The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-01-22

uel uOuSe. he mdue uiSlohc' Ia11
was ALL
what business do you meanT'
asked Clifford, uneasily.
"Well, sir, think you ought to know
by this time," replied Hemmlng, eva
sively.
Clifford pondered for few moments.
Then he asked:
"Have you been to the house?"
"No, sir. I am waiting for further
instructions first"
Clifford looked at the little weather
beaten dwelling, which had lights il
two of the upper windows. He fan
cied he could detect watching figure
behind the narrow curtain of one Of
them.
81 suppose it was your man." he
said suddenly, "who has alarmed the
poor lady so much by his knocks and
thumps at the doors and windows?"
Hemming's face could not be seen
distinctly in the darkness, but Clifford
had fancy that he was smiling as he
answered.: II.
Every likely, sir"
Clifford, who was growing more puz-
zled, more curious, every minute,
turned abruptly away and walked
round to the back door Of the house,
by which had been admitted that
morning.
He knocked two or three times with
his stick against the door before he
heard a window above his head softly
opened. Looking up he heard a whis-
per in Miss Theodora's voice.:
us that you, Mr.. King"
eyes"
"You are alone"
"Why, yes, of course. Il have just
seen Nell"
As he had expected, this answer
brought the little lady down in the
twinkling of an eye. He heard the
bolts drawn, and minute later he
found himself dragged inside the door.
while Miss Theodore, painting with her
exertions, hurriedly fastened the door
again.
81 have seen your bogy," said Cliff
ford, "the man who toremnts you at
night. He attacked me just before l
came to the corner"
"Ahg" cried Miss Bostal, with a
shake of her head. 81 have found out
who he is now. He is the man who is
at the bottom of all these robberies
and of the murder of poor Jem."
"IndeedT said Clifford, politely, but
without deep excitement.
For he rather looked down upon the
little lady's intelligence, which he
thought was by no means so strong as
her kindness Of heart.
Yes" she said, "he is the man who
got such hold upon poor Nell that he
got her to do whatever he pleased"
The notion was SO shocking that, i'm
probable as it appeared, it made Cliff
ford shudder.
But why" he asked impulsively,
SHOULD Hemming let him come here
and worry your"
"Hemmingw echoed Miss Bostal.
Then she was silent. They remained
in the little stone passage for a few
seconds, unable to see each others
face. Then she passed him, and run
ming quickly to the dining-room door,
threw it open and entered, beckoning
to Clifford to follow.
. Papa" said she, breathlessly, and
in little futter Of excitement, pat
ting her little hands softly and rapidly
the one against the other, 1T Is the
detective Hemming who is sending
this wretch to annoy US. Mr.. King
says so"
The Colonel, who, as it seemed to
Clifford, had aged since the morning,
got up slowly from his chair and
stared at Clifford with haggard eyes.
"Hemming" said he in broken
voice. "The detective! Wha-a-t Is
he here for?"
"You don't understand, papa" piped
Miss Theodora's bright, shrill voice.
Il didn't say he was here. But Mr.
King tells me it is he who sends the
man to knock at doors and windows at
night. Didn't you, Mr.. King"
Clifford did not Immediately answer.
He saw that he was upon the thTesh-
old Of a mystery, to which the staring
eyes and trembling limbs Of the un-
happy old man before him seemed al.
ready to give him the clue. Without
waiting for Clifford's answer to her
question, Miss Theodore suddenly
went on again:
"You said you had just left Nell, Mr..
King. Where was that?''
He hesitated. He was overwhelmed
with a feeling of pity for these two
forlorn people, shut up and barricaded
within their poor tumbledown house.
So that, although he certainly had a
vague belief that the old Colonel was
in some unknown way involved in the
crimes which had made SO great stir,
yet he longed for his escape as much,
or almost as much, as he longed for
Nell's. So he answered in q troubled
voice:
81 left her-in the hands Of the po-
lice"
There was the warning, if the Colo
mel needed it. The old man shook SO
much, as he heard the announcement,
that Clifford began to fear the "stroke"
which the police sergant had pre-
dicted.
Miss Theodore turned pale and
clasped her hands.
1.-THE policew she exclaimed, as if
scarcely able to grasp the dreadful
fact. And she twirled round, as If