The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-03-01

anxious and hopeless when had con-
cluded my rapid recital.
Il throw up the sponge"
His depressed words thrilled me.
"You will tell allr" I asked, eagerly.
The Colonel did not reply for min
ute. He sat twisting his hands nervous
ly, knitting his brows, and apparently
communing deeply with himself:
Come" l urged, rendered impatient
at his silence: "you promised"
81 cannot tell ALL" he began.
"Then, you have deceived me9"
"No."
"But-"
"Silence!' he cried, irritably and al
most menacingly. "I'm in 8 fit. !
don't confess from love of the law, but
because I've got to. I'm IN box. In
two boxes, in fact II 60 to Jail and
keep silent, those who sre interested
will cover their tracks, disappear, and
leave me to bear tho brunt Of 1t. II l
lie or fight or scheme for freedom, /
will be so hampcrod and hunted down
that cannot get the money-the money
the money-perdition! am dwelling
idiot?"
/ had to smile at the struggles OF the
entangled bird. -,
sColonel!S said, pleasantly, "don't
evade-don't try to deceive. Come,
man, the truth-the entire truth, and
nothing but the truth. It's fair-it's
manly. l don't believe You guilty
there, I'm honest You are implicated.
but not very conscience-stricken. Tell
the truth"
ain part?"
@All!"
ain part Just so much as have to.
Now, look here, Doctor"-he knew me
in nv true identity now from my recent
straightforward story-"as I say, I've
no love for the law. I'd like to see the
cursed Seabury case buried fathoms deep
In oblivion"
Naturally"
aNot from personal fear, however, but
from what know; because 1t will bring
pain AID regret to you when you have
hunted down the real criminal"
I started at these impressive words.
What could he mean? Did he vaguely
suspect my interest in the beautiful
Leonore? Was this new threat that
chilled my soul really q suggestion OF
evidence OF criminality on her part
Every followed out thread in the dust
seemed to lead mo invariably to this
same distressing denouement.
aEven So" I murmured, faulty, "the
truth must come out"
@Well, shall tell 1t, announced Cain.
sThat is, a part Of it-that is, all / have
to-that is, provided"
"Well?"
aProvided am guaranteed immunity
and freedom"
"How can tellP"
4You must!" cried Cain, resolutely.
sYou must agree that, II / prove my
innocence. will not be further trou-
bled."
sWell, say do?"
sAnd, further, that no one shall ba
arrested-no move made-until have
had opportunity to see parties interested
in the case"
sWhat parties?" demanded, mys-
tilted.
sThat is MY affair"
sBut why should you see them?'
ITO protect myself"
sHow?"
sRather, to secure my reward"
sFor what-murder?"
sNo; for silence"
sSilence?"
sYes"
"Then you are not an accomplice''
mo, sirl"
aWhat tben?"
"A witness"
~You saw the crime?"
II did,
sYou saw IT, assassin3'
"As plainly as I saw you
"You witnessed the crime, and the as
sassin saw you?"
"No."
"Nor suspected your presence?'
"No."
"You mystify me-" gasped.
"Do ~" smiled Cain.
Eyes"
u thought would"
Explain yourself"
sWell, then, I saw the murderer-I
saw the deed; and another, too, wit
messed it."
"Incredible!"
"A man."
"Some accomplice Of yours?"
"No: we both saw it. He was no
party to the tried 70 prevent it. Fail
Ing, he sought to protect the assassin. ="
"You amaze mel"
"He tried to bribe me to silence"
"And you agreed?"
II did"
"For s1o,oooP"
Exactly"
@Not yet paid?"
"Not yet paid"
"Who was hep"
"His name," replied Colonel Cain,
calmly. "was Theodore Parker"
"Great heavens!" was forced to ejac-
ulate aloud by the quick emotions that
surged in my excited mind; "Dr. Sea-
bury's son?"
CHAPTER XVI
The astounding revelation Of the burg
lar unnamed me. I stared at him In
dismay. I seemed in flash to glance at
the truth and guess at all the motives
underlying its workings.
That truth represented the certain
confirmation of past suspicious. Theo-
dore Parker, alias Theodore Seabury,
had deceived me. He had affirmed that
he had not witnessed the murder OF hi'
father, and here was credible because
an accidental witness who disputed and
disproved his false statement
Again came another complication.
Neither of these men had taken q hand
! In the killing of DR.. Seabury. I felt sure