The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-03-04

Laugh at you? Good Heavens!
What do you take me for?" he ex-
claimed, hurt.
Have I said or done anything to
make you think that I could be so
unkind, so unfeeling, and especially
toward you, for whom, since the first
moment 1 received you into my
charge, 1 have felt the deepest In
terest, the utmost"
He stopped himself, or he might
have said too much; but his eager
face and earnest touched her.
Then you will not think me very
foolish?"
"Try me-" he said.
She looked at him doubtfully for
one moment. Then she said: Mr..
Denstone, ! have known you a very
short time, indeed, but I am singu-
larly friendless, and you have been
so good to me, it makes me venture
on more, perhaps, than I ought"
Anything in the world that l have,
or that I can do, is at your service"
he said, quickly.
THANK you," she answered, a
smile of rare beauty lighting up her
sweet face. Then I will tell you the
strange, terrible secret that over
shadows me not only with its own
weight, but with the most dire fore
bodings." She paused a moment as
if to shake off some feeling of OPP
PRESTON, drew a long breath, and
went on. did you by chance ever
hear of Aymar? Jacques Aymar, of
Crole?"
"No, I do not think I ever heard of
him; but stay, I cannot be quite sure.
You do not mean the man who was
expert with the divining rod? I re-
member reading about him once, ages
ago. If 1 remember right, his power
had this popularity, that in his hands
the rod was not only eflcacious in
the ordinary way of discovering the
existence of water in any place, or
minerals, but he pretended that it
also enabled him to point out those
who had committed crimes, and to
detect criminals. My father was at
one time very much interested In
mesmerism and all mysteries of that
sort, and he got together curious
information respecting Jacques Ay-
mar, who, after all, I believe turned
out to be an imposter. Can it be
that man you mean?A
You think he was an imposter?"
she asked, very eagerly.
81 cannot say; it is impossible to
Judge" he said, astonished at her
eagerness. II think mediums, and
such people, are sometimes in the
position of finding their !-stural gifts
fail them, and then they have re-
course to imposture to hide the fact.
1t may have been so with Aymar."
II do not believe it was imposture, "
she said, nervously, twisting her
hands together. but Heaven knows
how gladly I would think so If only
I could. You are astonished; but
perhaps you will better understand
my interest in him when 1 tell you
that my mothers name was Jacque-
line Aymar, and that in may cases in
our family, and I very greatly fear in
my own, the faulty has proved her
editary."
1.-THE use of the divining rod?"
cried Arthur. us it possible that you
can really believe such nonsense?
Please forgive me for saying So"
II told you that you would mock
mel" she said, sinking back in her
seat with so detected an air that Ar
thur felt the greatest conjunction
for having spoken so hastily.
II beg your pardon" he exclaimed,
earnestly. Indeed, the ga of laugh
ing at you never entered my head for
a moment; but, oh! dear Mademoi-
selle Rigaud, do allow me most
strongly to warn you against allow
ing such an idea to gain possession
of your mind; it might prove most
dangerous to your whole future hap
piness and peace"
ut has already proved So" she
said, seriously.
II suppose there is no mistake"
said Arthur; that it is a fact that
your mother was descended from
Jacques Aymar? 1t must be difficult
to ascertain it really, for, after all,
his notoriety al only local, and
Crole was an obscure little place"
There is no proof, but the fact of
the similarity Of name is singular.
Jacques Aymar vas from the Midi,
my grandfather was Nantais; but
and this is the thing that frigh.ens
me-the power has existed more or
less in one or two members of the
family, and I myself have had singu-
lar proof that 1 possess, at all events
in some degree, this hateful power"
To be Continued.