The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-03-07
Dl.EH6lStGilshissiOn
4 Remarkable Romance.
BY EMILY THORNTON.
CHAPTER XIV.

ing to Ethel the slightest occasion for
.egretful sigh that she had changed her
home and occupation; and whenever she
paused to reflect upon the disagreeable
duties required Of her by Sir Reginald,
the more she shuddered at the bare re-
membrance.
But, while filed with indignation at
the brutal manner in which he had re-
cetved the communication Of the acci-
dent that had so strangely befallen her,
and the abruptness Of her dismissal, she
longed to know whether he had recov-
cred from the effects of his ungovernsble
rage, and also whether the missing ami
NAL had been found and restored.
OF course she dared question no one
about it, and her only resource was to
the village daily paper, which she read
with eagerness, but no reference was
ever made to the subject.
Occasionally, DR.. Elfenstein called to
zee Lady Claire, but the bare inquiry
after the baronet's condition was all she
felt at liberty to make.
The reply ever was that Sir Reginalds
nervous system was in such terrible
state that it was impossible for him to
Improve as yet %. '-.
The manner of the Doctor toward her
self she thought constrained and re-
served, and this gave her intense pain.
lShe feared that he did not approve Of
her course, and imagined, from his quiet
appearance, that her refusal to acquaint
him with the nature of her fault might
icause him to magnify the error into q
positive crime.
Little did the poor girl know that his
.coldness was assumed, merely, to. hide
lthe real state of his affections, in order
ITO attend to the sacred duty which he
had undertaken.
That duty he had by no means for
gotten. r. ...s ~. ., ...... g. -.
He had looked up, after many difficult
ties, papers Of remote date that had
published the entire trial of Fitzroy
.Glendenning, and had noted the fact that
1.-THE valet, Antoine Duval, had testified
against him by relating his unfortunate
words, spoken in a moment of intense
excitement.
The thought had then occurred to him
that this Antoine might be implicated in
the deed Of darkness that had SO immed.
,iiately followed.
ALatslss, his en1ole spare time had been
occupied in trying to trace out the move
ments and whereabouts of this man.
{ For some time all that he could dis
cover was that he had remained in Sir
iReginald's employment about year after
the murder, and then had suddenly left
the place and departed to some region
unknown.
One day he accidentally entsred the
village postofice just as the postmaster
was saying to an old man who stood
near:
sI wonder who Pierre Duval can be?
/ have letter for him. There was
man named Antoine Duval living at the
Hall once; do you know what became OF
him and whether he had son Pierre?"
@He had DO son, as he never married.
Antoine is dead. He was killed by some
unknown assassin in France, where he
went after leaving Sir Reginald"
@Are you sure?"
~PerfectIy. He did not live six months
after leaving here"
~And his murderer escaped?"
Eyes, leaving no. clew to his identity
behind him. Detectives did all they
! could to ferret out the mystery; but,
like Sir Arthur's fate, suppose, it will
never be solved"
The conversation, here ceased, but DR..
Elfenstein had now learned fact that
he 30 long had wished settled. 1t was
impossible to gain information through
this Duval. Ss" -s q .5. .'
He was dead, and all hope in that d.
1ection was at an end.
u Entering, therefore, his gig, he drove
to the Hall.
He found Sir Reginald still restless
and excited, and after leaving some new
remedies with Mrs FREEDOM, he bade him
good afternoon and was Fastening
from the house, when Miss Belle Glen
denning called his name as he held the
frent door open, and leaving it ajar, he
stepped into the boudoir to speak to her.
"Dr. Elfenstein," she said very sweet
~, raising her eyes to his, as he ap-
preached. @please excuse me for detain-
ing you, but desired so much to know
what you think Of my uncle, that could
not allow you to pass without inquiring."
II wish I could say he was improving,
but really he seems so nervous that he
can scarcely gain in strength"
This was what the designing girl
wished. This remark gave her the op-
portunity long sought, to say some dis
Daraging thing Of one she feared he
might admire, and she hastened to seize
the chance:
what misfortune it was that such
an unprincipled and exasperating girl
eyer entered this house!"
@What grip" asked the Doctor, sus-
pecting at once to whom she alluded,
and rather anxious to draw her out.
~You surely do not mean Miss Never
gail?"
"I surely do! She certainly must have
been the cause Of his relapse, as she was
the only person with him, and has never
been seen since"
"But Sir Reginald told me he ordered
her from the house"
"Iknow he did. But any one can see
she must have given him great provo
cation. Do you know where she Is,
Doctor" -
II have an impression that she is teach
ting. She"
Whatever DR.. Elfenstein intended to
add to this sentence was never uttered,
as an interruption came in the form OF a
quick, sharp cry for help, coming from
Sir Reginald's room on the floor above,
followed by the excited voice OF the nurse
calling him by name.
Bounding up the steps. two at time,
went the Doctor, followed closely by
Belle.
AS the physician entered the room he
glanced toward the bed, and was horrlded
to see the baronet lying in mt, while Lady
Constance, who had entered at the first