The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-19
CHAPTER XXX

day shook his head. There We're too
many witnesses.
"Since gold fails" said Hammond,
twill this persuade you, Tom Allday?"
Hammond drew a pistol and cooking
It levelled it right between Allday's
eyes.
The cowardly wretch trembled, and
his knees bent under him. Al, fear OF
the future fled before the imminent
peril Of the present.
ITO save-to save my life must"
he stammered.
Hammond was enraged at this unex-
pected hesitation, and slapping ALL
days face smartly he cried:
Begin! We are wasting time"
AT that moment John Marks entered
the crimson chamber, and after him
came Charles Hammond.
"My son! In New York" exclaimed
Hammond, starting back. John
Marks, you are traitor"
He raised his pistol, for he was des-
perate, when Charles sprang before
the weapon, eXclalmlnS:
'Wait! Let John Marks speakw
II told you," said Marks, in clear,
strong voice, "that Harriet Foss had
ceased to exist. In one sense she did;
for at - o'clock to-day she became the
wife of this young man."
"The wife of my SOM cried Ham
mond, staring wildly.
"My wife," said Charles boldly. This
morning I learned that Nine. Burr,
the woman I loved, was in town. 1
eluded the vigilance Of Mr.. Marks and
sought her. found her at the Astor
House. I did not believe what you had
said against her character. I asked
her to become my wife. She is my
wife"
INFATUATED foolw cried Hammond.
II will dislnherit your
'I am rich in my wife. Behold her"
AS he spoke lady Of splendid figure,
but deeply yelled, entered the crimson
chamber from the ante-room; where,
TIL then, she had remainedl after fol-
lowing Marks so far.
IT was Harriet Fossw said she, un-
yelling and displaying q most lovely
face, upon which the passage of more
than forty years had left no disfguring
marks.
"Ah! my hearth shrieked Nancy
Harker, sinking upon her knees in ter
ror.'
~ Hammond was too much aghast to
speak. Everything around him seemed
reeling. He staggered back until the
wall upheld him.
"And my promise is redeemed" said
John Marks exultingly. ".For show
you the body of Harriet Foss."
"You come for vengeance, Harriet
Fossw said Hammond, recovering and
watching for q chance to escape, and
to avenge, too.
'My husband" said Harriet, placing
her hand in that Of Charles, has per-
suaded me to leave my sisters wrongs
to the justice of heaven. I firmly be-
ieve you and your sister murdered
my sister, but have not sought ven
geance, as you have been led to sup
pose. Mr.. Marks has deceived you for
p purposes Of his own. 1t is at his ear
nest desire that am here. I believe
Mr.. Marks has depicted me to you as
a tigress. He has told you 1 even dis
guised myself in this city to trace you
out. I have done nothing of tie Kind.
Mr.. Marks had his reasons for deceiv-
ing you. I met him on the steamer in
coming to this country. He recognized
me first. He had learned ic England
that loved Charles and that Charles
loved me. He built a plot upon that
knowledge. He knew Charles was to
marry me after obtaining the consent
of his father. He suspected you to be
Roland Dunn before he came to New
York; did not"
"Ahi you did not?" said Hammond.
'I did not" continued. Harriet. ~
did not suspect that Charles was the
son Of Roland Dunn when married
him. Charles came to me and be-
sought ME to marry him. 1t is true l
am much older than he, but he loves
me and I love him. He is my hus-
Band; I shall be his devoted wife As
to wealth, have more than enough.
Az to vengeance, ] leave that to heav-
en-
May its bitterest curse cling to you
both" cried Hammond.
by what right do you curse me?'
demanded Charles. John Marks.
speak"
Luke Hammond" said Marks, you
tempted me to do a crime. You Of
fered me as n reward a son-a son l
had supposed dead. I told you many
. tales to increase my Importance in
your eyes at first, afterwards I told
you more to achieve the solution of q
suspicion. You curse that young man,
He is not your son"
"Ah!" screamed Nancy, and would
have fled from the room, but her
limbs were powerless.
Charles not my son. said Ham
mond.
mo! You sought to trick me-" cried
Marks. II owe you no good will
Twas you who committed the bur
glary for which I suffered so many
years. We are even now. You have
a brave plot going on here. I shall
not interfere. Charles is my son. Ask
his mother there. You would like to