The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-01

but above all the shrill voices of the
newsboys could be heard calling out,
"The tragedy in Mayfairl" There were
violets in an Indian bowl on one of the
tables and the scent of them seemed sti-
fling. l 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 a l,air-
breadth, and the fly on the wall paper
still kept between the lines-right in
the center / held my breath. / dared
not break the silence.
Suddenly the paper dropped. Gould
that be Mabel's voice, so 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.
knew it would. I did not dare to re-
ply nor even look at her.
Duncan" came the voice again, "it
was George you saw there!"
st 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 unclinching in sup
pressed indignation, while her whole
frame seemed to culver with excite
ment. "You believe him to be the mur-
derer?" she repeated.
"What else could I think? found
him there bending over her with the
broken dagger in his hands-his own
Venetian dagger which used to hang
over the mantelpiece in his room. Look
for yourself. The dagger is not there
now"
s'You found him there! We're you
not found there, too, with her watch in
your hands? Did ! rake you to be a
thief? You found him there indeedp'
SCI think you must admit began.
admit, Duncan! I admit nothing.
leave that to you. %
Suddenly a thought seemed to fash
across her.
$50, Duncan, it 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 brotherl
This is the way you show your love for
me? Love! Do you call this love:'
The fly still crawled on the wall, but
it had hopelessly lost its track.
] 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 ca4 I said
nothing about the murderer 1t the po-
lice station, save that I should Snow
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 is. He may still
escape.
Escape! 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 calmer,
for she saw her cruel suspicious of me
were unjust and unfounded.
"Mabel, s" I continued, 'can'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. l 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
| rib,e tension of the past few minutes.
| 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 Ter lips. 81 must have been
mad for the moment to suspect you
YOU of all men-of such madness. But
it was all SO horrible-so horrible"
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 bat
our love.
"Oh, Duncan, where do you think
George is now: Cannot you find out:'
Together we read the account which
traced him to Manchester.
Manchester she reflected. 1--WE
know no one there. He could have had
no motive in going there. Why did he
go, do you think:''
''To get them off the scent, sup
pose. Poor chap, he'll have fearful
task to keep out of their hands. +"
Duncan, you must go and find him
out. Tell him to come back and answer
! this dreadful charpe-this calumny."