The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-12-25
CHAPTER NE1I.
Continued.

NO" LQeSe WOluS, ldheh "A't' 'N@N
tone in which they were spoken, were
strong tests of the lovers trust. But
Clifford did not finch. He told Hem
ming to call the nurse, who was wait
ing outside the door, and at once sent
q message to Nell to ask her to come
and see him.
And don't tell her." he went on,
with defiant glance at the detective,
"who it is that, wishes to see her"
When Nell came in, therefore, she
was taken by surprise. 1t worried
Clifford to note that she turned very
white and began to tremble violently
when she found who it was that want
ed to speak to her. Hemming came to
the point at once.
do you remember, Miss" said he,
in a very deferential tone, Colonel
BostaPs taking down an old pistol from
a nail in the wall of his house, about
q week ago. and showing it to you
and some other ladies"'
Yes, Nell remembered She threw
q frightened glance at Clifford as she
made this admission.
"Can you tell me who the ladies
were:"
"Mrs. Lansdowne and her daughter
and Miss Theodore and-and-1"
"The colonel fired it off, did he not"
Eyes"
'sAnd wanted you ladies to do the
same?"
EYES,"
"And did you do so? Please tell me
what happened.'
They were all afraid to touch it."
"All:"
Gall, except-except me-"
Trembling from head to foot, Nell
cast an imploring glance at her lover.
"you fired it off two or three times,
I believe, Miss? And you hit Z mark
that you fired at?"
The girl answered almost in Shrek
of terror:
Il did not hit it! Who says that
hit it?'
Clifford started up, leaning on his
arm. In an instant Nell recovered
enough Of her self-poSsession to tell
him to lie down again. But her voice
shook. Hemming spoke in very gen.
tie and apologetic tone as he went on
with his interrogatory:
''Is this the pistol you used, Miss"
He produced from one Of his pockets
the old cavalry pistol, which he had
brought from Shingle End.
Yes" replied Nell, not needing Cliff
fordS attempts to bring the eXamina-
tion to an end, that is the one"
do you remember what happened
when you had all seen it, and it was
done with?'
Yes. The colonel reloaded it
She stopped short and looked down.
'You are sure that he reloaded it?"
''Yes. He reloaded it, and hung it
upon the nail again."
Have you ever touched the pistol
sinceT
NO, no.
Has any one else, to your knowl-
edge, touched it since"
NO"
what is all this to lead to-" asked
Clifford, impatiently.
We'll, can't tell you yet, sir. But
the colonel says-and the young lady
and Miss Bostal all say the same-that
he put the pistol back on it's nail,
loaded, week ago; and when I took
it down from its nail tonight, it had
hoon 1icnhorro1 oil
ent, sir
For one minute Hemming waited,
expecting to have something said to
him by Clifford King or Nell. AS
they remained silent, he took his leave,
with more apologies for his intrusion.
The lovers looked at each other.
Nell" asked Clifford in q whisper,
when they had been alone and silent
for some moments, lis it true that
you fired it OFF,"
"Quite true. Now do you doubt me,
too?"
mo. swear I don't. But. Nell, my
darling, begin to tremble for you all
the same"
The young mans voice shook. Nell
gazed into his face in an agony of
horror
IF I knew anything, 1 would tell it,
whatever happened" she cried, sud-
denly. 1T is not fair that l should
have to suffer like thisr'
Now this speech was perplexing to
her listener, but she would give no
explanation Of it. She only told him
that she wanted time to think, to con-
slider. And Oh the following morning,
soon after breakfast, she called the
nurse out OF the room to ask if she
could so in and say goodbye to Mr..
King.
Clifford stared at her in astonish-
ment. She had on her hat and cloak,
and was evidently ready for a jour-
ney.
Didn't you know that was going
to London yesterday, to my aunt's?'
she asked. They stopped me, to give
evidence at the inquest. So 1 am 60
ing to-day, instead"
"But-"began Clifford, and hesitated.
you think it looks bad for me to 60
away" said she impatientiy. "Well.
people must think what they like. II
the police want me, dare say they
will be able to find me out" she ad-
ded bitterly.
Clifford was shocked
Don't, child, don't speak like that"
cried he. Il only thought you would
be too much interested in this business
to go away until they had found out
the truth"