
than perhaps any living soul.
II he had not committed the crime
himself, then he could tell who did.
felt savage delight in the thought
that 1 now held key to unlock the
mystery.
Mr.. Ketcham might yet be forced to
learn the truth from me.
My hopes beat high. / threw the lone
spoon back whenceit had come.
Why had he taken that one article,
only to cast it contemptuously aside when
he reached his den? All! the. rendering
OF this answer would lift the veil from
the whole.
I meant to solve 1t very soon.
must confess that the appearance OF
this spoon on the scene Of action gave
my theory a hard blow.
II was to look upon the man as the
Nemesis, following his intended victim
from cline to cline with but one object
In view-the death OF old Doctor Sea-
bury, what in the wide world could he
mean by carrying of this solitary spoon?
Was it his nature asserting itself?
He was burglar by profession, and on
seeing o spoon lying In his way as he
made his retreat from the house, he
could not resist the temptation to pick
It ND The act was done mechanically,
and when on reaching home he found it
in his pocket, with the hated name OF
Seabury engraved upon the end, he cast
It from him in the loftiest Of scorn.
This was my only standing ground.
I could not but confess that it was
rather fiEsy foothold, but it was the
best could find.
On the other hand, what2
Suppose this man was simon-pure
burglar, who had never heard Of Sea-
bury before, and who had entered the
house Of the old Doctor intent on rob-
bery-why had he failed to accomplish
his end?
This was an interesting question.
To answer it properly would have to
know exactly what passed, and through
him alone could this bo gained.
It was easy to believe that he had
been in the house about the time the
crime was committed.
Hence, it was necessary to find out
what had scared the burglar away. Had
he seen the murder done? Perhaps he
had caught q glimpse Of Mr.. Ketcham as
he hastily entered the dimly lighted hall,
and recognizing the detective, had fed
the moment the other went upstairs.
On tho basis OF this theory-which, be
It remembered did not accept as yet
this was very reasonable conclusion,
and one which would bear further anal
ysis.
These thoughts were not laggards.
They flashed through my mind with
intense rapidity. I saw the two paths
open before me, and must soon know
which It was for me to tread.
BY this timo / expected to hear my
Quondam friend returning. Surely all OF
ten minutes had passed away since he
went of.
Listened to hear him, but as yet there
were no sounds to indicate that he was
coming up tho stairs.
: Perhaps ! could not do better than to
book around some more. There might be
other things to discover.
was in the act Of putting this idea
into execution when far down below I
head some one en- the stairs.
Was it the Colonel?
The unknown was undoubtedly coming
up the stairs with all the rapidity he
could throw into the movement
Immediately began to wonder
whether anything had occurred to alarm
the man. In no other way could ac-
count for the mad haste with which he
ascendod the rickety stairs at the risk OF
bis life.
With no little anxiety then waited
Tor his appearance on the scene.
/ had not long to wait.
The footballs drew nearer until they
were at the ton OF the upvcr stairs.
1nca tncre coula be heard a hand CROP
Ing along the wall as If for tho door.
When the door opened. as expected,
Colonel Cain pushed into the room. In
ono hand he clasped the black bottle,
with the other no closed and locked tho
door. Ais faco was expressive OF the
widest alarm.
CHAPTER XIX.
kept cool.
There waS no use getting excited, for
was not in danger, though the burglar
seemed to have received shock Of some
kind.