The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-01
WALTER BLOOMFIELD
CHAPTER XIV.
PAfHER AND SON.

PArHER AND SON.
20 Ernest, my own dear boy. look
up and speak to me like yourself"
said my father. holding my hand and
looking down uDon me with an ex-
preston of deep solicitude upon his
kindly face.
I pressed my fathers hand and re
xarded him steadfastly. but made NO
reply, feeling painfully weak and Ill.
please don't irritate my patient.
Mr.. Trueman. With quietude. In day
or two be will be as wen as ever" said
Q voice at my side, which recognized
% belonging to DR.. Thurlow.
For q few seconds it was difficult
to realize my surroundings. familiar
though they were. Yes. this was my
room, and was lying In my own bed.
That was our housekeeper. sitting oy
the clear. low fire; and the sunlight.
which the drawn curtains subdued
but could not exclude. seemed to denote
midday.
With q great effort ! suddenly sat
upright. Leave me with my father"
I cried; II want to talk with him"
mot now, not now" answered the
doctor; another time viii do for that
You must rest"
mo; now, noww I exclaimed. with
sreat excitement. Father, send these
people away"
my dear boy, be calm. know all
that you would tell me, and care moth
ing about 1t. My ouly anxiety Is to
have you well again."
mo. NO; you do not know. ! must
tell you now"
ernest. my boy, for my sake don't
excite yourself. l say again. i know
all that you would tell me. For two
days and nights you have talked Of
nothing else"
..Impossible! Two days and two
nights! What do you mean"'
II think you had better withdraw
for q few hours, Mr.. Trueman." said
DR.. Thurlow; your presence disturbs
my patient"
Ny father re3ihquished his grasp Of
my hand andrtnoved reluctantly TO-
wards the door.
Don't leave me, father" ! implored.
stretching my arms out towards him;
and he at once returned to me. "Tell
me, what day is tbisY
"Wednesday"
"wednesday" I repeated stupidity;
"wednesday. My father says to-day
= wednesd. Then all Is lost" and
I lay back again on my pillow.
"Yes. to-day Ii Wednesday" corrob-
Grated Dr.. Thurlow. gently putting
hack the hair from my forehead with
his hand; "and before wednesday
comes again. l hope TO see you on your
pony. galloping past my house in your
usual style. But you are mistaken In
thinking that all is lost; on the COLI
trary. nothing 10 lost. There have
been no thieves here"
A long silence ensued, during which
] lay quite still. my face towards my
father. who had seated himself by the
side Of the fire. That two days and
nights had elapsed since l went down
into the crypt extinguished my last
ray Of hope Of obtaining the sequins,
and my normal calmness. to which !
had been o stranger from the hour OF
reading my ancestors Record. began
to reassert itself. At las, the house
keeper rose from her chair and noise
lessly Quilted the room. She was soon
afterwards followed by DIR. Thurlow.
who whispered few words to my
father, and then departed on tiptoe.
My wished-for opportunity had now
arrived, but was careful not to lose
Il by too great precipituncy. recent
events having taught me some policy.
and therefore allowed several Dia-
utss to elapse before I spoke.
"How was 1t that came to be here:
The last thing remember is being in
the crypt on Monday night. not long
after my return from London. What
has been the matter with me-? Don't
fear to tell me. am nearly. II not
quite, well, and 1t Will relieve my mind
10 know"
But DR.. Thurlow has just impressed
upon ME that l am not to talk to You
Of that; he says 1t will distress you"
eft Ii only natural that he should
think SO; but he il wrong. II he only
knew what know. he would not har-
given you such advice. See. am
calm and rational. Do please tell
me-"
There is really very little to tell,
and II Is hard to refuse you anything.
You must not let DR.. Thurlow know
that / have disobeyed him. On Mon
day night. or rather very early OH
Tuesday morning. John came Into my
room in q great fright and woke Inc
UP. I thought the old man was nad.
and for little while in my sleepy
state could make nothing Of his rapid
utterances and violent gesticulations;
hut at last he got me 10 understand
that he had been unable to sleep, nav
ing heard strange noises in the house
which induced him to so down stairs
to see II all was right. He found the
door of the stillroom open, anc also
the door which leads to the crypt.
The old man had the courage to de-
seemed into the crypt. where he was
Mortified to find you lying. as lie sup
posed, dead. He came up to me, as ]
have SAID. and rs soon as could make
out his story. went with him dow n to
the crypt. and together We brought