The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-08

swell with villainous pride Of his Gun.
ming. $50 do not think to battle me-"
go on, fiend! Go on with this cata.
logue Of crime, that we may hear the
end of it, and be rid Of your detestable
presence" said Elgin, sternly.
"Clara heard enough from my treach-
erous sleep talk" said Luke, "to more
than arouse her suspicious. We were
then in Virginia, near Richmond, far
from the home and friends of her
youth. She was in my power. con-
fessed all to her, and begged her for
giveness. I told her her lover was
dead. I was able to prove to her that
he was no more. showed her his last
will, and made the fact Of his death
clear and beyond all doubt to her mind.
I appealed to her as my wife, as her
husband, to forgive the deceit, for, by
my life, Henry Elgin, had learned
to love her"
wretch! who could not have loved
the gentle and beautiful, noble and
faithful Clara Sandford?"' cried Elgin.
"Did she forgive you, monster"
"She did forgive me; not for my
sake, but for the sake Of our then un-
born child" said Hammond, very pale
and much agitated, hard-hearted vii
lain as he was.
Henry Elgin groaned, and poor
Kate's grief was pitiable to see.
Little did Luke Hammond know
that a third listener was hearing this
confession, and hearing it with
clenched hands, fiery heart and hard
set teeth-longing to be able to burst
from his confinement, and strangle
him there on the spot-kill him! crush
him as venomous thing unfit to live.
Hammond continued:
"But after Clara heard that I was
not her lover, but spurious Luke
Hammond, triumphant in my plots,
she never spoke to me, or came near
me, when it was possible for her to
shun me without creating suspicion, or
attracting the attention Of those who
knew US. All my efforts to win her
love were useless. She remained faith
full to the love of her youth, though
in his English grave"
"Noble, true-hearted woman" said
Elgin.
"And I, Luke Hammond, or whoever
you are" cried Kate, with sudden We
hemence, will be as true to him
James Greene, whom you have assassi-
mated"
MAY heaven help thee, my noble
grip said Elgin, and longing to tell
her that her lover was listening 30
near.
Hammond-for so we shall continue
to call him, for the sake of clearness-
smiled his hard, incredulous sneer, and
| continued:
"At length, q few weeks before our
child was born, Clara lost her reason"
81 do not doubt itw sighed Elgin.
"But she was not wild in her in
sanity" said Luke. "She became as if
deaf and dumb-blind to all around
her. She became mere living ma
chine, without thought, desires or more
than mere life. She died two days
| after the birth Of my son."
'She was most happy in dying" said
Elgin.
"After her DEATH" continued Ham
mond, II gave the child to the care Of
my sister, who was living near at the
time, though none suspected her to be
my sister. Then I came to New
| York"
MAY that day be accursedw ex-
claimed the fery-hearted Elgin.
II easily deceived your wife," said
Luke. 'She had no reason to suspect
deceit. She had not seen her brother
for more than eight years, was very
i'll, and I, as the husband of Clara,
and Clara. too, had often exchanged
letters with her and with you. You
and your wife never dreamed that
was an imposter."
Never! If I had I would have slain
you, or seen you dragged to prison for
life" cried Elgin. "And now, mon
strous villain! what is your true name
and who are you?"
THAT is Of no importance to you,"
said Hammond. 1T should be enough
for you to know that am of no kin
to your daughter, and the bar Of
kindred blood cannot prevent me from
becoming her husband. Let it suffice
to say, that my mother was the daugh.
ter Of an English nobleman, my father
the son of an English squire"
Enough! I care nothing for your
descent! What is descent to us Of
American cried Elgin, scornfully. II
wish to know your true name"
"And why?" asked Luke.
"To-no, not to curse it," said Elgln.
"a feeble man like me, a repentant
sinner-though, thank Heaven, not
such a fend as you are-should not
presume to curse fell0w-mortal; but
1 wish to hear it that I may know the
real name of the villain who so tri.
umphs in iniquity."
"It is dangerous to me to utter II"
said Hammond. "It will accomplish
nothing to tell it; and now, once for all,
Henry Elgin, will you make over your
estate to Catharine Elgin. dating the
will prior to your supposed decease"
why do you not complete your vii
lainy by numbering me at once?" de-
manded Elgin.
ut would be horrible for a daughter
to marry the murderer of her father"