The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-11

"Dont abuse him that way" sadd one
hotly.
aYou are q brute" said another with
an oath, ga brute"
aBest not interfere. gentlemen" said
the man with the badge. This is ocr
business; if you do, you may wish you
hadn't"
sIf he were anything to me-, replied
one Of the group, sid break your jaw ii
it cost me ten thousand dollars. You
are rufians-beasts.
"Oh, that's all right; fire away II It
does you good to talk, put hand on one
of US, and it may cost you all the money
you've got to lose
This was uttered in gasps as the
driver aided the men who had pounced
upon Beauchampe to thrust him into the
carriage, when the man who first spraue
upon him held his face against a seat to
stife his cries.
"This is awful said oDe Of the look
ers-on, "sickening."
"It is covarIly. ri make it my bust.
ness to inquire into this case,p said an
other.
"On one of the most public thorough.
fares, too," said another with shudder
@He looks like gentleman. l say,
suppose we get policeman to looB
into it.
"Do. Get dozen, gentlemen" said
the owner of the badge as he entered
the carriage, and pulled the door close,
while the driver sprang upon his seat,
and the carriage was driven rapidly
away.
At least dozen men witnessed the
closing part of this extraordinary scene,
which scarcely occupied two minutes
1t was all accomplished with such
lightning-like celebrity that when the car
riage disappeared the spectators looked
at each otEer wonderingly, like men
awaking out of dream. One remarked:
"Well, they are experts, whoever they
are"
Then everybody said they never wit
messed anything like it. And everybody
swore no friend of theirs should ever
be trusted to the tender mercies of keep
ers in mad-house.
Meantime, Beauchampe was laid on
his back on one of the seats, and the
other occupants of the carriage de-
liberately sat down on him. he
struggled a moment helplessly, then
gasped for breath. He believed he was
dying. He thought their object was to
murder him then and there. Thoughts
of his sister, of his dreams OF fame-of
the plans he had made for the future
Of Livingston, swept through his brain;
his ears were filled with surging, rush
ing sound, like the tremendous pressure
of mighty waters. His heart seemed to
fill his body in its last throb-then he
became unconscious.
When he regained consciousness he
thought he was lying on his bed in his
lodgings, with his sisters hand on his
head.
"He's all right now, Peters Guess
he won't give US no more trouble"
"If he does," the imprecation that I'm
ished the speech revived Beauchampe's
recollection.
He opened his eyes and looked at the
two men sitting opposite him.
The carriage was moving rapidly over
a smooth roadway. Beauchampe, who
was lying on his right side, contrived,
with great effort, to sit upright. He
gazed at his companionSin the dim light;
not a word was spoken by the prisoner
or his captors. Beauchampe deemed 1t
wisest to hold his peace; he was power
less: at the mercy of these ruffians whose
object he was ignorant Of
As the carriage sped over the road, he
racked his brain to divine the purpose OF
his captors. Suddenly he said, as If the
idea had been suggested by another per-
son:
ais it possible one Of you called me
Carrick?"
ave might call you Carrick now," said
one
aThen you have made terrible mis-
take Ny name is not Carrick."
"That.will do now, jim"
II tell you my name is not Carrick,
Beauchampe reiterated. u never heard
the name until one of you addressed me
tonight"
"It wasn't one Of us-at .east he isn't
here now, and it don't make any differ
ence whether you call yourself Smith,
Brown, or Jones'
aWhat has Carrick done? Who is Car
rick? What am guilty Off"
"Keeps it up well, don't he?" said one
Of his captors.
The carriage turned off the road. The
only sound heard was the quick breath.
ing of the hard-driven horses. Then the
carriage stopped, one OF the men sprang
out, and the other grasped Beauchampe
roughly, commanding him to step out
carefully, and make no false move.
Beauchampe obeyed in silence He was
led between the two. while the driver
walked oenlno, until tney approached
entrance of large gloomy-looklng build
ing. Beauchampe shuddered as he
glanced up at the dim outlines.
What was this house?
One of his captors rang bell.
Instantly the door opened. 1t was evil
dent some one was in waiting. Two of
Beauchampe's captors passed into the
yestbule and passageway with him, still
grasping his arms tightly. The driver
remained outside.
A man with very large, hooked nose,
who had opened the door, preceded them,
turning into room on the right, In
which another gentleman sat This
gentleman rose when the group entered,
glanced at the door, and the man with
the heavy, hook nose instantly closed it.
A lamp with soft shade stood on a
table covered with green oil cloth. There
was neither carpet, rug. picture, mirror,
nor any article Of furniture iu this room
save the plain table and two arm chairs.
Beauchampe gazed around this room
curiously, and again chill passed over
him.
The occupant Of the room, man
with dark, piercing eyes and cold. pas
sienless features, lifted the lamp ard
gazed steadily in Beauchampe's face.
As he replaced the lamp on the table
again. he said. in a tone of Indifference:
81 see you have had tussle. That