The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-02


I'll give up the money"
We'll see about that, said Paxton.
yes; Marion must be consulted,
said Stanmore.
Il reckon the girl will be glad to con.
sent to let up on me when she knows OF
the money" said Kredge. Now you
understand my remarks which puzzled
you heretofore, I take it, he replied.
Perfectly" replied Paxton, and &C..
companisd by Stanmore he soon left the
prison.
After this, some days elapsed, and
then to Stanmore's inexpressible Joy,
Marion's malady took favorable turn.
The physician declared the crisis passed,
and he gave Stanmore the assurance
that Marion would recover.
AS soon as she was sufficiently recov.
cred to warrant 1t, Stanmore told Me-
zion Of the confession made by Pratt
and Weeks, and by Levi Kredge, the
anitor.
We understand the mystery Of your
conduct now. You meant that your
fathers memory should be shielded
When you knew that he appropriated
Garrison's money and committed sui.
oide, you determined that the world
should believe he had been robbed and
murdered" he said.
Yes, that is the explanation. But ]
must tell you ali. On the night Of m!
lather's death, became alarmed al
bis absence, and without disturbing any
one, I descended to the Office, thinking
1t possible he might be there. He some
time worked in the Office in the evening
When I entered the Office, I found my
father dead. On the floor beside hin
was sheet Of paper upon which he had
written a few lines. I remember them
well. They were as follows:
Heaven bear witness that I was In
Intention innocent, but have appropri.
ated the seventy eight thousand dollars
belonging to my employer, which drew
from the bank to-day, to my own use.
have decided I shall die by my OWL
hand, but I cannot face the pistol. ]
shall place it in the bracket by the doo1
and discharge it by means Of string
attached to the trigger, while my back
ls turned. Farewell, Marion, my daush.
ter" said Marion.
"Ah, understand. While Kredge Sc.
cured the first message written by your
father, when he had decided to commit
suicide, he did not find the message
which you have repeated" said Stan
more.
when I read my dead fathers mes.
sage, I resolved that he should not be
branded as q thief, that his memory
should be revered, that he should leave
behind him the reputation he dearly
priced, that Of an honest man.
Then I remembered the pistol, Sc.
cured the tell-tale letter, and stole from
the office. After concealing the weapon
In my trunk, went to Judith's room, and
then we descended together to the Office.
What ensued you know.
.The paper, upon which I depended
to prove my innocence when I knew ]
was suspected az being concerned In
my fathers death, was his last message.
I despaired, when I discovered I had
lost it
When, during the process OF Stuart
Harlands trial, I became convinced that
be would be found guilty, I resolved to
tell all, but Judith must have discovered
my intentions, I think, for the night ]
made the resolution that on the follow
Ing day 1 would come forward with my
testimony and save Stuart Harland, ]
was abducted while unconscious from
some anesthetic which had been ad.
mfnistered when I slept, and when ]
awoke found myself a prisoner In tho
house Of the old woman called Mother
Kits. When, after Reid's escape. was
dragged back to the prison-room from
which he had liberated me, secreted
my fathers last message, which was
concealed in my bosom, in hole In the
wall Of the Fireplace. Next morning,
after troubled sleep, I looked for the
paper and it was gone"
Thus Marion explained, and, further,
she confirmed Reid's statement that he
had deceived her as to his real charac-
ter.
Now that she knew him she despised
him, and b fierce desire that he should
be punished for having indirectly been
the cause of her beloved fathers death.
The lovers conversed tenderly for
some time, and at last Stuart left the
bedside of the fair invalid, and sought
Paxton the detective, ana together they
proceeded to the house OF Mother Kits.
The Fireplace in the room where Marion
had been imprisoned was demolished,
and there where it had slipped down be-
hind q brick from the aperture, in which
Marion had concealed it, John Oakburn'
message was discovered.
Everything was clear now. OF course
the terrible letter which Paxton had re-
oeived from Judith Kredge purportin9
to be the confession of the murder made
by Marion..was forgery, and that it was
such Judith Kredge subsequently ac'
knowledged.
Stanmore now revealed himself IN
proper personality as Donald Wayburnr
and since he had the proof that ne was
an honest man, his friends of other days
welcomed him home again.
Marion would not consent that the
man whose deed had driven her father
to suicide should be allowed to go un'
punished in consideration OF his re
turning the money he had stolen, and
Kredge was sentenced to long term OF
imprisonment.
Reid Oakburn died Of consumption,
from which he had long suffered while
be was held prisoner awaiting the &C.
ton Of the Denver authorities.
Judith Kredge was obliged to return
the money which she had extorted from
Marion, and che left New York.
Pratt and Weeks also disappeared.
OF course Stuart Harland's innocence
was proclaimed, and soon after he and
Edna Garrison were married.
Marion entirely recovered and within
year she became the beloved wife OF
him whom we have known as Richard