The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-08

"Yes."
"Was it you who warned me"
"I Whispered through a crack In the
wall in about the spot where De-
lieved your bed to be-"
"a thousand thanks, my dear sir
When awoke hardly knew whether
I had dreamed it or not. Then my
eve caught the fellows head at the
window. I waited until he crawled
in and then doubled both up together
Every neatly done, sir, 1 must say
These rascally thieves are very daring
just at present"
"I have been thinking it over and
had about come to the conclusion that
these fellows were bent upon some,
thing else"
"Eh! You mean murder? That they
are some of the Mahdps followers or
spies, determined to have vengeance
on you for the part you took at hhar'
toomT' says Mr.. Grimes.
perhaps so. Are you dressed, sir?'
partially so. I couldn't sleep and
was looking out Of the window from
an easy chair when I heard q noise
and caught sight Of the sly rascals
climbing up the wall like couple OF
monkeys. I was puzzled at first how
to warn you, and only hit upon that
little scheme as a happy thought. Glad
to know it worked so we'll"
Would you mind coming into my
room"
Not at ALL" responds the pseudo sill
yer king, cheerfu!iy. II am always
at the service cS my friends, and par
ticularly Mynheer Joe."
II want to investigate something
think I've got a clew to still dark
er piece Of business"
Good for you, my boy!
Mr.. Grimes's head vanishes from the
window. When, a few minutes later,
he opens the door of Joe's room,
which the latter has unfastened, he
finds that worthy has lighted a lamp,
with which the room is fortunately
provided in place Of the ordinary can
die.
Mynheer Joe seems to be bending
low, as if examining something on the
floor. Has the man upon whom he
pounced been wounded, and does Joe
think he can learn anything from the
stains left behind
AS Mr.. Grimes bends over his shoul-
der he makes a discovery that forces
an exclamation from his lips. Upon
the floor can be seen the fragments Of
a small vial that has evidently been
shattered by some violent conclusion.
This, in itself, is not what wrenches
that cry from the detective. He sees
the mating covering the floor discol-
ored and eaten into hy some power
full agent.
What do you say?" asks Joe, SOL
emnly.
Mr.. Grimes rubs one finger over
the ruined mating and feels the re-
suit almost Immediately.
There can be no question about the
nature Of that acid" he replies, and
his whole manner is sober, as though
he realizes the extreme gravity Of the
situation.
Mynheer Joe mods his head.
1T is the proof I was looking for.
My suspicious now have q double
foundation. I no longer grOpe in the
dark-I see."
lone thing is as evident to me as the
nose on your face. You have a foe
who would hesitate at nothing in or
der to gain revenge. A fiend in mortal
shape for whom the tortures Of the
Inquisition would be too good"
Exactly! You understand, this par
ty does not seek my death, but would
make me a hideous object for life,
from whom women, and one woman
in particular, must turn with shudder-
ing horror"
Good heavens, Joe, can you mean
it?"
Does not the evidence point that
way. The one woman to whom I
have reference-let me be plain In
tllis-is Molly Tanner. Who is it hates
me because she smiles on me. You,
yourself, told me this baron was a
human fend who had fought numer-
Gus duels and who looked upon the
lives Of his fellows as mere stepping
stones by means Of which he could
climb upward"
Perhaps you are right, Sir" says
Grimes, refectively.
He cannot quite come to the convic-
ton that q white man could be guilty
Of such dastardly piece of business.
And 1 grow more positive Of it
with every breath that I draw. have
not yet told you of the first cause for
such 4 suspicion that came to me"
pursues Joe, in the earnest way that
marks his advance always.
Suppose you do?'
when l jumped on the fellow who
was crouching here, I must have sent
this vial flying from his hand-see
where it struck the wall and was
smashed. My idea, Of course, was to
clutch him and toss the rascal through
the open window, but he squirmed
like an eel, and hence was compelled
to deal him several blows about the
ribs to quiet him. 1t was during the
progress of this little campaign that
the fellow gave utterance to several
cries. He was not 4 Moor nor an
ArIb nor vet q fpll1h who called ont
but Hindoo, beseeching Brahma to
save him from the foreign devil"
Mr.. Grimes gives vent to an express
sion that marks surprise, and yet, be-
ing very conservative man. lie is
not wholly ready to agree with his