The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-08

Il lear, l greatly ledl, III oplIS VI
our conviction of his innocence, that
| old Battiste will be condemned" said
Monsieur Tasset, mournfully. Il
cannot see who else can have been
guilty, although I feel morally sure
that he is not; but everything is
| against him. 1t seems he has, with
| out the smallest %scruple, said hat
he possessed a duplicate key OF his
masters room"
"A duplicate key" exclaimed the
| Cure. Then why did he suffer the
doors to be broken down."
HE does not know what has be-
come of it. He will not, or cannot,
say why or when it was lost. He is
half in his dotage."
But that he should have men
toned that duplicate key does not
seem like guilt, and must be in his
favor" said the Cure, quickly.
$50 it is old Battiste whom they
~.accuse?" said q voice, very gently
and slowly, whose tones made all
three start to their feet.
1t was Antoinette. She had come
into the salon and had heard the last
words. She was perfectly calm, but
she had pushed back all the fair hair
from her brow. and that and her
deadly pallor gave her a look of eX-
IRENE %desolation.
Arthur advanced quickly to lead
her to a chair. She gently put him
aside. and leaning one hand on the
table, she said: at was not Battiste,
Messieurs; of that I can assure you"
IF, Mademoiselle, you have indeed
any proof" said Monsieur Tasset,
eagerly, then it may indeed save the
old mans life"
She sank into a chair, and her pa
thetic eyes turned from n to an
other Of the three anxious faces.
"Messieurs," she said, tell me the
truth as you hope for salvation. Will
Battiste be condemned?"
A cold terror of what she might
be going to do Or say struck upon
Arthur's heart. He spoke eagerly.
Not necessarily, Antoinette.
Juries rarely convict on circumstan-
tial evidence only. There is an alb
sence of motive admitted, and we
have yet to communicate with your
cousin"
She turned her eyes from him to
Tasset.
San Englishman cannot be fully
conversant with French law" she
said. Il conjure you to tell me the
truth. Will he be condemned?"
81 fear, l greatly fear" he stam-
mered.
Arthur shrank back, shrank back
against the wall. He knew what was
coming. She turned to him with her
eyes looking up to his, wild, despair
ing, terrified.
mo! no." he cried. do not ask
me! I cannot"
Your OATH" she answered, in a
voice out of which all tone had died
away.
Heaven help me! Must it be-"
She only repeated once more.
"Your OATH"
AS if under a resistless spell, he
placed the talisman in her out
stretched hands. The silver case fell
to the ground. In the dead silence
that followed, they heard the clink-
ing Of the metal as it rolled away
from under. foot.
Antoinette had covered her face
with her hands. She remained so for
some minutes, SO long that Tasset
and the Cure glanced at each other,
fearful lest she should have tainted.
Arthur never moved. He stood fas-
cinated. m%otionless. He put his finger
to his Up when they would have inter-
rupted her.
At last she put down her hands
and rose slowly to her feet, and the
three men started with a thrill. A
most strange and awful change had
passed over her, all the s~oftness had
| gone out of her face. 1t vas hard,
rigid, carved in marble, like that of
Medusa. The large, gray eyes
strained wide open, the lips apart;
all the wild, fair hair, blown back
ward, seemed to stand erect round
her head as if it had been a halo. She
saw nothing, heard nothing of those
beside her. Then for the first time
the two perceived that she held be-
tween her hands, in a strange, stiff
way, a slender willow wand, and they
knew ]instinctively what it was.
mo, no." cried the Cure, s%pringing
forward; but the Mayor put his hand
on his arm; he was watching with a
strange fascination.
Gently, gently, Monsieur lie Cure"
he said. who dares say that this
power is other than from Heaven"
Then the Cure also drew back, and
they stood watching. Antoinette
vas Oh the scent.