The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-13
"Then- where is she now"

Tell. so, StduNlHS pSlolC AlAh' l S"'N
him my name and a History of all my
adventures in my dear comrades COM
pany. from the hour when / saw her
first in the inn at Hungerford. Still
keeping his finger on the page, he
heard me to the end attentiTely. but
with a curling of the lips toward the
close. such as l did not like. And when
I had done, to my amaze he spoke out
sharply, and as if to a whipp'd school
boy. .
"'Tis a cock-and-bull story. sir. OF
which 1 could hope to make you
ashamed. Six weeks in your company:
Surely twas enough the pure unhappy
maid should be dead-without such
vile SANDER on her fame. and from
you, that were known, Sir. to have
been at that inn, and on that hight,
with her murderers. Boy. 1 have evil
dence that, taken with your confes-
sion. would weave you a halter: and
am q Justice of the Peace. he thank
full. then, that l am a merciful man;
yet be abash'd."
Abash'd, indeed, I was; or at least
taken aback, to see his holy 1ndlgna-
ton and the flush on his waXen cheek.
Like a fool l stood staggered, and
wondered dimly where I had heard
that thin voice before. In the con-
fusion of my sense I heard it say
solemnly:
1.-THE sins of her fathers have over
taken her. as the Book Of Exodu pro-
claim'd; therefore is her inheritance
wasted. and given to the satyr and the
wild ass
And which of the twain be you,
sir?:7
1 cannot tell what forced this violent
rudeuess from me, for he seemed an
honest. good man; but my heart was
boiling that any should put so III a
construction on my Della. AS for
him, he had risen, and was moving
with dignity to the door-to show me
out. so I guess. When suddenly l,
that had been staring stupidity, leaped
upon him and hurled him back into
his chair.
For I had marked his left foot trail
ing, and, by the token, knew him for
the w~hite-haired man of the bowling
green.
Master Hannibal Tingcomb." l
| smoke in his ear, dog and murderer!
What did you in Oxford last Novem-
Der? And how of Captain Lucius
Higgs, otherwise Captain Luke Settle,
otherwise Mr.. X? Speak, before l
serve you as the dog was served that
night"
l dream yet, in my sick nights, Of
the change that anne over the vile,
hypocritical knave at these words OF
mine. To see his pale, venerable face
turn green and livid, his eyeballs start,
his hands clutch at ART frightened
me.
"Brandy". he gasped. Brandy!
there-quick-for Gods sake"
And the next moment he had slipped
from my grasp, and was wallowinS in
a fit on the floor. I ran to the cup
board at which he had pointed, and
finding there q bottle of strong waters,
forced some drops between his teeth;
and hard work it was, he gnashing at
me all the time and foaming at the
mouth.
Presently he ceased to writhe and
bite; and lifting, l set him in his chair,
where he lay, a mere limp bundle,
staring and blinking. So I sat down
| facing him, and waited his recovery.
"Dear young Sir" he began at length
| feebly, his fingers searching the Bible
before him, from force of habit. kind
young sir-I an m old, dying man,
and my sins have found me out. Only
yesterday, the physician at Bodmin
told me that my days are numbered.
This is the second attack, and the
| third will kill me-"
"Well?" said I.
Tiff Mistress Della be alive las
| indeed I did not think / will make
| restitution-I will confess-only tell
me what to 90, that I may die in
peace"
Indeed be looked pitiable, sitting
there ard stammering; but I hardened
my heart to say:
Il must have q confession, then.
| written before l leave the ROOM"
But. dear young friend, you will
not use it if l give up all? You will
not seek my life? that already is worth
less, as you see."
"Why, it's what you deserve. But
Della shall say when l find her-as l
shall 60 straight to seek her. If she
be lost, 1 shall use it-never fear; If
| she be found, it shall be hers to say
what mercy she car discover in her
heart. but l promise you 1 shall advise
none"
The tears by this time were coursing
down his shrunken cheeks, but I OBJ
served him watch me narrowly, as
though to find out how much l knew.
So I pulled out my pistol and, setting
pen and paper before him, obtained at
the end Of an hour q very pretty confess
sion OF his sins. which lies among my
papers to this day. When it was writ
ten aud signed, in q weak, rambling
hand. I read it through, folded it,
placed it inside my coat and prepared
to take my leave.
But he called only an order to the old
servant to saddle my mare and stood
softly praying and, beseeching me in
the courtyard till the last moment.
Nor when 1 was mounted would any
thing serve but he must follow at my
stirrup to the gate. But when l had
briefly taken leave I heard a voice call
ing after me down the road:
un. ~ -, Ta,, f,;op1t I