The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-08

En -
recognize in this broken down wreck,
with worn face and haggard eyes, the
strong, bright, active man of few
short weeks ago. For one moment a
trace of his old look crossed his face
when he saw who was his visitor.
''Ah, you have come, Brett! 1 knew
you would. Coed God, isn't it awful?'
And be buried his face in his hands
thin, wasted hands.
I had determined to find out at this
interview whether there was possible
chance of his being innocent, so after a
few minutes I asked the brutal ques
ton:
"What on earth possessed you to kill
her, Fenton?'
He drew bach as if I had struck hin
Then he looked at me steadily, and re-
piled:
'.Brett, I thought you knew me! I
murder Harriet? I would have given
my life willingly for hers at any mo-
ment. Brett, by all that is holy, I swear
I have nothing to do with her death. %
:'sTell me all that happened that aw-
full night, % Irejoined. eve are NOV
ing heaven and earth for evidence. Per-
haps you may give me clew. .
It's weary work going over it ali
again, Brett. Harriet and ! had been
out for walk together, and as we turn
ed toward Spiegeleisen's I again urged
her to give some reason for refusing to
marry me. She would not do 50, and
told me she wished I would leave her
forever, as I was only making us both
unhappy by my persistence. There was
just enough in laer words, or, rather, her
tones, to make me hope, and caught
hold Of her hand and begged her to pity
me. She tried to withdraw it from my
grasp, but I would not yield it. And
this suppose some passerby took for
quarrel. ] could not make her alter her
determination, and SO I left her. I had
not gone far away-certainly not more
than score Of yards-when / heard a
smothered cry and dull thud. I look
ed back to sec Harriet on the ground
and man running away. I rushed to
her assistance, and the first thing saw
was that cruel weapon in her breast. In
the agony of my despair 1 tried to with
draw the dagger, but the hilt broke off,
and as that moment you came up. You
know the rest. :"
stAnd the lnan:" asked. Gould
not you describe him?''
Impossible. It was dark at the time
and my thought was all for my poor
love. He left absolutely no impression
on my mind. !"
My heart sank as I heard him speak.
IF this was all he could say, I felt there
was indeed no hope for him, for what
jury would believe such statement,
unsupported by a title of proof, in face
of all the evidence against him? was
eager to know him to be innocent, not
only for his sisters sake, and because
my marriage depended upon it, but be-
cause ! liked the lad, yet will honest
~ confess, when he told me what had
occurred, I did not believe him. I am
afraid my face must have shown what
I felt, for he looked at me in a panied,
troubled way, as much as to say, eff
you, my friend, doubt nae, what can /
expect from those who do not know
me?" But such thoughts were unproft-
able. I came in search of clew, and as
yet he had given me none.
stCan you tell me anything about her
people:'' Iasked. 3sThe police seem ut
terly at fault, and according to them
she was quite alone in the world. y
Fenton shook his head.
..She could not have been without
relatives and friends, but she would
never speak a5out them.
"But why:" asked. "What was the
mystery abous her, George?'
81 do not Know I felt there was
mystery all along, but did not think I
had any light to find out more than she
chose to tell me, and that was little
enough She never mentioned her IA
ther or mother, or. in fact, anything Of
her past life. Sometimes'I tried to lead
O6I Ou u tOo SUUJOCo, Uuo GIG oAWoyS
seemed to scent danger and kept clear
of all personal matters This thing l
know at any rate-she was Of gentle
birth and certainly had never been
brought up with the idea of being
servant. Not only did learn it by her
many accomplishments-painting, mu-
sic, singing, languages-which she
went out of her way to hide from me,
but which, nevertheless, would keep
cropping up--but from her manner Of
looking at everything, one could see
she spoke from standpoint far above
the position in which she was placed
81 pictured her, Duncan, brought up
in a refined English home, in easy cir
cumstances, with every social and in
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