The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-03

s. THE H0UsEI0 ON
$685. THE8 ISLAND $685. 1895
888388S8888888 By B eta 60 W. 90 PIERCE. 88 883X638383
SLAND


1888 BY g ETA 90 W. 90 PIERCE. {


! her plain dress, and went down to
Trevor and his wife, vaguely wonder
ing how she was to meet them, after
| the spectacle she had so recently wit
messed.
The table was beautifully laid, and
a roaring fire blazed on the hearth.
Tall silver lamps shone on the por-
celain and crystal of the board. AS
Jacqueline entered by one door, In
other, at the end of the apartment,
! opened and Philip Trevor and his
wife stepped through together.
They were talking brightly, each,
as it seemed, in the best OF spirits.
| Was Jacqueline laboring under some
delusion, or had she really see the
hand of the nan grasping that slim
white throat which rose, like the
| stem of a flower, from Mrs. Trevor's
black velvet dress? A dog-collar of
diamonds now clasped 1t. Under
meath the jewels did no purple mark
| of savage fingers still stain the del
icate flesh? Yet Mrs. Trevor's eyes
were radiant, her lips like carmine:
Greatly puzzled, Jacqueline took her
| seat at the board. She could hardly
answer coherently the few remarks
addressed to her. She thought OF
the pale, helpless figure which she
had seen borne up the stair in the
arms of Peter, and the mystery be-
came sickening.
During the dinner the Trevors
maintained their high spirits and
faultless demeanor. At the close of
the meal Mrs. Trevor arose, swept
into an adjoining room, her long vel
vet dress trailing behind her, and
sat down to a grand piano. Her hus-
band followed, and took his violin
from it's case. In perfect harmony,
the two began one of Chopin's gloomy
despairing nocturnes. Jacqueline's
heart thrilled to the sobbing, wailing
chords. An unwelcome intruder in
this strange house, surrounded with
dangers and uncertainties, she stood
in a window, half concealed by, the
long curtain, and looked out into the
night.
Far away a fog horn doomed. The
rain lashed the panes; the sea was
rolling its white tons on the rocks.
Suddenly a discord in the music drew
Jacqueline's eyes back to the must
clans. MI. Trevor's lips were witch
ing, drops of sweat stood on his fore
head, his face looked drawn and
tense. Mrs. Trevor dashed into a wild
waltz; her husband strove to follow
her, but, turning his head furtively,
he met the fixed gaze of J~acqueline,
and the effect was startling. With a
passionate gesture, he dashed down
his violin.
"My Cod" he cried, in horror,
that girl is the image of John Hat
toni"
Mrs. Trevor put her hand on her
husbands arm.
Command yourself, Phillip" she
said, in a hard, cold voice.
He shook off the hand, murmured
something unintelligible, and rushed
out of the room. Mrs. Trevor con-
tinued her waltz, as though nothing
had happened. Her face was like a
mask. She played on to the last note,
put the music carefully away, picked
up her husbands violin and slipped it
into it's case; then, rising from the
piano, she went owe to Jacqueline.
":Have you prayed tonight, Desde-
mona?'" she said with a strange
smile. THAT is, are you a religious
woman, Miss Hatton?"
II hope So" replied Jacqueline,
gravely.
"Then. don't stand at this window
looking for ghosts, but go down on
your knees and entreat for clear
skies! You see, the storm shows no
sign of breaking-God pity us! In
tempests we are cut off from the
world. All evil things are then ar
rayed against us-we are at the mer-
cy of the powers of darkness"
The velvet dress rippled across the
carpet. She disappeared through the
same door which had closed on her
husband, With a rapidly increasing
sense of insecurity, J%acqueline re-
turned to her own chamber.
Husband and wife she regarded
with equal distrust; but one thing
she had discovered-her presence in
the house unnerved and tortured
Trevor. The outbreak at the piano
convinced her that he was a haunted
man. From ~Jacqueline's face he had
seen her dead father looking forth
upon him!
1.-THE man has a conscience"
thought J%acqueline, triumphantly,
and l am on the trail Of it."
A rap at the door. Vic entered.
81 thought you might want some
thing before you went to sleep, Miss
Hatton," she said, tentatively.
%Jacqueline, who felt drawn to this
girl, and who was always cheered by
the sight OF her strong, shrewd face,
smiled sadly.
There are many things that ]
want, Vicky, but I am not likely to
secure them. How long do storms
continue here?"
For days and days, sometimes"
replied Vic, cheerfully. I'VE don't
mind-there's nothing like getting
used to them"
IL mind" corrected %Jacqueline,
'and so, I fancy, does Mrs. Trevor
anvmau che hadn mo nrnN that fair