The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-29

Her head dropped on her breast. She
| thought of Clifford, and Of GiHordS
pride.
There is nothing in your mothers
| history for which a daughter need
blush" said the old lawyer, very slow
ly and distinctly. "Your mother was
not of good birth, nor was she an ac-
| tress of distinction. When I have said
that I have said all. No breath was
ever whispered against Mademoiselle
Grandet, either before or after the tine
| she became your fathers wife"
A great sigh of relief broke from
James heart.
and her lowly birth and her profess
sion are all Of which 1 need feel shame?
Oh, MI. ClithcrO! ! expected more than
this. 1 thank God that this is all the
burden We shall have to bear!-Giford
and l."
Miss Grand, it is not all"
She looked at him with bcwildered
eyes.
mot all? Yet you said no word was
ever spoken against my mothers good
name! Oh, MI. Clithero! what more
have I got to hear"
He looked at the beseeching, innocent
ehild's face, and for a moment-for one
moment-the old lawyers tongue hcsi-
tated: then he said quickly, decidedly,
though in a voice so low that a person
standing at the further end Of the room
could not have distinguished a syllable
be uttered:
my dear young lady, you have to
hear how and when your poor father
died. He was for many years, as Miss
Lynch may have told you, the head
| clerk of one of our great London bank
ers, and during all the earlier part OF
his life he filled this position with the
utmost truth and integrity. 1t IS not
fer us to say by what insidious whisper
of ambition or cupidity temptation first
enters an honest mans mind; but
Miss Grand, such temptation did come
at last to your father. And he fell
"Go on, sir. Do not wait"
During a period of three years your
father, wholly unsupported by his en-
ployers, was laying up for himself that
miserable future of which it is my
painful duty now to speak. The mo-
mont Of detection and exposure came
at last. 1t was one Of the most sys-
tematic and well executed frau
cases of discrimination that have ever
occurred in this century; but the proofs
were too many, and too strong, to es-
| cape a conviction. My dear young
| lady, you may guess the reSt!'
II guess nothing. I:desire to be told
in plain words"
"You, my dear Miss Grand, you (his
little motherless child were the one
good thing to which your poor fathers
heart chung to the last. About six
months before-before the discovery Of
which I have spoken took place-he
came to me one day and told me that
he had executed a deed of gift, making
over the sum of eight thousand pounds
to his cousin, Miss Lynch, and myself,
which sum we were to hold in trust
for you, then a child Of about three
years old. ] cannot say that the clr-
cumstances awakened no suspicion in
my mind, for eight thousand pounds
seemed to me q large sum of money
for your father to be able to make over
out Of his capital, especially as he was
at that time living in q style very far
beyond what l conceived his yearly sal
airy allowed of. However, my opinion
had not been sought in the matter; the
deed Of gift was executed before l
knew of it's existence, and, as an Old
friend of your fathers family, l felt
it impossible to decline the trust. BY
that deed, Miss Grand, your father
foreseeing the coming dark future but
too well-by that deed your father Sc
cured the comparative comfort of your
life. When the evil hour came upon
him, he knew, at least, that you, his
young child, did not wholly share his
ruin"
81 understand" said Jane, in q voice
whose unnatural composure was more
startling to MI. Clithero than any OF
the natural violent agitation which he
would have looked for as natural from
a young and sensitive woman-'l I'M
derstand what money it is 1 have lived
upon! Have I more to hear-or is this
all?"
"All, my dear Miss Grand' He be-
gan to fear that she had not thoroughly
understood him. Eyes, this is alex
cept the particulars of your fathers
DEATH"
LET us hear them"
"He scarcely lived two years after
be left this country. He was never
strong, and the hardships of such a
life Us he had to go through were to
him simply death. At the time Miss
Lynch took you to Chesterford we had
Just received the news of his DEATH"
Let me understand you more clear
". He died out Of this country. Do
you-do you mean that he was trans
ported"
(To be %continued.)