The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-06
BY Prof. VIM. Henry Peck
CHAPTER XIII.


Marks" said Nancy Harker, with a
grim smile at his position.
"As Luke Hammond will have my
life at his command as much when be-
fore me as there where he is" said
Marks with a CHASTITY smile, brave as
he certainly was, Il think can under
stand what you say much better with
cold iron further from my ears. A pis'
tol is liable to 60 off of its own accord
you know"
Hammond came around to the front,
and sat down with the table between
them, yet retaining the pistols ready
for service.
John Marks heaved long sigh OF
Infinite relief, and nodded to Nancy
BARKER to continue.
"Our child still lives, John Marks-a
grown-up man; your image, too, when
I last saw him. We-Luke Hammond
and I-alone can restore him to you;
but to regain your son, you must act
with us, and do as We shall dictate"
81 agree" said Marks. "You have
been deceiving me; but for the mere
nope Of ever greeting a son, I will act
with you. Last night you told me you
would need me in three days. Is this
the need you have of me?"
"Not all-partly. am glad you have
come, however" said Hammond. "And
now tell us how Harriet Foss traced
us to New York"
"Give me some confidence, also"
said Marks, warmly. Tell me why
this woman. Harriet Foss, so hates
you both. She came to New York on
the same steamer with me; recog-
nized her, and so she did me. She in
quired very cunningly after you, by
the name you bore when you were her
sisters husband; but 1 could give her
no information, for had been so long
q convict that I had lost all trace OF
you. She told me that, after l was
transported for that unfortunate bur-
glary affair, some twenty-four years
ago, you murdered her sister, then your
wife, and that she had sworn your
destruction. That at the time Of her
sisters death she was in Paris. On
hearing of her sisters death, she hast
ened to London, but was taken sud-
denly i'll on the way; and when she
reached the city, some weeks after,
you had fed, having first converted all
her sisters estate and your own into
ready money, as we'll as having feeced
her, Harriet, of much Of her own patrl-
mony. She told me she and her sister
were twins, and orphans at the time
of your marriage to her sister; that she
had trusted you with the guardianship
Of her estate.
"You will remember that Harriet
was Of a totally different temperament
from her sister. Harriet was quick,
passionate, impulsive even to ferceness.
You remember she shot and severely
wounded an officer who triled with her
affections"
"What is her appearance now? Has
she never married." asked Luke.
"She has never married, so she stated
to me-" replied John Marks; land I
know Of no reason to doubt her word.
Harriet Foss, impulsive and passionate
as she was, was and is one Of those
women who can love but once, in their
youth, and when they once love, they
pour forth their whole soul and being
at the feet Of the beloved one. Harriet
Foss devotedly loved the officer whom
she shot, but when he trifed with her.
her anger famed to very fury. She
told me, on the voyage to New York,
that she had now but one object in life
revenge for her sisters death. You
ask of her appearance. She is still a
fine and stately looking woman, jet
black hair and eyes, in her fortieth.
perhaps forty-fifth year."
"She is forty-si1, my age" said
Nancy Harker, decisively.
"She does not look so near to forty,
madame, as you do to sixty" said
Marks, with grin OF malice.
Nancy took no notice of the sneer;
she had long since ceased to care for
her looks, good or bad.
But how came she to think her sis.
ter had died other than q natural
death?" asked Hammond; land why
lay it to me?"
"She says" replied Marks, that her
D..l
question, Luke Hammond-merely to
satisfy my own mind. Cn what day
did her sister die?"
ION Tuesday, the 11th Of August"
said Hammond.
But the notice of her death in the
London papers stated Monday. the
10th. Harriet Foss showed me two
old gazettes with it so printed" said
Marks une asily.
This mistake arose." said Luke, "in
the incorrectness Of the timepiece to
which referred when Harriets sister
breathed her last. Immediately wrote
4 notice of it, and sent it to the papers,
that it should appear in the next issue.
The timepiece at which l looked lndi.
Gated five minutes OF twelve-five min
utes of midnight; but I afterwards no.
ticed that the watch was not running,
and on comparing my own watch with
that of my sister, who was present, we
concluded that my wife died at fifteen
minutes after twelve, on Tuesday, the
18th of August"
"Great heavensw cried Marks. start
ing up. Luke Hammond. these
dreams and visions have some terrible
oooopinnv,