The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-02-22

YOU 10 aNDiQ near nS every "oid thns
was spoken by Lady Inchcspe, who
stood on the balcony above your open
window, and by Col mel AccriHgton. who
.tood in the garien before 1t
Your testimony will prove her inno
cence, and show how hopeless was Ac-
or ngton's purS, it Of her. BE careful,
then, that you do not falSify one sylla
ble. This, sir. is the only renaralion
yon can offer for the grievous wong
you have done
Sire .mbe writhed in humiliation.
How go cmnly he had affirmed that he
had heard nothing. in those days when
Lord Inchcape's faith in his wife hung
upon his testimony.
And now he must stuitify himself: lie
must expose his rocked policy. and show
that in de to mainta n comic table
ascendency in his pat on house he had
done his best to keep husband and fe
sunde ed for yeas. Fain would he ha
refused to recollect wo d Of the con-
We. sation in ,ueStion. but the cSolutc
exp esSion Of Edgar Arden's face iouted
that idea.
He must eitho confess to hypoc 'iSy
or be denounce TO crime as odiouS as
mu. der. lie was con lue Gu.
81 am will & to what you desi c."
said he "but how am ] to :ccaIl con-
We sation heard five years ago? No
mo tai could The sense emain' with
me. bm IL my life depended on it coud
n,t uote the exact phrases employed by
the two speakers.
Il shall OF leave yOu that excuse"
said Lord In hcape. who had, unseen hy
ST cOmbe spread my lad s man script
before hi n at the page N question.
when olonel Ac rim ton saw Lady
Inchrape standing on the alCony d rect
" above your window. did he not eau
ton her to 81 eak softly because OF your
pro imity?"
That / believe, was what was sa d.
stamm red the Sccrcta in astonish-
ment and then he saw the pape befure
the Earl an / crimsoLed with shame
Some other W THESES had come Tor
ward. then with his .stimony which the
Ear. had noted down and which was TO
be 4 test Of his own Truth now AS
5 sted by these notes there could be no
more shamm ng 70 getfulness: he must
speak out.
I'm what terms did the Colonel men,
ton you?" proceeded Lord Inchcale.
"lnSo entity" answered SircOmbe. who
had never forgott II or forgiven tho I'm
pertirencr. "And coupled with an
odiouS inSinuation. He i'm Jlied that my
lords secretary would not hesitate 10
trade on my lady secrets II he cou4
see his advantage in il Lady lnchcape
allowed the sander TO pass unQueS-
toned, which n,u,tice naturally irrj-
tated me, for my attachment TO my
patron interest had bern most deyot d..
"And this is your excuse for the in
Jury you did her?" said Inchcapc, coz
tenn tn usiy. "How b ind y | have
trusted craven But proceed. What
was Lady In :hcape's repiy?"
"She asked why ne had deserted his
post. or some such reproach The
JoI,ncI, think, excused himself by
quoting his desire for recon 'iliation
before they should part; he spoke as
lover won.d spcai"
"Eou give very free trans alton, sir.
sXcla med Lord lnchcape. stcr ly; re
mem. or that have the truth before ME,
and be more exact. l shall suffer no
distortions. Richard Ac rington spoke
as a lover, true, but was il not as a
scorncd and rejected lover? Answer
me"
"IIr did sue for more mercy, | nov -e-
member" reluctantly owned SircomDe,
whose stubborn pride revolted at every
Self-condemning admission he was
oh iged to make.
"Well, and the lady'S ans1er?"
@She reproached him for writing her
clandestine letter, and for the impCd nee
OF paving her q compromising visit at
such an hour" he stopped short,
glawing his lip
~Csntinus." thundered Lord Inchcaps.
my lord, can recall no more" pro
tested Sircombe. enjoying the cquiVocal
light he had put the ladys words in.
-WaS it anything like tn 81" demanded
the Earl. who read as follows: 'Ih re
can be no amity between you and me.
You ha dared TO WI tc me clandeS-
ri q letter; well, listen to mc-l have
not read it. Iou have come back to pay
me Il compromising visit you shall gain
nothing by that but 4 diSgraceful expos
ure: for am about TO call my house
hold TO prote me from the inSu IS OF
midnight intruder Well. Mr.. ST.
combc, do you lecollcct these words?"
sirrvmbe bowed in silence What use
to rebel any longer? He saw that LORD
Inchcapc was in possession OF tho trulh'
and that + fdgar ArLcn was ready TO DC.
nounce him if he cvad"d it.
"Can YOU recall G, lionel A crlnSton s
rcsponsr?' demanded my ord.
at was a menace, tlcr ely delivered
He spone of his love turning to hatred
and revenge. Wy la then deied MIN.
and the colonel taunted her with deiy-
ering over your IordShip t. his ven
geanc and promised to wJri his Will
upon you vt that moment, II l am
no: mistaken, IN y heard the appoarh OF
your lurdShir, and colo Accr ngton
, ,,,s,J bi,ys.if br paint NO the SDl-