The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-31

rion, as she Indignantly confronted the
detective.
Il am your friend, Miss Oakbura, and
I am seeking to discover your fathers
assassin. Tell me who the man was
whom you met tonight, and who es-
capped me?"
Marion leaned against the door and
her form trembled with agitation, but
she did not speak.
will you not answer me2" persisted
Paxton.
Still Marion was silent.
Paxton became impatient.
Il will tell you who the man you met
is. He is Donald Wayburni" he cried,
suddenly. Il a1n Gerale Pa1tor, he
added.
He sought to surprise Marion into
some confirmation Of his statement, II IL
was the truth. =,
Il believe that man is your fathers
murderer. Misc Oakburn, warn you
that the time has come when you should
explain the cause Of your mysterious
conduct since your fathers death. You
are venturing into peril, it may be. Will
YOU not save yourself! Will you not
trust me? ?" the detective continued, as
Marion made no sign in confirmation OF
his statement that therreoent companion g
name was Donald Wayburn.
What is there in my conduct that you
regard as mysterious2" said Marion at
last.
This night meeting. Your having
given your inheritance to Judith Kredge.
Iour positive declaration that HarIand
is an innocent man, replied Paxton.
You wrong me cruelty. I can explain
nothing; but, by my dead fathers mem
ory, swear that Donald Wayburn has
no knowledge Of my fathers murder
He is Innocent"
With these words she unlocked the
door and entered the house.
Now, indeed, is my cup OF misery
filled to the brim. Too late I discover
that have made a fatal mistake, but
cannot determine to abandon my pur-
pose yet, )" thought Marion, as she crept
to her room.
Paxton made no attempt to detain
Marion, and as the evening was not far
advanced and he had concluded to
abandon the business which had taken
him out that night, for the present, ho
proceeded to visit certain shops devoted
to the sale of curiosities in the way OF
ancient coins, weapons, and the like. In
every shop he exhibited the bullet which
had caused John Oakburn's death, and
asked if they ever had pistol which the
ball would fit.
In every instance the detective re-
ceived negative answer, until at last
he entered little shop whose proprie-
tor informed the detective that he had
sold an ancient air pistol provided with
such bullets as the one Paxton exhib-
tied.
Can you tell me the purchasers
name?" asked Paxton, thinking posi-
tive clue to the solution Of the mystery
was found at last.
II keep a memorandum Of purchasers
names and addresses when, instead OF
taking the goods with them at the timo
of the sale, they order them to be sent
home. 7 believe I wrote the name OF
the man who bought the air pistol in my
book. Yes, here it is" answered the
shopkeeper.
Read itp" cried Paxton breathlessly.
There was surprise in store for him
he little dreamed Of.
CHATTER XVI.
The proprietor Of the curiosity shop
did not share the detectives excite
ment, and he very deliberately read the
following memorandum from his ORDER
book:
May sth, 1S-,
John oakburn, No Wall Street, City,
One ancient air pistol s.
To be delivered to-day.
The name Of the murdered man was
the very last one the detective antici-
pated hearing announced MS that OF the
purchaser Of the air pistol, and he was
completely surprised. :.
Paxton had entertained the hope that
the fatal bullet which had occasioned
the death OF John Oakburn would serve
as an important clue in tracing the un-
fortunate mans assassin.
From the first it had been the de-
tective's purpose to trace the weapon
Of death to the assassin, by means OF
the bullet.
Now the purpose of the man-trailcr
was no longer possible to be executed,
and the hope which the possession OF
the death-missile had given him was de-
stroyed.
so John Oakburn was murdered with
his own weapon. Tho assassin probably
found the weapon in the Office c1d used
it to kill Oakburr, very possibly, With
the intention of perplexiag the inves-
tigator, Should the weapon be traced,
thought the detective.
He recalled to mind the fact that no
one had mentioned having ever seen
such O. weapon rs the sir-pistol in the
possession Of John Oskburn, and as
new idea entered his mind he cried:
Il have it! The strange weapon with
which Oakburn was murdered formed
one Of his collection Of curious, ancient
weapons.
"The assassin had opened the old cash
ier's little safe, robbed it, and secured
the air-pistol when he heard Oakburn
coming. The wretch had discovered that
the pistol was loaded and ready for use.
He used it to kill his victim because it
made no sound"
Paxton was satisfied with this theory.
On this very evening, while Paxton
was visiting the curiosity shop, Levi
Kredge was On his way to visit his sister.
The traacherous scoundrel had taken
the alarm, and he was thoroughly on his
guard.
From the evening when Paxton had
shadowed him to the Office Of Pratt d
Weeks, Levi Kredge had experienced
the keenest anxiety for his personal
safety.
They are on my trail! Do they sus-
pect the truth?" he asked himself over
and over again.
For the present he did not visit Pratt
4 Weeks, for the willy brokers had in