The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-05-01

with shame and lear III my lie coulo
purchase his, would yield it up gladly
While Lord Inchcape was staring in
astonishment at this incomprehensible
speech, the door opposite Sircombe
swung open and Edgar Arden stood be-
fore him.
He started up, glared, gave ons
scream, and fell in a dead faint
Lord Inchcapes eyes inquired OF Ed.
gar the meaning Of all this.
leave him to me, now, my lord,
whispered Edgar radiantly. @All is 20.
Ing on admirably. Express no surprise,
only speak when l look at YOU"
A minute or two restored the secre-
tary, he got up from the carne: with Ed
gar's help, and funs himself into his
chair with groan, covering his face
with his hands.
He had never tainted in his life be-
fore; but he was not strong man phys.
;cally, and his recent distress of mind
had reduced what strength he had; be-
sides the sudden apparition Of the man
he had supposed dead in the cell OF the
Southern Bastion, was enough to over
come any one.
And now, as he covered there before
the two gentlemen, he was thinking him.
self a ruined man: even the acute relief
of finding his victim alive, and himself
no murderer, was not enough to beguile
him from his dread Of consequences.
aYou see there was a mistake about
nv fate,1 said Edgar as soon as he
thought Sircombe was able to follow hit
meaning. II was saved from cruel
death, which would have left Lord Inch.
rape without his heir" Sircombs
started and dropped his hsnds from hii
ghastly face. "Yes, am Edgar Arden,'
continued Edgar, "and although ! en-.
tered Dunraven Tower by accident
ignorant of Lady Inchcape's presence
there. I soon recognized her, and as
sumed my privilege as q relative to care
for her welfare. I induced her to con-
6de her sorrow to me; I learned the
whole history; and I left Sleat-na-Vreck-
en- pledged to vjndicate her as true wife
TO my Lord Inchcape. He has sum-
moned you to repair the foul wrong you
bave done Lady Inchcape by withhold
Ing testimony which would have proved
her innocence. And, Mr.. Sircombe,
advise you tc do so," added Edgar sig
ni6cantly, and forcing the secretary to
meet his eyes
The whole situstion was Gear to Sir
combe now.
By his agitation at first he had SO
eliminated himself that he must confess
to some wrong which he had committed;
1t was evident that Arden had not as yet
exposed the attempt made on his life to
Lord Inchcape, and that he meant to
compel confession on Lady Inchcape's
behalf as the price Of his silence. Anx.
lously reviewing what he had said in the
interview, he believed that he had be-
trayed nothing that would not hit In al
remose for his guilt toward Lady Inch.
cape; at sll events, be was caught in
trap-he must confess to something.
Il am ready to do anything I can Tor
Lady Inchcape," said he, humbly. ain.
deed, I should have supplicated Lord
Inchcape on her behalf long sgo, had ]
supposed he wished to believe her limo.
cent"
@Hypocrite!" exclaimed the Earl in.
dignant'y. 3Long ago / would have
taken her back to my heart, even had
she been guilty of loving another, but
for your tnsidous whisperings! Oh, how
l have been betrayed! And deservedly;
how could dare to doubt her!n =.
He turned sway with clenched hands
and scowling brow; grief, shame and
anger gnawed at his heart
"What we require Of you, said Edgar,
@is that you will endeavor to recall a
certain conversation which took place
between Lady Inchcape and Colonel
Accrington that night when duel was
fought in conSe. uence. The position OF
your room rendered it impossible fof
you to avoid hearing every word thai
was spoken by Lady Inchcape, who
stood on the balcony above your open
window, and by Colonel Accrington, who
stood in the garden before it.
"four testimony will prove her inno-
cence, and show how hopeless was Ac'
cr.ngton's pursuit OF her. Be careful,
then, that you do not falsify one sylla.
BILE. This, sir, is the only re"aration
yon can offer sor the grievouS wrong
you have done"
Sircombe writhed in humiliation.
How solemnly he had affirmed that he
had heard nothing, in those days when
Lord Inchcape's faith in his wife hung
upon his testimony.
And now he must stultify himself; be
must expose his crooked policy. and show
that in O: der to maintain a comfortable
ascendency in his patrons house he had
done his best to keep husband and wife
sundered for years! Fain would he have
refused to recollect word of the con.
versation in question, but the lesolute
expression of Edgar Arden's face routed
that idea.
He must either confess to hypocrisy
or be denounced for crime as odious as
murder. He was conquered.
~ am willing to do what you desire"
said he. "but how am ! to recall con.
ve.sation heard five years ago? No
MOI tai could. The sense remains with
me, but If my life depended on it could
not quote the exact phrases employed by
the two speakers.
"l shall rot leave you that excuse"
said Lord Inchcape. who had, unseen by
Sircombe spread my lady's manuscript
before him at the page IN question.
when Coloael Accrington saw Lady
Inchcapc standing on the balcony direct
ly above your window, did he not eau.
tion hJr to speak softly because OF your
provimity?"
THAT, ! bollsve, vas what was said.'
stammerea tne secretary IN astonlsh-
ment. and then he saw the papers before
the Earl and crimsoned with shame.
Some other witnesses had come for
ward, then. with his testimony which the
Earl. had noted down, and which was to
be test of his own truth now. As
sisted by these notes, there could be no
more shammng 70. getfulness: he must
speak out.
In what terms did the Colonel men