The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-11


resumed Lambert. After that squirt
I Wen back to Melbourne. Presently
Mrs. Kellett wanted to go home; he1
brother was a widower and wrote for
his sister to keep his house; SO
came with her and left my precious
child there, where she throve like a
lily for near five years. / settled IN
Paris. / declare to God, used to
forget she wasn't my W child.
When she was, as / %reckcned, about
twelve, l put her into the convent and
used to have her out on holidays.
She never enjoyed them more than
l did, and she grew fonder and fonder
of me-. Then I made a snug little
nest for her, and took her home for
good. Then 7 met you, Glynn, and
now I'm coming to the trouble. You
remember Vincent. Well, when first
met him in Paris, I was puzzled with
the notion that I had seen him be-
fore, and I told him SO. Then he
grinned and said that he was the boy
that had witnessed my duel with
Deering. We agreed to bury the
past. Then he proposed for Elsie,
and I refused him; still he hung on,
and asked a second time; after that
he got spiteful. You know all about
that time, Glynn! You were at the
Davilliers' the evening I came in, and
saw Deering talking to my Elsie and
looking at her. BY heaven, I under
stood his looks! and if l had had my
knife in my belt, as in the old days,
he'd have looked his last. I thought
the sight of me would have fright
ened him"
Lambert paused, and lay back in
his chair.
Did he recognize you?" cried
Lady Gethin, with breathless interest.
"Ay, that he did. He came the
next day to call, and sat talking so
softly and elegantly TO my blessed
child. At last he begged for a pri-
vate interview with me, said he had
something of Importance to say. l
was obliged to go to his hotel, there
was no use refusing. AS soon as the
door was closed he asked me to come
up by his writing table. Then look
ing straight at me he exclaimed, You
lied to me. You did not strangle Gill
bert behring's infant! I recognized
the girls likeness to her mother at
the first glance
whats that to your said I.
There's a crime the less On your
conscience
He laughed harshly. I confess
she was worth sparing; she is a
charming creature. You seem to
have brought her up remarkably we'll,
but l think you have done enough. I
propose to assume her guardianship
in future I saw his Internal scheme,
and I burst out in a fury. threat
ened to expose him. Try he re-
piled, and see what will become Of it.
1 shall simply tell my story. I went
to Chile to find my cousin, who had
Denham. I had a considerable sum
of money with me for his use. A
desperate scoundrel sees us discuss
ing business matters, and the money
on a table before US. He follows poor
Gilbert, murders and robs him; in
cites the ruffians of the place to fire
behring's house. In the scuf1e Gill
bert's little girl is supposed to be
burnt-years after l discover her in
Paris. I denounce the murderer,
ave my young cousin, unveil the
monster on whom she has lavished
her flial affection-and-"
lose your e~states,' I interrupted.
You didn't want to murder Gilbert
Deering for nothing. How would my
story tell against yours?'
my good friend, not a soul would
believe your word against mine
""You would need a witness OF
two said I.
al might find one,' he said. I
thought of his strange intimacy with
Vincent. I'll give you a few days to
reflect he went on. This is my
proposition. Hand yer the girl to
my custody. I'll give you two hun
dred a year while you are above
ground. Refuse, and I'll lodge infor-
nation against you in consequence of
revelations made to me by your
friend Vincent. Now take your
choice. OF this I am resolved-to get
rid Of you He would not say an
other word, and I left him, feeling
more than half-mad with helpless
rage-ay! with terror. I am no
coward. I could face death as stead
fly as any man; but to leave my
Elsie at the mercy of such q villain
no, l could not face that. Then to
hand her cver to a wretch who would
destroy her if he could; that idea
drove me wild. appealed to Vim
cent. Vincent coolly told me that I
had shot Deering in the back.
TO be Continued.