The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-18
CHAPTER Xxx.
CONCLUSION.

CONCLUSION.
Arnold Dacre paled to the lips at the
sensational denouement of the moment.
As to Flora MerwYn, utterly exhausted
at the difficult role she r. Assumed and
carried to successful execution, she sank
to a chair, h~alf-fainting, overcome.
Take that man awaY!" she gasped.
The sight of him is horror to my soul.
What does this mean?' painted the
petrifed schemer.
"rm sorry" spoke tie Sheriff, "Mr.
Dacre, but"
You need express no regret at hand
ling such a %scoundrel unmaSked and in
his true colors at last" interrupted a
stern voice.
Mercy" gasped the petrifed Darce.
Ray Webster! ! thought"
That l was in jail at Deepford?
Scarcely" retorted the convict "Ruse
for ruse, Arnold Dacre, you played with
edged tools, Sheriff, arrest that man."
A spasm of dread convulsed the plot
ter. In a flash, he discerned the truth.
He had been led into a trap. His ap-
pearance had been unexpected, but Flora
Merwyn had undertaken the task, OF
winning a confession from his lips, and
had emmeshed him in the tolls Of a SUBJ
tie subterfuge.
As TO Ray Webster. there could be but
one explanation of his appearance here
some innocent person had been arrested
for him, or he had hired a man to i'm
~personate him. Aware of the landlords
scheme to arrest him, he had probably
bibbed some willing substitute to don his
disguise and take HIS place, for he stood
denuded of blue spectacles and false at
tire now.
Click!
Like the stroke OF doom, that omnibus
sound rang out as the Sheriff snapped
the handouts over the wrists of his priS-
oner.
Arrest me?" raved Dacre. "Sherift,
that man is your prisoner-an escaped
convict and embezzler-Ray Webster!'
He is no embezzler, replied the officer
calmly. Your own confession proves
it,"
His own confession! Arnold Dacre
gritted his teeth with impotent rage.
These people were witnesses to his act
of impetuous fol y. They had overheard
his conversation with Flora Merwyn-
from lis own lips he had condemned him
self, and pronounced sentence on his
many iniquities.
Your career is rum" spoke Ray Web
ster. Flora, my darling! do not trembie
so. Oh! my brave one, the task l es-
sayed of unmasking this heartless
scoundrel, your woman's wit, executed
readily. Sheriff, this man must be
lodged in jail. 1 will accompany you
and deliver myself up to the authorities.
Flora, courage, only a brief time. and
my innocence shall be proven!
You forget" Kissed the malignant
Dacre. This woma is my wife-that
victory, at last, is mine"
Your wife," uttered Ray Webster,
scornfully." No, l deprecate the farce
that desperate circumstances made nee
essary, but Flora Merwyn was already a
wife. She welded secretly this moru-
ing"
Arnold Dacre CRASHED his teeth in
baflled, impotent rage. Verify, the end
had come, and vengeance full and com
pIcte had been executed.
One last resource was left him. His
wicked eyes cleaned as he thought OF
it. He had directed the landlord to re-
turn to Deepford. In the saddle bags of
the steed he had driven he had slowed
the precious package. 1t would not be
discovered or removed. He could bank
on that, get word secretly to the land
lord, and employ it to purchase his lib
erty.
Take your pauper BRIDE" he raved,
pale and malignant at the calm and dig
nitied Ray Webster. THE fortune at
least shall never be yours"
"Her f~ortune?" replied Webster; that
she already possesses. l handed it to
her this morning."
"YOu?"
Yes"
sit is false. l have the package"
mo, you have a dummy stuffed with
old newspapers. l reached the cave be-
fore you did. The real contents of that
package are now in the possession Of
their real owner, my Wife" concluded
Ray Webster, with q loving caress of the
woman whose deep devotion was only
saddened, by the memory of her beloved
fathers cruel demise.
One month later, a series of rapidly
occurring events startled Ridgeield.
The first was q public explanation of
all the details Of the crime at the bank.
It, rehabilitated Ray Webster and his
wife in the estimation of their friends,
it removed every stain Ct evil from the
fair Merwyn name
The depositors we're paid in full out
of Flora's fortune, and as the last dollar
of debt was liquidated, Arnold Dacre
was marched to the State Penitentiary
on a fifteen years sentence.
AS he entered that living tomb, an
other man left TRAY Webster, bear
ing > full pardon from the Governor.
John Wharton recovered his reason.
His story was an atonement for the
past, and only went to enforce the vii
lainy of Arnold Dacre, AID the innocence
of Ray Webster. The latter found q
trace of his missing family, and, with the
injunction to Ego and sin no MORE" the
contrite tool of a wicked %scoundrel, with
the recovered Tom Cupple left Riogelield
never to return.
The banker, Abel Merwyn, has two
monuments to his integrity-one q mag
n"ificent mauselem in the Ridgefeld
cemetery. the other the staunch and
massive Bank.
For Flora insisted that Ray should
continue the enterprise. Its existence
indicated her dead fathers memory.
They are worthy of one another. these
tried souls, and only the saddening
thought of Abel Merwyn's fate, darkens
the entire union of two noble hearts ia
the trust and devotion of perfect love.
1.-THE END.
To Secure American Sailors.
Iio1kono nj Conn N anlar II q rlnu rrfll uialf