The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-21

20. This change, coming so quickly
after an interest as marked as it was
respectful, struck the young girl most
painfully, and she blushed deeply as
she returned his bow. But she con-
trived to say that she hoped to see him
again, even though she had been
obliged to refuse the request he had
urged. To which he replied by hasty
II hardly think shall be able to come
again." instantly covered by the more
polite remark: II shall do myself the
honor, certainly" After which he
backed out of the room and house with
an assumption of cordiality which, not
being real, left only the most unpleas-
ant recollections behind it. What had
it all. meant? They never knew, for
he never came again, nor did they ever
have an opportunity to obtain any ex.
planation from the friend who had
given him his letter Of introduction,
for this person had sailed for Europe on
or about this time and had not yet re-
turned. The letter, signed by this
friend and containing the name OF
their strange visitor, was all that re-
mained to prove that the affair had
not been a perplexing dream.
The next fact that engaged the detec-
tive's attention was a more serious
one. In the room of the girl who had
perished in the alley had been found
box Of bonbons of make and quality
so superior to what are usually in
dulged in by the daughters of toll that
attention was at once attracted to
them. The physician especially who
had conducted the autopsy over the
DOOR girls remains had shown the
greatest interest in it, finally carrying
it home and subjecting the sweets to
test that effectually proved the pres
ence of poison in them. This discovery
altered the whole character Of the af-
fair, and eventually affected the YER
dict. For the poison there found was
a subtle one, capable of producing the
very effects noticed in the young girl.
She had, therefore. without doubt, died
from poison, and the person who gave
her these sweets was open to the
charge Of murder.
Feeling that the affair was becom'
ing somewhat oppressive Mr.. Gryce'
turned to the consideration Of the Sec
ond group Of facts given to him by the
inspector. Hitherto attention had been
given solely to such girls as had been
proven to be victims Of the plot. But
the time had now come for q study
into the characters and actions of
those who, from their manner Of life
or the circumstances surrounding them
gave evidence Of being sufficiently de-
PRAYED to make it eXcusable in the po-
lice to search among them for the par.
ticular Jenny Rogers in whose behalf
this conspiracy had been formed.
A list Of such girls lay before him,
together with such data as served to
individualize them and show why they
had been regarded with doubt. In
number they were three, and in cir
cumstances differed as much as their
possible victims had done. One was
fashionable belle, yelling her wicked.
ness behind a show Of luxury and su.
perficial glitter; another. clairvoyant,
suspected Of very shady operations,
but never convicted Of anything worse
than deceiving the weak and trusting
ones who consulted her wisdom and re-
lied upon her skill; the third, we'll.
known adventures, whose beauty ard
whose means were both on the wane,
and who. Of the three, Mr.. Gryce at
once decided to be the woman he was
in search Of.
His reasons for this were simple.
The woman, to whom the promise had
been made that in a month there
should not be another Of her name left
in town, was walking at that time in
a we'll lighted street at 4 very late
hour. Now the fashionable belle al
luded to never walked. She boasted
that the pavement did not know the
touch Of her feet; consequently he did
not believe that she would have been
led to tread the streets so late with
any companion or on any pretext what.
ever. The clairvoyant was different
sort of being. You could as little i'm.
agine her riding as the other walking.
But she was one Of those deep, far
seeing ones who would as soon give
away her soul as discuss any plan she
had formed in the public street. The
on the contrary, was i'm
petuouS and, if as wicked as the 9TH
ers, was neither as fastidious nor as
wise.
- To be continued.
The Editors Joy.
Tboro 70 1,,,t opa mora uook- of eip o1o