The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-06
,r. "Why. what a handsome looking

her. "Why, what a handsome looking
gal 1 be, to be sure! Jack, art certain
It's my very own face"
ITO be sure" said l, amazed.
"Wellr' There was silence for a full
minute, save for our horses tread on
the hiShroad. And then
Jack. I be powerful dirty"
This was true enough, and it made
me laugh. She looked up soicmnly at
my mirth (having no sense of a joke,
then or ever and bent forward to the
glass again. .
by the way said I, "did you mark
q carriage just outside the crowd by
the Cheap Jacks booth-with q white
haired gentleman seated inside" .
Joan nodded. Master Hannibal
Tingcomb, steward O Gleys."
What"
I Jumped IN my saddle, and with a
null at the bride brought Ezolly to a
standstill.
"Of Gleys?" I cried. Steward of Sir
Deakin Kiliigrew that was"
Right, lad, except the last word.
erhat is should'st rather say"
Then you are wrong, Joan; for he's
dead and buried, these five months.
Where is this house Of Gleys? Tor
tomorrow 1 must ride there"
":Tis easy found, then; for it stands
on the south coast yonder, and no
house near it; five miles from any
where, and sixteen from Temple, due
south. Shall want thee afore thou
startest. Jack. Dear, now; Who'd Ma
thought / was so dirty"
The cottage door stood open as we
rode into the yard, and from it a 1alnt
smoke came curling, with q smell Oh
peat. Within I found the smould'rlnS
turyes scatter'd about as on the day
of nv first arrival, and among them
Joan's father stretch'd, fat on his face;
only this time the cat was curld up
quietly and lying between the old
mans shoulder blades.
"Drunk again. said Joan shortly.
Rnt looking more narrowly I marked
q purplish stain on the ground by the
old mans mouth, and turned him softly
over.
Joan" said I, "he's not drunk-he's
dead.'
She stood above US and looked down,
first at the corpse, then at me, without
sneakins for a time; at last
Then 1 reckon he may so well be
buried" ,,
"Girl,n I calrd out, being SHOCKED at
this ca~llousness, "'tis your ~father-ana
he is dead"
"Why. that's so, lad. An he were
alive, shouldn't trouble thee 10
bury n" ,.
And so, before night. we carried hin
ND to the bleak tor side, and dug lis
grave there; the black cat following US
to look. Five feet deep we laid him,
having dug down to solid rock; n
having covered him over, went silently
back to the hovel. Joan had not shed
a single tear.
The next morning, following Joans
directions and her warnings against
ouass and pitfalls, I was soon rldlhs
south across the moor and well on my
road to the House of Gleys.
It was high noon-and a dull, cheer.
less day-before the hills broke and let
me have sight of the sea. Nor I'll the
noise of the surf was in my ears did l
mark the chimneys and naked gray
walls of the house I was bound Tor.
A thin line Of smoke blown Level
from the chimney was all the sign OF
life in the building; for the mario"
lights of the upper story we're mostly
suffered, and the lower floor was hlu
from me by a high wall enclosing i
courtlage in front. One stunned ASH,
with boughs tortured and bent toward
the mainland, stood by the gate, which
was lock'd. A smaller door. also lock'd'
was let into the gate. and in this again
a suffered iron grating. Hard by
dansled q rusty bell-pull, at which l
tugg'd sturdily.
On this, q crack'd bell sounded, Tar
in the house, and scared a flock OF
starlings out of a disus'd chimney.
Their cries died away presently, ana
left no sound but that Of the guiis
vailing about the cliff at my feet.
This was all the answer I won.
I rang again, and q third time n
now at last came the sound Of foot
steps shutting across the court within.
The shutter of the grating was slipp,d
back, and a voice, crack'd as the BELL
asked my business.
ITO see Master Hannibal Tingcomb,'
answer /.
'.Tby name"
He shall hear it in time. Say that
I come on business concerning the es-
tate"
The voice mutter'd something, and
the footsteps went back. I had been
kicking my heels there for twenty
minutes or more when they returned,
and the voice repeated the question;
Thy name?"
(To be continued.)