The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-10-30

| to talk to you now or at any other
time, but especially now."
"What do you mean by especially
now eh, Miss Fine-Lady-Peacock?" 2"
asked Jem, who had evidently been
drinking, although he knew what he
was doing.
But for answer the girl turned sud-
denly and started to run back to the
inn. Jem, however, being prepared for
such attempt, soon caught her, and
this time they were too far away from
the detective to hear what they said,
although he could distinguish the tones
of their respective voices.
1t was evident that the very next
words uttered by Jem made great
and terrible impression upon Nell.
Her face, which had at first expressed
nothing but loathing and disgust, be-
came in q moment rigid with horror,
as the young man. standing quite close
to her, and speaking in hoarse whis'
per, said something to her in an ex-
| cltpd and earnest manner.
So anxious was the detective to learn
what it was which produced so strong
an effect upon the girl, that he crawled
from his hiding place to the ditch
which ran alongside the road, and
crept along, sometimes in the water,
and sometimes only in the mud, until
he was close enough to the two speak.
ers to catch most of their words. When
he stopped, the girl was refusing some
request of the mans, with all the en-
crgy of Ioathing and detestation.
"Of course I will not" she was say
ing vehemently. "Of course, nobody
would believe you for moment. And
1 don't suppose you would dare to tell
them to anybody else, for fear Of be-
| ing taken for lunatic."
Don't you? Oh, all right, then"
sneered Jem. 81 ma tell that Hem
ming then, thats been spying round
here lately, and that's put your uncle's
back up SO by the questions he's been
asking. I may tell him, eh, Miss?'
The detective could not see the girls
face as. she answered, after a little
pause:
"You may CON- up with NE to Shin
gle End, and tell your story to the
colonel and Miss Theodora; that's
what you may Go-if you dare
There was another pause, and the
detective knew, from the way in which
she had uttered these words, as well
as from the attitude in which she wait
| ed for the fisherman's answer, that she
was less defiant than her words. At
last the fisherman spoke again. And
it was clear that the proposal was not
to his taste.
Look here, Miss Nellm said he in
argumtntative tone, do you really
dare me to do that? Come, you know
as shouldn't have dared to have spok-
en- to you so open if hadn't got proof
positive. Now, come, Should I? Why,
your face told as how you knowed l
knowed, and so what's the good Of
Drawing me? And knowing what I
know, isn't it plain mean no harm,
when could easy earn pound or two
out of peachin' to the detective chap?
Come, now, you must see it, eh?"
"Come and say it out, then, before
witnesses-I dare you to do it!' re-
torted Nell, with a little more assur-
ance as she noted The mans reluct-
ance to take this step.
mo, I shan't" he replied, sullenly.
II shall go to work my own way. And
I say this: if you choose to speak civil
to me, I don't ask for much more, and
to ask me in to tea with you and your
uncle, just how you asked the young
swells as were down here three months
back, why, hold my tongue, and it'll
go no farther tnan you and me. But
If you don't choose to do this"
II don't choose~ retorted Nell, quite
fiercely. II tell you the whole story
is absurd, and that nobody would be-
.ieve you for moment, and you can
tell it to whom you please"
And she suddenly sprang away from
Jem, and gaining the road with rapid
steps, walked quickly in the direction
of Shingle End.
"All right" shouted Jem, threaten
ingly, in stentorian tones, as he kept
pace with her, walking towards the
colonel's house by the fields, as she
went by the road. "But'if you'll take
my advice, you'll make clean breast
of it TO your grand friends, and see if
they don't say you'd best keep in with
me"'
AS he shouted the last words, Jem
Stickels passed the spot where the de-
tective was in hiding. Within a few
moments the latter took the opportuni-
ty of issuing from his uncomfortable
shelter, and, following Jem at a quick
pace, came up with him before he
reached the fence which surrounded
the colonel's garden.
rs that you, Stickels?" asked he, as
if he were not quite certain of his
man. Here want to have word
with you"
To be Continued.