The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-15

~. RANSOM nad never noar0
. W Of Sitford. but upon inquiry
learned that 1t was q small
manufacturing town some
esn miles from the direct route Of
travel. to which II was only connected
~ . stage-coach running once day,
1neo n the afternoon.
What spot for meeting of this
11ndl Why chosen by her? Why
ouDmittsd % by this busy New York
Awyerf Was this another mystery;
\ - hAd he misintsrpreted Mr.. Harper's
D1sDcee In passing over to him the
o41ress Of this small town? He pre-
1urred 70 think the former. He could
hardly contemplate now the prospect
= hiling to ses her again which must
1o,1ow any mistake a. TO this being
~ place agreed upon for the signing
- heg viii. ,T
0oanwhile he had said nothing to
0orr1dge. This was Q hope too Der.
I ounal % condde In q man of his posi-.
eion- He would 90 to sitford and
4 endeavor to catch . glimpse of his
vife there. II successful. the whole
nenpsr Of his mind might change to-
Yards the situation. II not toward her.
Ne would at least have the satisfac.
I 90 of seeing her. The detective had
,oo0ugh To do In New York.
April the fifteenth fell ON Tuesday.
He was not minded to walt 20 long hut
oook the boat on Monday afternoon.
zAto landed him some time before
onyueht st the timeworn village from
u1ieh the coach ran to Sitford. A
SoQvay connected this village with
New York, nscessitating no worse In
oenviencs than crossing the river on
= squat old-fashionsd ferry boat; but
- calculated that both the lawyer
- Mrs.. Ransom would make use of
~. and feit the risk would be less
- 1im II hs chose the slower and
- eoavsnisnt route.
f He had given his name on the boat
- nagsr Johnston. which was true 20
~ A. Il went. and hs signed this
unmss name at the hotel whore he put
- ttll nornins. The place was an
~ut1iVly unknown one to him and he
W1a unknown TO it.
The coach ran late In the afternoon.
to1e was to accommodate the pas.
Umeers who came by rail. But Mr..
1nnsom had not planned to 90 by
ssarh- That would be to risk q pre-
WAhare encounter with his wife, or
. least with the lawyer. He pre-
UsEu3d 70 hire team, and be driven
AAsee By some Indifferent livery-stable
oaa- Neither prospect was pleasing.
= hid been raining al night. and bade
1AiR to rain all day. And the road
- had never seen such q road, all
1e4bs pools and mud And there were
- BE ten miles of this. Naturally he
eURed 90 his thoughts and they were
- of her. One question In his mind
vas answered through his reflection
' sas SPOT was not an unknown one to
- u was connected with her child.
Aood day[ There was reason bach
g her choice Of II as q place Of meet.
betwsen her and her lawyer, or II
~ reason. association, and that of
- tenderest kind. They finally
aUlaahsd into sitford and stopped be-
Sers the tavern. The house, dripping
0eugh IL Was from every cave. had
nndh romantic air that he thought
- could venture to cite other reasons
~ his stay there than the prosaic
- OF business. e. =
u when the landiady showed herself
- % once gave her credit for being
. 10 could wish In the way of credul.
~ and kood.nature. and. meeting her
1Uo(h the smile which had done good
9escution IN It's day. he asked II she
~ room for q writer who was IN
nAlne q book. and who only asked for
Got and regular meals before his
0wn cosy fire. This TO rouse her
1nagination and make her amenable
. his wishes for secrecy.
Bhe was simple soul and fell cas-
~ into the trap. In half an hour Mr..
.nnusom was ensconced In q pleasant
roOm over the porch, room which
10 soon learned possessed many ad-
ivsntages- For II not only overlooked
the main entrance. but was SO placed
% 20 command view of all the rooms
% his hall. In two of those rooms he
bade fair to be greatly Interested, Mrs.
Doo having remarked that they were
being prepared for lady who was
coming that night As he had no
doubt who this lady was. he encour-
aged the good woman to talk. and
presently had the satisfaction of hear.
fng her say that she was very hap
py over this lady's coming. as she was
Sitford girl, one Of tie cd family o.
Hazens, and though married now ant
very rich was much loved by every
ono In the town because she had nev
Or forgotten Sitford or Sitford people
She was coming! He had made NJ
mistake. And this was the place o
-