The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-12-18
CHAPTER XVI.
Confined.

and his niece began in silence. Ihey
were already in sight Of the little
group of buildings of which the Blue
Lion was the principal, when the girl,
turning suddenly to her uncle, asked:
Uncle George, what is the matter?
Why are you different, different to
me?'
There was q pause. A struggle was
going on in the mans breast a struS-
gle pitifully keen, between the love he
had always borne toward his Nell and
the attacks of doubt and suspicion. 1t
was in q husky, unnatural voice that
he presently replied, parrying the Ques-
ton:
Different! How dilfcrent?"
"You know, you know" Nell whis-
pered back.
George Claris looked at her And
for q minute the old trust came back
into his heart, and he told himself
that he was a fool, a miserable Old
fool, to allow q doubt of her absolute
goodness and truth to enter his mind.
And then again the ugly thoughts
which had begun to darken his mind.
subtly instilled by the doubt and sus-
picion in all the minds around him,
clouded over him once more. He could
not give her an open answer, although
he felt that it would have been better
if he could have done SO. He heaved
q big sigh, and answered without look
ing:
'Ah, we'll, my girl, it's not so easy
to be lively and cheerful with such
things as them," and he vaguely indi-
Gated the recent occurrence, jerking
his whip back in the direction Of
Stroan, happening under ones very
windows, almost"
And then they both were silent, both
conscious at the same moment that
they were close to the spot were the
body Of Jem Stickels had been found
on the previous night. Both uncle and
niece looked furtively at the spot, easi-
ly discernible by the trodden-down
condition of the wayside grass. And
then, quite suddenly, their furtive
glances sought each others face, and
for q moment their eyes met.
Uncle" asked Nell, in q whisper,
"was the gun that fired the billet
found?"
George Claris shook his head in an
swer.
This, indeed, was the chief difficulty
with which the local police, put on
their mettle by the presence in their
midst of Hemming, the London detec-
tive, had to contend.
The bullet found in the head of Jem
Stickels had evidently been fired from
an old-fashioned weapon, being of
large size and Of obsolete pattern. And
no weapon had been found in the
neighborhood, after diligent and eX-
haustive search. The theory of the
doctors was that the bullet had been
discharged from pistol at distance
of at least some yards; but at pres
ent this theory had borne no fruit ex-
cept in the brain Of the detective, Hem
ming.
That astute person had been revolv-
ing in his mind an idea, which he took
care to keep to himself, and which led
him, within an hour Of the conclusion
of the inquest, in the direction Of Shin
gle End.
Where would Nell be so likely to find
a weapon with which TO commit the
crime which freed her from her fear
Of Jem Stickels as at the house Of an
old soldier? Somewhere about the
house, and probably ina place with
which she, an habitue Of the house,
was we'll acquainted, the old colonel
would be sure to keep some mementos
of his soldering days, an inspection
of which Hemming felt was very like
ly to give him the clue he wanted.
1t was, as usual, Miss BoStal who
opened the door to him. Her prim face
seemed to light up on seeing who it
was
"ColEe in, do come in," said she,
throwing the door wide open, and in
viting him to enter the drawing-room.
81 do hope you have got some more
news for Us. Do you know I hope
more from what you will find out than
from all these country policemen! If
they were to sit and talk till mdsum-
mer, don't believe they would be any
nearer to finding out who did it than
they are now"
The detective smiled.
Il think you are too hard upon them,
ma'am," said he. '"They thiuk they've
got pretty good clue already. And
they quite expect to make an arrest
before many days are over"
Miss Bostal, who had followed him
into the drawing room, and was pro-
ceeGins to light solitary candle, after
her hospitable custom, shrugged her
little, thin shoulders impatiently.
'"They always say that. But what
do you Think
The detective did net answer ut once.
And when she turned to inquire the
reason of this, she perceived by the en-
preston of his face something had
startled him.
What is the matter?" she asked,
quickly.
Il suppose these doings have made
me nervous. like tho rest OF them,
ha'ani," answered lie. looking down at
his hat, and brushing it carefully with
his hand. For fancied l saw some
body looking in ut tho window"
Miss Bustal looked at him curiously.
II seemed to her that from where he
stood he could 500 neither Of the WILL
dows. nor cveu the reflection of one
of them III the glass over the mantel-