The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-11
Thus reflected Paxton, and he added:

now presented to his consideration, and
at length he said, mentally:
II will see the Chief Of Police from
whom Stanmore brought his letter OF
recommendation and introduction. The
thought has just occurred to me that it is
possible he may have forged the letter"
The detective acted upon this resolu-
ton forthwith.
He repaired at once to the office Of the
chief of the Metropolitan police force,
and he was closeted with that gentleman
for more than al hour.
When at the expiration Of that time
Paxton left the Office Of the chief, he
said to himself:
Il begin to comprehend the matter at
last"
He must have obtained some informa-
ton regarding the man who called him.
self Richard stanmore.
Meanwhile Marion, on the second
night following the day when Stanmore
received her letter, paced narrow
apartment in dilapidated building in
the suburbs OF Harlem.
To this place she had been removed
by her captors, after their suspicious
were aroused that detective had dis
covered her original prison place.
Marions thoughtS- were troubled, for
sho was rejecting upon the circum.
stances which had united to place her in
her present unprecedented situation oi
peril and perplexity.
The reflection that the truth unsup-
ported by evidence would not be credited
distracted her.
Before her mind arose vision Of her
arrest, trial, and conviction Of crime
which she had not committed, and the
cheers Of the public as they received her
explanation with cruel derision, rang in
her ears.
mo, no; my story will not be credited.
I must not be arrested, now that l have
lost the paper took from the Office on
that fatal night. That paper would have
proved my truth and innocence, but now
I am doomed if captured"
Then Marion knelt and breathed o
prayer which began with these words:
Father in Heaven, Thou knowest I am
innocent.
Fervently she supplicated, humbly she
imp:ored divine help to lead her out Of
the fatal quicksands Of danger and doubt
into which she had unwittingly ttrayed.
Little did Marion Oakburn suspect
that human ears heard her prayer, or
the soliloqay which preceded it, but
such was the fact.
Every word Marion uttered was heard
by Stuart Harland, who was at that
very moment prisoner in the cellar
under the room in which Marion was q
captive.
An explanation as to how Harland
became prisoner in the power Of the
wretches who were acting as Marion's
jailers must be given, and we will con-
slider the events which led to his capture.
Stuart was not discouraged by his
failure to capture the mysterious man
who had exchanged coats with him. On
the contrary, he was encouraged by the
fact that he had sighted him once, and
he believed he should sight him again.
Thus It was that after his encounter
with the unknown, where Levi Kredge
had struck him down with cowardly
blow, Stuart still continued his still
hunt" for the man called "Garnar" by
Pratt and Weeks.
On the evening when Marion's secret
friend had delivered her letter to Stan
more, Stuart Harland chanced to enter
lodging house on West street.
While he was In the Office of this es-
tablshment, Stuart heard clerk say to
the proprietor, as he took valise from
under the counter:
This travelling bag is in the way here
behind the counter. I hardly think the
man who left here will ever call for it.
What shah do with it,"
AS he spoke, the clerk placed the trav-
cling bag on the counter, and Stuart
read the name u. G. Garnar," which
was stamped on the side of the valise.
The young man started as he read the
name Of the supposed assassin, and step
ping to the counter, he said.
II think I know the party to whom
that bag belongs, and speaking rapidly,
he described the man who had taken
his coat.
OF course Stuart knew that there
might be large number Of men by the
name Of "Garnar" in the city, but he
had kind Of presentiment that he had
found clue to the supposed murderer.
You certainly must know the man
who left the valise. You have told just
how he looked to dot, said the clerk.
Il thought So, answered Stuart, and
repressing his excitement he asked:
when this valise wss left here did
not the owner say when he would call
for it?' :,
1T seems to me he did, but don't
recollect what he did say" was the an
swer returned.
Stuart remained in the lodging house
for some time, but he finally went out.
He was crossing the street, when
CHANGING to look back he saw a man
entering the lodging house. The man
had full beard and long hair, and he
was dressed like farmer.
Stuart stopped on the opposite side OF
the street, and as he stood considering
in which direction he should wander
next, the man who resembled farmer
In appearance came out Of the lodging
house carrying the valise with the name
j. C. Garnar' on it in his hand.
In an instant the thought traversed
the mind Of the young man that the man
In the garb Of farmer might really be
the supposed assassin in disguise, and
he proceeded to follow him as he walked
rapidly away.
The man led Stuart long distance.
Although he did not betray the fact,
subsequent results proved that the man
whom Stuart was following discovered
that he was shadowed soon after Har-
land took his trail.
Finally he entered q building, which
was ostensibly cheap restaurant, but
the rear Of which was low gambling
den.
This was the very house in which