The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-09-08

mel. You know Mr. Fred stanton, 90 you nOI'
Mrs. Abneys heart began beating faster. The
color faded from her face.
YES, / know him. what OF itf'
You were engaged to him, were you notS'
Col. Cheney, your remarks are becoming per-
sOnal and, to say the least impertinent. did not
come here to be insulted. You have no right to
talk to me like that. I shall tell Mr.. Abney and
he can settle with you" She turned to leave, but
Col. Cheney, who had risen again, said:"Waitl"
and his time there was no mistaking the tone; 1t
was a command.
Excuse me, Mrs Abney, but do not think you
will tell Mr.. Abney anything about It, You were
In love with Fred Stanton, and you are yet. He
married another woman and you determined to
get even with him You couldn't attack him, you
couldn't find weak spot In his armor; but you
knew his wife, you knew her condition. You
would strike him through her. Then you used the
most damnable of weapons, the anonymous letter.
You sent them to Mrs. Stanton, you sent them to
his friends. Just one falling In Mrs Stanton's
hand and your revenge would have been complete
You wouldn't write the letters, you cut words out
OF the newspaper and pasted them on a sheet
Similarly you prepared the addresses. You bought
the paper at the stationery store near your house.
the stamps from Johnson, and while your husband
was at his office you did your despicable work
DO you deny this?" Col Cheney ended by laying
nine letters on the table.
When Cheney first began to talk Mrs. Abney
stopped, looked at him half over her shoulder and
as his accusations were hurled forth at her, she
fully turned. Her color left her and her eyes
moved restlessly from side to side. But she was
a quick-witted woman and when he had finished
she had partly regane1 her composure
"A likely story, Col. Cheney, very likely story,
indeed, you have concocted. Clever detective
work" She was sneering you have found out
bought paper and envelopes that | bought
stamps. So might any number of people have
done the same. But you detectives have to ac.
cuse some one SO you accuse me. You get me in
fol mi.
are no witnesses to this interview, and my word
Will go as far as yours You brute! And you call
yOurseIi a gentleman"
u expected all this Mrs Cheney, and admire
you for the fight you are making You accuse me
OF having you In my office alone" Three steps
TOOK Cheney to the alcove He threw back the
curtain. There sat demure little Miss Wood. her
scene ' - 'no
You see," continued the colonel I'VE are not
alone" w "'o no'
Mrs. Abney had not yet given up the febt--tbe
ready A0' was
But tell you did not send those letters Won
can't prove 1t, she said
Inree days ago you bought so stamps from
Jonnson; 80 or them are on the table You gave
them to me- The remainder of the sheet % S"; IN
TINS drawer. Here they are" he said producing
the nail sheet johnson had sent him. EVERY ono
vi tnose stamps Is marked with indeble ink 7
"iol neu theHl. On every other STAMP wrote vour
name, Grace Abney,' and on the Others marked
my my name, John V. Cheney Here are seven Of
sne letters you sent with those stamps on them
~, MRS. Abney gazed with wide staring eyes as Col
Cheney lghted small alcohol lamp He took m
one letter and held 1t 80 the heat would warm the
stamp. Slowly but surely the name Grace An.
n me- appeared coming apparently from nowhere
lneh John V. Cheney" and so on throupbont ~
entire seven letters he first two letters did not
STAMPS %ers stamps and then the unused
names coming out with startling distinctness 'ne
,, For several minutes Mrs Abney stood irreso
snhn her composure and selfpossession left her:
sops shook her frame as she sank In a chair Tha
ns NV, was landed and the struggle was over Inc
~, "nat are you going to do with me?" she sob.
PED On my God what an exposurei WIZ
snail 40. what shall do?" "n"'
Do! said Col Cheney. Now the harsbno.s
ana zone OF command had gone from his voice.
the Keen, alert detective was gone; he was TSa
ney, the man and gentleman "' o"e'
10! why you are going home and he truo 70
tne good man whose name you bear From thIo
day forth you're going to be his wife IN uo ms
md a..