The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-10
troubled and haggard her lovely features

troubled and haggard her lovely features
are. Oh, Marion! Marion!"
When the cashiers daughter found
herself alone after Stanmore's depart
ure the agitation which she had repressed
during the interview just concluded be-
trayed itself.
The excited girl trembled nervously.
Il feel that he is an honest man." she
thought, "and I will trust him. Who
can tell2 The time may yet come
when I shall be glad to remind him Of
| the promise to befriend me in the hour
OF dire extremity"
Then che drew locket from chain
about her neck, and, opening it, pressed
to her lips O miniature which it con-
tanned.
1T was the glance Of this strange gen.
tleman's eye that unnerved me. I felt
the same when I saw him in the Office.
His eyes are like those Of poor Donald's.
Yes, I feel that he Is honorable and
true" she said, and gazed lovingly upon
the portrait In the locket.
Meanwhile, after leaving Marion,
Richard Stanmore repaired to the Office
Of Paxton. the detective.
At this hour the detective was seated
at his Office desk reading and pondering
upon the contents Of the letter which he
had abstracted from the package Of cor
respondence found in John Oakburn's
safe.
The letter was rather lengthy one,
but one particular passage seemed to
fasten Paxton's attention, and he read
it carefully several times.
The passage which the detective was
apparently endeavorlng to impress upon
his memory was as follows:
"The hour shall come, John Oakburn,
when you will be sorry for the great
wrong you have done me"
The letter was signed Donald Way
burn"
Paxton had not been idle since the
Coroner's inquest had ended. He had
procured casts Of the footprints which
he had discovered under the rear win
dow Of Garrison's Office, and he had in
stituted diligent search for the stranger
who had exchanged overcoats with
Stuart Harland.
Despite all the efforts OF the detective
and his expert auxiliaries, the quest for
the man who had in his pocket the skele-
ton keys and the wax Impressions of the
safe and door locks Of GarrIson's Office
had thus far resulted only in failure.
Not one solitary clue either to the iden-
tity or whereabouts of this mysterious
parsonage was discovered.
When Harland explained to the Coro-
ner that the stranger had exchanged
overcoats with him, he had not neglect
ed to give an accurate and minute de-
scription Of the unknown.
Paxton had the word picture OF this
man in his mind, and he was confident
that he should recognize him at
glance.
The detective believed that Stuart
Harland told the truth, and therefore he
naturally formed the theory that the man
who carried the skeleton keys was either
John Oakburn's assassin or confede-
rate of the criminal.
Paxton had never hoped for such a
perfect clue as was furnished him by
Stuart Harland's description of the as
sassin.
THE tone Of this letter is certainly
rather threatening" said Paxton as he
read the passage from the letter signed
by Donald Wayburn, )" which we have
produced. ----~
Il must ascertain who Donald Way
burn Is, and his antecedents must be
looked up. 1t is possible that robbery
was not the only motive for this crime.
Revenge may have played part in it.
The idea has occurred to me that it may
possibly turn out that Donald Wayburn
is the name of the man who carried the
skeleton keys. We have learned thst
the name the fellow gave Harland was
IN alias which he had assumed for the
occasion"
Paxton did not know that Donald was
the given name of man whose portrait
Marion Oakburn carried in her locket,
and whom we may suppose was very
dear to her.
There was more Of mystery in the case
than Paxton yet suspected.
He had placed Donald Wayburn's let
ter carefully in a safe where he kept i'm
portant documents, when there came
rap at the Office door.
Paxton a moment later saw Richard
Stanmore, who opened the door as he
bade him enter.
Of course the old gentleman was an
entire stranger to the detective. but he
received him very politely and invited
him to be seated.
fRO pE coNTINCEDJ