The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-10
Dr. .Bf6lstels
4 Remarkable Romance.
BY EMILY THORNTON.
CHAPTER XII.
A SINGULAR REQUEST.

CHAPTER XII
SINGULAR REQUEST.
HAS she Gomez" asked Sir Reginald
Glendenning OF Lady Constance, as he
distinctly heard carriage stop before
che door, and his OWL coachman's voice
speaking to the horses.
@She has; shall she be brought directly
TO your presence?"
ayes; and see to it that no one enters
this room until they are summoned, as
wish to see this girl alone. Do you hear?
Alone! entirely alone!" replied the Baro-
net.
"You will be obeyed. No one shall dis
turb you. Shall ] order Matthew to put
up the horses?"
"No; tell him to wait for further no
tice!"
Lady Constance withdrew, and very
soon reopened the door, tc usher in and
present to her sick husband Ethel Never
gail, his sisters adopted niece, then in
stantly retired, closing the door behind
her.
Very beautiful looked the young girl
as she stood by the side of the bed, her
heavy Grape veil thrown back, revealing
her sad, sweet face and large, pitying
eyes.
@Oh! SIR" said she, after an eager, yet
falf-haughty greeting, u grieve to see
you so helpless! Have you just been in
judre2"
ayes; this morning I was thrown from
my horse, and am to lie here helpless for
months. ! sent for you, then, in answer
- q letter received few moments be-
cic CT
before her death. In that she asks me
to give you home for four months IN
return for any service ] may wish rem
dered. ! sent, because need assistance
Immediately Of very peculiar nature.
Are you willing to undertake it, at fair
salary?"
"Probably l can tell better when ]
hear what the duties will be-"
"Before tell you that wish you to
hand me the small Bible you see upon
that table"
With wondering eyes Ethel reached
him the book.
"The duties to be performed are Of a
purely confidential nature. No human
being must know what tell you, whether
you accept the charge or not. Wife,
nephew, niece, man servant nor maid
servant must ever know that you do more
than read to and amuse me, write my
letters, and attend to my daily business
affairs. The true duties will be per-
formed in half an hour each evening
alone. Will you swear on this book to
keep my secret?"
Il will swear if you will assure me that
these duties can be done with pure con-
science, and that they are perfectly
proper for me to do"
81 assure you you can do them with
perfect propriety. Will you take the
oath?"
s '"I will" came from the lips Of the
trembling girl, reluctantly, it must be
confessed, but still it came, because of
the promise given to her dying aunt that
she would not refuse his offer.
"Then kiss that book and repeat after
me these words: 4, Ethel Nevergail,
swear will tell no person the nature OF
my nightly duties, and that will perform
them to the best of my ability"
Again Ethel shuddered. yet did as he
required and, after kissing the book, re-
peated the words.
"Sit down, now, and come very close,
30 you can hear, while l whisper the Sc
cret, for even walls have ears has
sometimes been said.
"Now," he continued, @listen to me
intently. have in my possession very
rare animal, one entirely unknown. 1t
Is the property of friend, and / am Sc
cretly taking care Of it for him. He is
absent now abroad searching for more
wonders to add TO collection. On his
return he is going to exhibit all, and ex-
poets to realize fortune by doing so,
which ! am to share. Now, although
wealthy. love money, and always have;
therefore l take every care OF this
creature IN order TO obtain more gold.
No human being, save myself and its
owner, is aware Of its existence. 1t is
hidden in q ruined part Of this house-in
fact, in a concealed room, the existence
of which no one knows but myself, and
in close connection with, but not in,
place we call The Haunted Tower
~This tower is not haunted, really, but
] pretend that it is, in q way shall tel
you of some other time, in order TO keep
prying eyes from of my treasure.
~Now. what ] wish you to do is this:
] myself have always fed this ape, or
ourang-outang, for it possesses some of
their nature, and if he is not attended to
he will starve. About ten every evening
you are to do this for me.
"A basket is always standing In GER
tain place in the ruined part A person
] pay well comes every evening, under a
promise of secrecy, and puts food in it.
You must get this basket, go through a
long covered corridor that connects this
tower to the main building, and opens
directly into small hall or passageway
near your room, and the door from your
room is hidden by wardrobe.
"Open it and pass through, taking o
knife Of a peculiar shape that you VIII
find in bookcase drawer in your room,
together with plenty Of candle and
matches for your use, also there; Ind to
this drawer I will give you the key.
.You will find several of these knives
Dpt there. for fear one might accidentally