The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-08-25


When I had completed my account OF
my mission to England he paused IN
front of me for during my recital ne
had not once ceased to pace the room,
and throwing away the end Of his
cigar said: ~
"It is as I supposed. Though you
are probably now farther off than ever
from the recovery of the sequins, and
the result of your expense and trouble
is merely the addition of another In
habitant to the unknown world. l
have as little doubt as ever that the
old man had the gold, and that he has
bestowed it where it will rest until 1t
Is discovered by some other thief
And now please oblige me by never
mentioning this matter to me again,
for do assure you am most heartily
sick Of it."
My uncle took two cigars from his
pocket. One of them he threw to me
across the table, and having lit the
other he again paced the room. A
| minute or two elapsed before he
spoke. When at last he did so it was
| with intense bitterness.
"Of all that you have done or failed
to do that which vexes me most is
your forwarding Mrs. Butterwelps let
ter to Price. But don't blame you m
any way; it was impossible that you
could know Of the deep hatred l was
so soon to bear to that unspeakable
humbug. The fault, is my own for
having, in the exercise Of my natural
generosity. foolishly suffered myself
to befriend one Of his canting. hypo-
critical caste When 1 picked that un-
considerable beggar out OF the Suffolk
| mud he was not zen cents ahead OF his
debts, and the utmost racking Of his
wits produced him an income about
! one-if,h n as much as pay my cook"
Uncle Sam paused moment, puffed
corin a cloud o. smoke in way sug-
gestive OF ineffable contempt, and re-
! sumed:
".As you know. brought him here
and gave him the management Of a
newspaper I own, paying him largely
for his inefficient discharge of duties
| which I had to teach him. He at
| fached himself to Connie, and did his
best to win her, but Connie, with pru-
dence worthy of her father, would
have none Of him. When you appeared
upon the scene and gained almost with
out effort the prize for which he had
| contended in vain, he made the girl
| for whom he used to profess the most
extravagant regard the victim Of his
| revenge. His inability to injure her
without injuring Mrs. Truman and me
in greater degree did not deter the
villain. His method was this. Know
ing that Constance was devoted to ner
sister, and that anything which would
trouble one must needs disquiet the
| other he showed her Tin your presence,
understand) a letter he had received
from another pestilent Suffolk parson,
exposing Annie Wolsey-the writer,
craven hearted windbag named Fuller,
having got his information from old
Wolsey or your father. Connie, wiser
than most women, kept her knowledge
to herself, and Price, suspecting this
from the fact that there was no upset
in my house, forwarded Fuller's letter
to my wife"
The malicious leer upon Mr.. Prices
face at the moment when I last looked
upon him was pictured in my memory
and not likely to be forgotten. That
1t was the outward and visible sign Of
diabolical nature I had never doubt
ed, and his structures upon my family
on that occasion helped to confirm the
opinion, but none the less was aston
ished to learn in what circuitous
ways this man had worked to injure
people who, so far from giving him
any cause for enmity, had done much
to earn his gratitude. AS my uncle
again paused I ventured to congratu-
late him on the futility Of Mr.. Prices
act, seeing that Mr.. Fuller's letter con-
tanned nothing which aunt Gertrude
did not already know.
my affairs are hardly as smooth as
that" continued uncle Sam, forgetful
Of, or automatically ignoring, a pre-
yious declaration he had made. my
wife has left me, and cannot induce
her to return home except by substan-
tial assurances that I have finally
ceased to correspond with Annie VOL
sey."
Good heavensw I exclaimed, in
great alright. do you know where
she has gone? Is Constance with
her"
Don't talk so loud. l am not deaf,
and there is no necessity for informing
everybody; the affair is sufficiently
known already. You have no cause
for alarm. 1 shall give my wife the
assurances she demands, and In day
or two at farthest she will reassume
her rightful position. 1t is pity you
forwarded that old lady's letter to-
him."