The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-09-11
CHAPTER III.

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door had closed with a flicker Of dim
light and a rush Of cool air, shaking
from head to foot with excitement and
horror which made. him cold and sick.
Was she a thief; then, common
thief, this blue. eyed, pink-cheeked girl
who had Infatuated him the evening
before? This Nell Of the soft voice
and the bright hair, to whose pretty
talk he had listened with delight.
whom he had been ready to worship
for her gentleness, her affectionate
kindness for her rough old uncle? No,
It was impossible. He had been
dreaming. He would wake presently
to find that the experiences Of the last
few minutes had been a nightmare
only.
With a wish to this effect SO strong
that It was almost a belief, he thrust
his hand, under his pillow and felt
about for his watch and his purse.
But they were gone, without the possl-
bility Of doubt.
He Fprang out Of bed, groped his
way to the window and drew back the
heavy curtains. The dawn was break
ing, and pale, golden light was on
the sea. The rain Of the night before
had made the air cool and fresh, and
Clifford's brain was as clear at Is could
be as he threw open the window and
had to confess that the visit Of the
woman with the soft hand had been
terrible reality. He observed by the
dawning light that it was nearly four
o'clock. He examined his clothes, saw
that they had been disarranged, and
then he went to the door, turned the
handle softly, and looked out.
The landing was small and narrow,
and two doors opened on it besides
that Of Clifford's room. A steep and
very narrow wooden staircase led up
to the top of the house, and looking
up, Clifford could just discern that at
the top there was one door on either
side.
He went back into his room, dressed
himself, and sat by the open window
in a state Of great agitation. Far from
yielding at once to the apparently in
evitable conclusion, Clifford fought
against it with all his might. Quickly
as his passion for the girl had sprung
up. it was strong enough to make him
ready to accept any hypothesis, how
ever improbable, rather than accept
the evidence Of his own senses when
that evidence was against her. He
was ready to believe that there was in
the house another woman with hand
as small, as soft, as smooth-skinned as
the one he had held in his hand when
he bade Nell good night. And then
the desperate improbability of this
supposition struck him with the force
Of a blow. He remembered the stal.
wart, red-handed country wench who
had been helping the landlord in the
bar, and he was forced to admit that
the hand which had taken his watch
and purse was not hers. But mention
had been made Of "Old Nannie," per.
sonage whom he had not seen, and he
told himself that this might be nick.
name, and that the bearer Of it might
prove to be young and fair enough to
be the owner Of the thlevish fingers.
Although this explanation Of the
theft was very unlikely one, Clifford
hugged it with desperate persistency
until the dawn Of another suggestion
in his mind. This was q better one
certainly.
Was pretty Nell somnambulist? If
so. it only wanted good. hard stretch
of Clifford's imagination to picture the
girl as continually haunted, both by
day and night, with the idea of helping
and enriching her uncle, until at last
her wishes ran away with her and
took shape in her sleep in actual thefts
on his behalf. Clifford had read tales
Of this sort. which he had indeed
looked upon as highly imaginative
but now his love made him snatch al
this or at any way Of escaping the
dreadful possibility Of having to ac
knowledge that Nell was thief.
The sleep-walking notion had
brought him some comfort. and lie felt
quite hopeful about clearing up the
mystery. when faint noise outside
his door made him start up and listen
He peeped out upon the landing. but
there was no one to be seen. How.
ever, be kept his door ajar and
watched.