The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-16
II.
THE BANKERS DAUGHTER -

CHAPTER IL.
THE BANKERS DAUGHTER ~
A cry rang through the private Office
of MerwYn, banker, as the shock of the
paving stone Jared the great front doors
"a cry of fear and alarm.
1t proceeded from the old graY-headed
clerk, John Wharton. Twisting his thin
hands n%ervously, his face ashen, he
sprang from his seat.
"It's GOMEZ" ne breathed, with a gasp
of terror. Those men"
sit DOWN.
With o scowl, his companion drove
him back chattering to the chair. Then,
unmoved, still coolly putting at his cigar,
Arnold Dacre ran over the compartments
of the portfolio spread out on the table
before him.
THE ignorant cattle!!" he Kissed con.
~temptuously." Let them rave a bit, and
cool their hot blood, nothing short of a
gathering ram or a fifty FOUNDER would
score an effect on those stout iron doors.
What shaking yet? See here, Wharton!"
he ground OUT iercely, "we're to neil
the end to lose grit now"
THE end!" painted the quivering
wretch before him"-oh! Mr. Dacre, why
was I Jed into t~his--why didn't I get out
when l could2 When l think of the
ruin we're wreaking, the heart-break,
the crime"
"Silence!!" ordered the cashier angrily.
"You helped me, because I can clamp
iron manacles on you If you dlsobey me.
No ones going to harm you. It's Mer-
W. tbou hold ocpoocihia
THE Kindest master. the best mar
ever lived" groaned Wharton. "Mr.
Dacre, when he comes"
when he comes? aye, indeed |"
laughed the other. "EacL man to his
own responsibilities. The books are doc
tored, the securities housed, q net
spread he can't very well evade. I'm
sorry l lost the bulk of what we might
have had in reckless speculation, but
here's ! s2oI ten thousand in easy cash,
PAY It out is tar as it goes -:EdQR't
have blood on your hands, Mr. Datfe,
don't-don't" Chartered the clerk: '
You miserable craven!" cried Dacre,
with blazing eyes, do you think I'll
sacrifice all, when the end IS so near-do
you think | covet a cell in the peniten-
tlary, to waver now? Silence! What's
that?"
Arnold Dacre snapped the portfolio
shut and arose quickly, as a timid,
nervous knock sounded at the rear door.
He went to it and opened it. A woman,
aged, w%hite-faced, trembling violently,
tottered over its threshold
'.Mr. Dacre!-thls trouble"
1t was Mrs. Grey, the bankers house
keeper. She had come through the
covered passage way. Her haunted eyes
told that the tumult Of the raving, rag
ing multitude without had reached the
living rooms of the banker.
1.-THE trouble is serious. very serious"
spoke Dacre gravely. "You had better
not remain in the house."
Miss Flora sent me. She told me to
learn what it mean Has Mr.. Merwyn
returned?"
Returned" interrupted Dacre quick
". No, thank heaven! With that un-
ruly mob thirsting tor his blood, it would
be scarcely safe. The bank is broken,
Mrs. Grey. Tell Miss Merwyn she had
better prepare to leave here. l will see
her to a place of safety. Should they
attack the house"
But, with a cry of terror, as some new
missile shattered one of the costly plate
glass windows in the counting-room,
Mrs. Grey had fled precipitately.
Gasping, trembling, she ran down the
covered passage way. Her face the
color of ashes, she burst into the bankers
library.
Ayoung girl sprang up as she entered.
1t was Flora Mcrwyn. Into that beauti-
tul face had already come a latent
anxiety. 1t vas augmented to vivid con-
Germ, as the old h~ousekeeper painted out
her story.
A shudder crossed the fair form at the
recital. Her lips set tightly, the white
brow snowy as a~labaster vas drawn in
an expression Of mingled pain and reSo-
luton.
1.-THE bank broken? oh! that Is i'm,
possible! My father in danger!" and
The anxious eyes took a quick alarm.
'Surely, they would not dare to modest
him."
'In their frantic rage they are reck-
less" murmured Mrs. Grey. "Iou re-
member the trouble a year ago"
Ayear ago! Whittier grew the lovely
face. A spasm Of anguish crossed
Flora's lips. Did she remember? With
no reply but a Sob. half-choked down,
she turned abruptly and ran up the
staircase to her own room.
Did she remember! Her binding
tears, her half-supprcssed sobs answered
the torturing query. Fate itself seemed
to thrust certain remembrance upon her
mind, as, hurriedIy ransacking a drawer
In the dressing case for a pin for her
loose flowing t~resses, there looked up at
her from its ~depths-a photograph.
A true, honest face-a brave, manly
face, it fascinated her for the moment
Ray Webster" was the name written on
the margin Of the picture-the last, the
single memento of that occurrence
''one year ago."
Oh! why had that memory returned TO
torment her soul now, when every
thought and emotion should be conferred
on the safety of a beloved father? 50
wildly, too! In a flash, there came back
to her heart the old days-thc dear days,
when Ray Webster, clerk in her fathers
Dauk, was her accepted lover.
Aud then-heart. break, a shock that
cent her I'M In the delirium of fever, the