Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-17
CHAPTER XVIII.


Chester Sewall started with alright
at sight Of the white, haggard counte,
nance that looked out at him from the
mirror when he turned the gas up IN
his room Even the lips were bloodless
and the eyes dilated, as if by horror.
Confronting that ghastly reflection, he
raised his hand to throw back the hair
that, matted with perspiration, clung
to his brow. There was blood upon the
palm.
He staggered backward and sat down,
faint, shuddering, covering. The feel.
ing still haunted him that there was an
invisible presence just behind his shoul-
der, and, hurriedly shifting his chair SO
that he could sit with his back squarely
against the, WALL he cast fearsome
glance about him. He was alone. The
door locked, the window shade drawn
down, the gas burning brightly-what
folly to be so unnamed by silly su-
perstition!
Bah! He would think Of it no more
That which was done was done and
could not be undone. He had not in
tended 1t, and, since fate had so ordered
it, let fate assume the responsibility.
The practical thing for him to do now
would be to destroy the evidences Of his
involuntary crime He dragged from
his pocket the handkerchief will wi IN
he had wiped what blood he could from
his fingers and thrust it among the
glowing Goals in Johns stove The
overcoat pocket in which he had con-
cealed that ensanguined hand was stain
ed with blood He cut it out and burn
ed it also Then he very carefully wash
ed his hands and poured the Redeemed
water slowly among the ashes in the
bottom Of the stove
Not until now did he observe on his
table letter that had arrived during
his absence. It was from John Latham,
written at St. Louis and dated three
days before. In it the writer said:
have Just returned this far from Tennessee
and snatch q moment to send you an impor
tant pointer. II Wall street has dealt kindly
means to operate with, would advise you t.
20 your length on Memphis and Southwestern
It is an apparently dead stock now. but Ger
tain authoritative report. that shall have to
make when get back, will send 1t up like a
rocket. am violating implied requirements
Of secrecy perhaps in telling you this, so You
will keep 1t strictly to yourself under all cir
cumstances. ! am anxious to help you, but
must not be known as doing 30. Do not neglect
to take advantage Of the chance, for 1t is
sure thing.
What a bitter mockery it was, Ches-
ter thought, that such an opportunity
should have come to him only after he
had been utterly banNupted in pocket,
hope and soul! How different would be
his position now had the happy accident
Of such information come to him when
he first plunged into stock spcculations,
when he had S., 900 to invest. It would
have made him q rich, honorod and hap
py man today instead of a. beggar, a
thief, O murderer.
His self recognition as thief brought
back to him remembrance of the wallet
he had abstracted from the dead mans
breast, Of which he had not thought
since taking it until now. He pluckcd
it from his pocket and opened it. The
contents almost took his breath away
with surprise They were only five bank
bills, but four of them were of the de-
nomination Of $500 each and the fifth
was of 81, 900.
Why. with this sum, he thought ex-
citedly, and the ."pointer" he had just
received he could avenge himself upon
Wall street and make fortune at a
single dash. Then he would marry Irma
She nor no one else need ever know he
had accidentally killed her father. Three
thousand dollars? No, it was the seed
of millions that rclcnting fortune had
thrust into his hands
His transports ceased suddenly and he
sat pale, trembling, as if q srecter had
risen before him. Could he dare to use
that money? Prudent men, he was well
aware. made habit Of recording the
numbers of large bills passing through
their hands, and if Banker Willmath
did so-as was to be expected Of man
so methodical in his habits-this money
might be fatal trap. His confidential
clerk might be able to give the numbers
of those five bills to the police, and the
person who should attempt to pass one
Of them would be seized, convicted,
hanged for murder! By the way, was
81 NJ tho o,,1r RI a y, nor m no faorpdT What