The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-06-07

Having secured these few things, he
sat down again for a brief moment, and
indited a short note in which he
thanked his landlady for her kindness
to him. and babe her farewell. This
done, he sealed up the letter, addressed
the envelope and placed it in a con-
spicuous position on the mantelpiece.
Then he locked the door of the room.
With a trembling hand-for, sick as
he was of life, he was yet nervous of
death-he drew the cork from the neck
of the bottle and poured some of the
liquid into the wineglass.
He held it up to the light and stared
at it for fully a minute, as though he
were still undecided whether to live or
die. Then. with a sudden determina-
ton, he drank it off, and sent the empty
glass crashing into the darkness of the
fireplace.
A moment later, after he had COL
lapsed into the armchair and had bur-
led his face in his hands, a knocking
was heard az the door.
Barker raised his head.
"What is it," he asked.
GIVE brought your tea up, sir, seeing
as you're 'ome so early" said a voice.
81 was out meself, else Ia ave
brought it UP before"
THAT'S all right, Mrs. Thompson. 1
don't require any tea this evening,
thank you," said Barker. quietly.
"Just a cup. SIR" pressed Mrs.
THOMPSON, without. "It'll cheer you
up, and it's a pity to waste it,
"No. thank you. Mrs. Thompson; l.
I'd rather not to-day. don't feel very
we'll. I think I'll go 70 bed"
GAIL right, sir" said the landlady:
Gust as you like" Then she added:
GIVE got a letter for you, sir-come not
a minute ago."
"What do you say, Mrs. Thompson
a letter. cried Barker. Rousing him
self, he went to the door, unlocked 1t
and opened it. "a letter? Where's it
from?"
Then. seeing it on the tray which
MTS. luUulpSUH CdlltSN' hS
up, and examined the writing.
30 Heaven!" he CALCULATED.
81 'ope there's nothing the. matter"
murmured Mrs. Thompson, sympathetic
cally.
80 Heaven! o Heaven" repeated
Barker.
Tearing open the envelope. and un-
folding the paper, he read as follows:
"Dear Dick-My heart is not so hard,
my nature not so brutal, as you may
perhaps have supposed. Though 1 am
still of opinion that you would nave
done better to stay at home and enter
the business, I feel I can no longer con-
scientiously oppose your wishes. l
don't think I need say any more ex-
cept that you can count on . two
hundred a year in future, and that 1
shall be glad to see you and hold you
by the hand once again. Believe me,
dear Dick, your affectionate father.
civilian BARKER"
20 Heaven said Barker once more,
when he had reached the conclusion,
cts too late now
AS he thought of the misfortune
which had so relentlessly pursued him,
a groan of self pity escaped him; he
grew light-headed, he reeled, ne
clutched at the table for support. and
the next moment he lay motionless on
the floor. Mrs. Thompson, who had
not moved from the top Of the STAIR
case. ran to his assistance, and raising
his head, looked pityingly into his pale,
emaciated face.
"Poor fellow" she murmured. "'E
amt 'ad a bite since breakfast-n0
wonder 'e's tainted"
Then, happening to glance at the
table, she saw the red-labelled bottle
standing uncorked. "Wot a blessing"
she calculated; "wot a blessing 1
emptied that there old bottle and filled
it with waterr-New York News.