The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-03-14
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE JOURNAL CONTINUED

THE JOURNAL CONTINUED.
On how I struggled to free myself!
Once I did get hand loose, and tore
the mask from one face, to find it was
not Fitzroy but Reginald who was perpe-'
trating this outrage upon me, his elder
brother.
Turning then to the other, ]. recog!
nized the form and voice OF Antolne
Duval.
@In the course of the conflict, Regi-
nald drew out dagger and plunged it
into my arm, then threw the dagger,
red with blood, on the carpet, saying
grimly: :,
"'Fitzroy's dagger. Lie there and
testify that he did this deedp
"Oh, my brother, my innocent brother!
have they dared accuse thee OF my
death?
"This question harrows me night and
dav.
"Alas! I tremble for Fitzroy, when
such a fend as Reginald has proved
himself to be is let loose upon his track.
"But to go on: Binding my hands
for all my strength could avail little
against two hardy men-they passed
rope around my body, after first putting
on my clothing, and, dragging me from
the window, swung me from the BAL
cony to the ground below.
sCarrying then my helpless form to
the lake, they there bound up my
wounds, staunching the flow Of blood,
which until then they had allowed to
drip as it would, then turned and noise
lessly bore me to lonely cave, situated
in the heart Of Demons Wood-a place
never frequented, and, 1 presume, the
existence Of which was unknown.
"This place had been prepared for my
reception, and after fastening me firmly
to. q staple with chain they had in
readiness, they left me, gagged and
helpless, there alone, for two days and
one night.
aTwice they both came with food, and,
while one stood with q pistol over my
head, to prevent word, the other fed
me.
ION the second night they visited me
about midnight, and, merely saying:
@sAll is now ready for your reception,
rise and 90 with u.s., they placed me in
wagon as before, and took me back to
the Hall.
aLeaving the wagon concealed outside
the grounds, they between them carried
me to the ruined part, and, entering,
conveyed me into this, my prison, which
they had secretly arranged for my use.
l was not brought here at once, 1t seems:
because on the very night Of their dar:
ing outrage they had discovered that
some revolving iron shelves they had
fitted to the entrance could not be Sc:
curely fastened, as the large screws to be
inserted Were too shortA Not wishing to
postpone the horrible business, they had
hastily prepared the cave, and held me
there until other screws could be pro
cured.
sNow all was ready, and here, just
eighteen years ago, was thrust and
kept q prisoner by means of long chain
fastened from my ankle to an iron bolt
In the wall.
@Not one word was spoken until was
securely fastened, then the gag was
taken from my mouth and the ropes
from my limbs.
aAt first my tongue and mouth we so
stiff could make no sound, but seeing
that both were leaving me, closing the
entrance securely inside by standing up
the shelves and tightly screwing in place
the long screws, l found voice, and call
ing to them 10 pause I begged an expla-
nation Of the cruelty to which / had
been subjected, and asked why was to
be imprisoned there and how long was
to be detained. :.
"At first Reginal would not answer;
but finally he did astonish me by these
words:
"'You are to be kept concealed in this
place as long as you live, so the sooner
you die the better for all! ! shall not,
however, take you life! Inever will be
q murderer! Food will come to you
every night, about half past nine or ten,
on these shelves You will empty tho
plate on dishes you have here, and set!
ting it back the empty plate will at once
return to me. BY this returning plate I
shall know you still live. When you fail
to return it no more will come, as you
will then be supposed to have died. I
alone shall attend to sending this food
TO BE CONTINUED