The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-08-07

eff you once leave your WIFE, he
naively said, her own people will get
round her, and you will find 1t dill
fcult to reopen relations with her.
and as her income was paid into her
own hands, this would be obviously
inconvenient.
There were certain circumstances
which rendered it injudicious for
Adair to be seen travelling in a rail-
way carriage in the direction of the
seacaost; while for Mr.. Dawson such
a step would have been still more
hazardous. 1t had therefore been
settled that Mrs. Adair and the child
should journey to Gravesend alone,
while her husband and his Confeter-
ate we're to drop down the river at
night and join them in the morning.
A boat manned by a crew whom they
could trust ii. e., who were well paid
for the job was to await them at
midnight by the stairs at the bottom
of Miller street, where Dawson had
some place of business. The two
men, though united by the bond OF
common interest, were far from be-
ing on good terms; their natures
were antipathetic. Dawson was a
coarse and brutal rufian, whose So
ciety could not but revolt a man of
education, however morally 'degrad-
ed; he enjoyed himself after his fas-
hion, which Adair never did, but he
was not whit less suspicious and
cunning. 1t had been agreed that
they were to meet together at "a wa
terside tavern in the East of London
that afternoon to make their final ar
engagements, and thither now Adair
bent his steps.
The rendezvous itself was charac-
teristic enough of n of the two
men; a rickety erection with beetle
brows (like a villainous low fore
head, its wooden walls bullying on
the river and overhanging at low
tide mud and slime; the haunt OF
p~rofigate and noisy sailors. Adair,
who though INSCRIPTIONS, was fas-
tidious in his way. surveyed the
place, which he had never entered
before, with a shudder OF disgust.
AS he walked down the narrow lane
of which it formed the termination
his heart was full of bitterness. The
old houses almost meeting over his
head as they leaned forward in age
and weakness, made a shadow above
him which, though there was no 9TH
er point of likeness, heaven knows,
suddenly reminded him Of the time
walk at Trinity. Six years ago he
had trodden it in cap and gown; a
man of mark and promise, with a fu-
ture before him, and he had be-
come the companion of thieves. With
not one pang of remorse, he felt an
excessive repugnance to the thing he
had become; a pent-tp fury ragged
him against circumstances,
fate, whatever it was that had
brought him to such a pass. 1t was
not his own fault, of course; the
krave out of luck is seldom aware
that he had chosen the very worst
profession in the world; he only
knows that he is Cursed unfortu-
nate" What most excited his wrath
was the fact that his W flesh n
blood had deserted him, though they
had, in fact, only escaped him. Next
to them, he loathed the man to whom
it was necessary to disclose hat hu-
initiating circumstance.
He found Dawson awaiting him in
low-windowed room looking on the
river, smoking a pipe, and drinking
kot brandy and water.
"Punctual, as usual, Master jack"
vas his familiar address. That's
we'll; sit down and have a glass"
No; l have neither time nor taste
for drinking. Matters are getting
too hot for US, Dawson. For my
part, I wish we were we'll off,
1T is always safer-which means
uuicker-to wait for night, when it
to running. Besides, the men
have their orders, and could not be
cot together all in a moment. What
has happened to brighten you?'
81 have reason to believe that
there are people looking for me at
''Indeed!" said the other laying
down his pipe and dropping his care
less manner. II hope you have got
your women folk we'll away
They are not coming" said Adair,
:ullenly; "they have fed the house,
and l don't know where they have
Come, come, Mr.. Adair!" ex-
Gained his companion, menacingly;
this will not do. Miles Dawson is
not the man to be made a catspaw
Of"
II tell you I know no more than
you do where my wife has gone. l
wish I did know. It's more my loss
than yours, I suppose
To be Continued.