The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-11

"You told me nothing about the trust
money"
81 did not"
"You deceived me-you have always
deceived me-" she repeated, with fash
ing eyes and red spot on either cheek.
''But it's the last time. You shall never
have the chance Of deceiving me
again"
Just as ycu like, Harriet. How long
is the present rampage going to con-
tinue?"
You have always deceived me, from
the beginning. Oh, what fool / was
to trust word you said! l might have
guessed what sort of man you were
from your companions. And now you
want me to help in robblng your
cousin. Ycs-ih robbing and stealing.
Ohr'
Call it what you like, Harriet" But
he reddened. Il am not going out OF
this Job empty handed, promise you.
Half of it ought TO be mine by rights
And what with the jewels and the sill
YER mugs, and the wine and the pic
lures and my bill of costs and aip'-he
embhasized his conjunctions so rs to
impress upon himself the power OF
arithmetic-"I intend to come pretty
well out Of it, Harriet" He added a
few words OF more vigorous English
with reference to Harriets temper.
"Yes," she replied. II know you viii
get q few hundred pounds, and you
will spend it all in drink and racing
and betting and billiards, and where
shall we be afterward? No, Jem, am
not going back to the old life. Don't
think it. ! shall 60 my own way"
"You have always gone your own
way, Harriet. But you are a tine
woman, and I'm proud to own you"
"Own me-" She was not the least
notified by the compliment to her ap-
pearance "You own me? ] will show
you how much you own me-"
proud to own you, my DEAR he re-
peated. "A handsome creature, but the
deuce and all in harness. Nasty tenn
pered, stubborn, hard in the mouth,
handy with her heels, Skittish. and apt
to shy. They're faults. Harriet, that
take the value off the most perfect ami
NAL. And now shut up and have done
with it, and don't worry me any more,
or may lose my temper, too, and that
would be bad for you. Sit quiet, do
what tell you without calling it ugly
names, and I'll put you through"
She made some kind of inarticulatc
answer. and returned to the chair in
the window, where she sat in silence.
The door-bell rang loud and long.
Harriet started in her chair, turned
red and pale in turn, and glanced
quickly at her husband. He paid no
attention to a ring at the street door
why should he?-and folded his paper
so as to get at the sporting news.
But he jumped to his feet when Tom
Addison appeared.
TON, my dear boyr' He seized Tom
Addison's hand with effusion. You
are unexpected, but the earlier the bet
ter. You can't come too early. Be
sides, this is your own house. Let me
INTRODUCE you to my wife. whom you
have never seen before. Strange, isn't
it, between cousins:" He was winking
rapidly with both eyes. Harriet has
been longing to make your acquaint-
ance, and to tell you of the JOY and
gratitude which she felt when you
were reported safe. Nothing ever af-
fected her with so much happiness"
That's falsehood, James, said his
wife, quietly.
James turned pale, and winkul again
with both eyes.
THAT is my husbands falsehood, Mr.
Addison" she repeated. Il was not
glad or grateful to hear it. / was very
sorry, though l did not swear about it
or use the awful language that James
did. We were both horribly sorry, MI.
Addison. Nobody could be more sorry
and miserable than we were when the
news came. 1t was most dreadful
blow to us. 1t brought back upon us
the ruin whichyour death had averted.
Don't be deceived. ] did not want to
make your acquaintance at all. And
you have no worse enemy in the world
than my husband"
go on, Harriet, go on. Make as
much mischief as you can"
"Hc deceived me. He told me that
your death was the. lucliiest thing in
the world, because it gave us all the
property. He never told me anything
about the girl or the trust money. be-
cause he meant to keep it I'll to HIM
self"
oh" Tom cried.
"Wait bit" said lis cousin. "Lct
her run On
''Hc meant to keep it fer himself.
because he said that nobody knew Of it
but you and him, and he should be a
fool TO part with it. He was thief
from the day when you were killed."
'l'll be even with you for this, Har-
rict." her husband murmured.
Then lie found out who the real
owner of that money was, Tom. 1T
was your sweetheart, Katie. He never
told me that, either And when she
came to his office, poor and in misery,
he never tod her-though he knew that
all this money was hcrs-nor offered to
help her, and let her so as she came,
starving and in rags"
! what. Is, this true?"
wait bit" Jem replied. huskily.
"Now that you have returned. he is
going to pretend to find out who ought