The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-15

IN hand, in front of the Abbot's Cell.
probiug between the bricks with
pocket knife. John asked your uncle
II he could assist him In any way. who
thereupon turned upon him In great
anger and alaHm, cursing him for
meddlesome old fool A little later
your uncle gave old John two sover.
eigns, and told him not to think SER
iously Of what he had said: that he
liked to express himself emphatically.
The incident impressed our old servant
rs a strange occurrence. but aroused in
him no suspicion of foul play. When.
however. on the occasion Of his visit
here with his wife. your uncle was
observed to 60 down into the crypt
a second time, and to remain there the
greater part Of one night, old John
feared that some sinister design
against my interests must be afoot;
vet he dared not again follow him.
and refrained from reporting the cir.
cumstance to me lest. my brother hav.
ing gone there with my permission,
I should resent the imputaton which
the giving Of such information would
necessarily imply"
Again my father paused, as II ex.
pecting me to remark upon his nara
tive; but I uttered no word. and ne
went on:
"On visiting the crypt next morning
John found that sufficient bricks had
been removed to allow Of entrance
into the cell. and entering there him.
self for the first time he observed
that the place contained several very
heavy chests. Concluding that It was
merely curiosity which had induced
your uncle to visit the crypt. John did
not 20 down there again until the day
before you went to London. when the
chests were all empty. and he picked
ND two Of these sequins just outside
the cell The third sequin was found
by q housemaid in the bed room oc-
cupied by your uncle and aunt. and
was brought by her to me-"
A long silence ensued. which both
Of us seemed unwilling to break. At
last I said:
And you are satisfied that uncle
Sam stole those sequins"
unfortunately. am" he replied
bowing his head. II wish to Heaven
/ could have arrived ut SOME other
conclusion. But 1t was not possible;
the evidence was too clear and ad'
mitted of NO alternative"
"The evidence Is not clear to me.
Might 1t not be that some person other
than uncle Sam is the thief-old John
himself, for instance-and that he is
diverting suspicion Of the real THIEF
to your brother?'
"Ah, my boy. ! have thought deeply
Of all that" said my father. shaking
his head sadly. John Adams Is an
old man who believes he Is without
q relation in the world. He was In
your grandfather's service when lie
was quite q young boy. years before
I was born. and has always shown
himself truthful and honest. He does
not want for money, for not long ago
he told me that he had fG00 In the
bank, the result Of his lifelong econo-
nv and self-denial. Now that he is
old, and visibly nearing the close OF
his life. 1t Is quite improbable that
he would so out Of his way to rob
me of g large sum Of money which
could be Of very small use to him.
Besides, he was always an admirer
of your uncle Sam; he frequently asked
me for news Of him. and expressed
much. pleasure when Informed that
he was coming to England. Anu
these are the circumstances OF the
case, all Of them pointing one way.
Did not your uncle himself speak to
me about the treasure very soon
after his return here?-a subject not
mentioned by anybody for l don't
know how many years. And what OF
the sequin found by Phoebe on the
door OF your uncle's bedroom? And
haven't we seen what has been the
effect upon John Of the whole affair!
Why, It very nearly killed him; and to
this day he goes about the house the
shadow of his former self. He has
aged terribly. DR.. Thurlow was re-
marking to me only yesterday how
rapidly he is breaking up"
Still l am not convinced" / said;
but you make me doubt, whics Sc
fore l did not"
To be continued.