Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-08
"I came across them quite suddenly,

| "Yes, think that he was 80; but he
had gone in moment"
The old man gazed doubtfully at me.
am not an adept at lying, and he felt
there was something was endeavoring
to conceal. He looked at me with keen.
critical eyes and left the room.
For some moments after the noise Of
the closing Of the door there was dead
silence in the room. There were the tick
ing of the clock on the mantelpiece and
the sounds of the busy world outside,
but above all the shrill voices Of the
newsboys could be heard calling out,
1.-The tragedy in Mayfair" There were
violets in an Indian bowl on one Of the
tables and the scent of them seemed sti-
fling. I longed to rush to an open win
dow for relief, but there stood Mabel,
with the newspaper held mechanically
before her She had not stirred hair
breadth, and the fly on the wall paper
still kept between the lines-right in
the center. I held my breath. I dared
not break the silence.
Suddenly the paper dropped. Gould
that be Mabel's voice, 80 hard and cold,
that seemed to speak in some far dis
tance?
Duncan, was it George?"
The fly had gone to the left after all.
I knew it would. I did not dare to re-
ply nor even look at her.
Duncan" came the voice again, III
was George you saw thereP'
ut was"
"And you believe him to be the mur-
derer?" She drew herself up to her full
regal height. her eyes flashing and her
hands clinching and unclinohing in sup
pressed indignation, while her whole
frame seemed to quiver with excite
ment "You believe him to be the muir.
aerer?" she repeated.
"What else could I Think I found
him there bending over her with the
broken dagger in his hands-his OWL
Venetian dagger which used to hang
over the mantelpieoe in his room. Look
for yourself. The dagger is not there
niw."
"You found him therei We're you
not found there, too, with her watch in
your hands? Did I take You to be q
thief You found him there indeed u
"Ithink you must admit I began.
admit, Duncanl admit nothing.
I leave that to you. l."
Suddenly a thought seemed to flash
across her.
$50, Duncan, 1t is owing to your ad-
missions that George is now being hunt
ed. To free yourself you have cast sus'
picion upon him-upon my brother
This ia the way.yon show your love for
me? Lovel Do you call this lover"
The fly still crawled on the wall, but
1t had hopelessly lost it's track.
I was quite calm now. The worst
had come, and more than the worst
but, at any rate. could speak quite
openly.
Mabel" said, will you listen to
me for one moment? am absolutely
innocent Of casting any suspicion upon
George. His name has never passed my
lips in connection with the case. l said
nothing about the murderer at the po-
lice station, save that should know
him again if saw him. You must see
from that paper that George has brought
all the suspicion upon himself by run
ming away and by trying to get rid OF
the dagger. Even now none but you
and / have the faintest suspicion who
the man described ia He may still
escape"
"Esoapel What do you mean? OF
course he will come forward and ex.
plain why he was there. You were ar
rested for the crime and released, and
George will have as good reason as
you had for being there"
As she said this Mabel grew oalmer,
for she saw her cruel suspicious Of me
were unjust and unfounded.
Mabel, continued, "oan't you i'm
agine my feelings and understand the
agony have suffered since l saw George
there and my desire. not to be the
bearer of this horrible news to you?
Why, Just now your father has left me
with suspicion because / would not
speak openly of the. man. could not
have believed you ever could have
doubted me so or said such cruel
things"
Duncan, forgive me-" said Mabel,
now white and trembling from the ter
rible tension of the past few minutes
I knelt at her side and kissed her cold
hands, calling her by every endearing
name.
Forgive me, darling" she said
again, for moment touching my fore
head with her lips Il must have been
mad for the moment to suspect you
you of all men-of such madness. But
it was all so horrible-so horriblel"
And at the recollection tremor after
tremor passed over her frame.
drew her gently to me. and in my
arms tried to make her forget all but
our love.
"Oh, Duncan, where do you think
George is now? Cannot you find outi'
Together we read the account which
traced him to Manchester.
Manchesterl'' che reflected. "We
know no one there He could have had
no motive in going there. Why did he
90, do you Think"
ITO get them off the scent, l sup.
pose. Poor chap, he'll have fearful
| taak IN keen ont of their hands,"