The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-06-10
CHAPTER XIX.
Continued.

detected her eyeing me slyly, with 9
glance that has more in it than like.
"Ha! If she does that, she suspects
We must attend to her ere long"
ATTEND to her-what do you mean?'
Nonsense; don't stare at me, Nancy
If it comes to a point where Luke
Hammond must swing by his neck, OF
old Fan die quickly in her bed-well
we shall see."
you would do it, Luke" said Nancy
trembling.
$50 would you, Nancy. Don't put
on the squeamish with me. An enemy
is an enemy, and you know it. But
time enough to think Of Fans case
after other and more important things.
I wonder how it is with our gallant
young friend, James Greene?"
A tapping at the door startled him.
"Who can that be?" he said, and eau
dously opened the door.
Old Fan, ghastly and shaking, stood
before him.
"I want to go away" said Fan,
creeping in and looking over her shoul.
der into the dark behind her.
go away! Go where?" cried Ham.
mond.
"Anywhere-anywhe out Of this
housep' whined the old creature sit
ting down by the blazing CRATE, and
drawing herself into heap. 81 can't
get warm. I'm cold-cold! and such
noises"
''Noises! you old fool?" said Luke.
"Yes-noises! I'm old, Luke Ham.
mond, but amt deaf nor blind. Some
thing amazing awful is going to happen
in this house. Down in my room I
hear the Evil One at work, pounding
and hammering and humping. know
he's coming for you, or Mrs. Harker or
me- Then I see James Greene, all
muddy and bloody, running all over
the house. He's after me. I can't get
warm"
Last night, Fan" said Luke, "you
tainted with fright, and called out that
Nicholas Dunn was your husband"
"Eh" said Fan, and Hammond
turned his back to avoid her terrible
glance.
Eyes, Fan, you said that" continued
Luke, with a paper before his face.
'sNow I knew a man named Roland
Dunn-he was hanged twenty years
ago for murder"
'Was hev' screamed old Fan, all
alive with glee. "Ha! he was hanged
hanged for murder! Thank God for
It! I feel better now! I feel warm all
over. He was hanged! Good! I wish
I had been there to see it. And YET" /"
she continued, in q mournful voice, "he
must have been my boy-a very bad
son-he murdered his eather-same
thing. Put me in a mad-house. So
he's hanged. Good. Now If I could
hear what became Of the girl-my girl
Roland Dunn's sister-she ran away
with john Marks-wild John Marks,
that robbed his father"
~She was drowned at seal heard
the dying confession Of Roland Dunn, "
said Luke, turning and speaking to
Nancy, as If old Fan was absent.
"Roland Dunn said he drowned his
sister Ellen, Nancy"
did he! Goodw cried Fan, in per-
feet ecstasy. II knew they'd come to a
bad end"
"But they were your children, old
woman" said Hammond, while Nancy
pretended to be absorbed in. news
paper.
"My children! We're they? I won
der if they were." moaned old Fan,
shaking her shattered brain to and fro
with melancholy motion. IF they
were my children I ought to cry and
feel bad about it, said she vacantly.
Then fercely-"No! they were not my
children, Luke Hammond. They were
pair Of imps. I know it-I know it
DON'T say no-for old Fan knows it!
And If they weren't dead, and should
meet them-what do you think I'd
do?"
"Tell me; I'd like to know" said
Hammond, carelessly.
Fan put her hand in her bosom and
drew out great, broad-bladed knife,
long, and curving to point.
'I'd cut their throatsr she cried,
fourishing the knife. II would, If it
hanged me! For they murdered my
husband, my Nicholas-whelps! whelps!
I've carried this knife for it for years
for years.
Luke and Nancy exchanged glances.
"Fan," said Luke, you are crazy"
II know it-I know itw moaned Fan
hiding her knife. II wish l wasn't. or
wish I was stark raving mad-then l
could not feel my misery. I'll 80 back
to the kitchen now. 1 feel better since
I've heard such good news. They're
lead and feel better"
"Well, give me the knife, Fan. You
will not need it now" said Luke. very
coaxingly.
"No-I want the knife-the knife
said Fan, fercely. 81 saw DAME
creeping about last night-he wants tc
rob me. My gold is here now-my
birdies.'
She showed the little sack tieo
around her wrinkled throat.
ITO rob me they must cut my throat
frst-ha! let them come-I can fight
fight hard now-for my yellow
brides"
She hobbled away and Hammond
locked the door after her.
When he turned, Nancy Harker was