The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-21
CHATTER XII.
IN ONE ACT.

~A>SN
mind of the a%stounded, overwhelmed
Arnold Dacre, for the first time in his
bold, evil experience of wrong-doing, he
ouailed and weakened like the veriest
craven.
To dispose of a foe efectually, to
map out a straight course Of progress for
q new career, and to have that Zoe ap-
pear, silently, secretly, and score the
6rst point in the game, was enough 20
dismay a more ~resolute soul than that or
the over-confdent plotter.
In a flash he discerned the truth. The
t~ell-tale ticket had revealed all. Agood"
conduct badge, emitting an inmate OF
the state penitentiary to certain prlVl-
leges as q reward for meritoriouS beha-
vior, who could have possessed it but
the owner OF that number, 1924, VINO
could have dropped it in the carriage
seat but the driver of the vehicle?
And convict No. ., 1924, as Arnold Da-
Gre well knew, was no other than the eX-
clerk of the bank, the alleged embezzler,
the..disgraced' lover of Flora MerWyn-
Ray Webster!
He had escaped, that was certain. He
had returned to Ridgefeld. He had ar
rived at an opportune moment, at a criti-
cal climax in the affairs of the bank
and ne had acted!
Struck dumb with q full realization OF
what that meant, the villain: chilled
with vague augury and dread. He had
been mistaken when he had said that
but two persons in the world possessed a
knowledge of the vault combination, the
dead banker and himself. There was
yet another, but so securely had he
wound q net Of seeming guilt about that
third person, so strongly had he shut
him in to a loathsome prison cell, that
he had never remembered that Ray
Webster also knew the secret KEY to the
massive vault door. That knowledge had
probably saved Flora Merwyn's life, and
had robbed the schemer of his victim.
He had appeared nysteriously, he must
have witnessed the interview between the
schemer and his confederate, John Whar-
ton. The ladder, the carriage! Rescu-
ing the imperiled girl, conveying her to
the vehicle, he had removed her from
the power OF her enemies.
Then! The strong man shivered as he
recalled the awful debt Of blight and
wrong the innocent Ray Webster owed
him-as he recalled, too, the firm, reso-
lutte nature OF the escaped convict A
worthier champion Flora Merwyn could
MOI have found, for what vengeance and
duty might fail to accomplish love would
certainly attain.
'..Bafled-beaten!" he found voice to
hiss forth at last, and he staggered into
the open air with a wild impulse to fly
the scene precipitately, ere tie avenger
appeared to betray, to unmask. to pun.
ish him.
THE money, the fortune-the package
/ entrusted to John Wharton, that first!'
he gasped. ut is folly to remain here
now. The story of Ray Webster would
raise a storm of suspicion that the cor.
Operative evidence Of Flora Merwyn
would augment to certainty. No, every
hours delay is fraught with danger. 1t
Is fight row-fight only. I must see
Wharton, and at once"
l. A bitter scowl darkened the sinister
face, Fortune was much; luxury the
keynote Of this mans nature, but the
fair face Of Flora Merwyn bad Been a
lode-star in the past He was suscep-
tive Of at least one genuine emotion-he
valued her love, be had craved it, he had
sworn to possess it, and now, with a
muttered malediction he hurried for.
ward. All that must be abandoned.
He arrived at John WhartoD's lodgings.
At the foot of the stairs stood a little
group. They were discussing the old
clerks queer behavior. Dacre glided
into the shadow and listened to them
unseen.
Hes gone clear daft" spoke one.
"Why! when ! asked him if the bank
would pay q dividend Of ten cents on the
dollar, he laughed in a silly way and
said he expected two millions from the
government in new gold coin tomorrow"
'Yes," spoke up a second, land he's
beer cutting pasteboard into bits, and
pretending they were drafts on New
York. Oh! his troubles have certainly
driven him witless. Poor, honest fellow!
little he dreamed of the viliainy OF
others, that was to drive him out in the
world q pauper in his old age"
A covert smile crossed Dacre's face
as he stole noiselesslY up the stairs.
The court woald scarcely attempt to
question alunatic as to the affairs Of the
bank. Oh! it was a royal game, ad-
mirablv played. Pity tor it, that, after
all this shrewd, careful plotting, flight
should be necessary, with but half the
precious prey at stake attained!
The sounds Of an excited voice raised
in frantic, incoherent tumult quickened
Dacre's steps. He pressed the knob OF
the door that led into the old clerks
sleeping apartment A vivid picture
filled his vision as he did so.
There stood the Sheriff, a cloud OF
concern and distress on his brow, re-
garding a wild, uncouth figure, crouch
inc orainct tho hpd .John Wharton'S
ashen face glowered forth strangely.
Even Dacre, believing it all a farce, all
pretence, lost sight of the superb acting
of his subordinate, in the awful frenzy
the miserable wretch portrayed.
.'Checks-drafts-bills of exchange.
Step up gentlemen, take your choice,
millions in fresh, crisp banK-notes, bill
ions in government bonds and foreign
securities, and in the ~vaults-gold!"
Thus prated the old clerk, quietly
enough. OF a sudden, however, he fixed
his eyes on vacancy. With a terrible
scream, he sprang to the other side of
the room.
'Gold? No! no." he shrIebed wildly,
cit is not gold. 1t is Flora Merwyn's
golden tresses. Get her out-get her
out! Mercy! do not cross the checks
with red mkt is the llfe-blood of
Banker Merwyn-murdered! murdered!
Gold! gold! gold! my heart is filled with
it, and l am sinking, sinking, sinking to
perdition!"
A quick token of alarm came into
Arnold Dacre's eyes. Was this sham
ming-acting? Why this illusion to the
missing girl, this terribly realistic horror
in the haunted eyes OF the old clerk?