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

it, miss-not II you'd give me the
whole round world"
Who watches Mrs. Trevor?-who
spies upon herr" said J%acqueline, In
astonishment.
why, Peter, of course" an
swered Vic, disgustedly.
But Mr.. Trevor adores his wife
is a common servant allowed to an
noy her in that way?"
Peter does 1t! That's all I know,
MISS" answered Vic, dryly.
"Vic, come and stand at this win
dow. Now you perceive that you can
look down into the inclosed piazza.
To-day, from this spot, I saw Mr..
Trevor seize his wife by the throat
Il heard her shrek. I ran out on
the stair, to go to her help, and met
Peter bearing her senseless body. She
looked like a dead woman. I believe
she was half strangled. And yet,
when l met her at dinner, she was
MISREPRESENTATION, almost-and
seemed on the best of terms with
her husband"
Vic smiled grimly.
"Queer what grit some women
have, Miss Hatton! Yes, I heard her
scream. He really choked the life
out of her. Some day she'll be
killed here, and she knows it, too.
Say, it's raining awful! Then, you
don't want anything tonight? Well,
I'll keep you in mind, and you'll find
me heal when you need me-"
With these comforting assurances
Vic vanished. Jacqueline went to
bed, but sleep fed from her. For
hours she lay listening to the storm.
Her mission to Deadman's Island
was assuming a complexion for which
she had not, at the outset, bargained.
In the morning the storm was still
raging. The gray sky bent low to
the angry, flashing ca. Jacquellne
looked from her window, and saw
Joe Raby coming along the slippery
rocks, hitching up his oilskin trou-
sers and shaking the rain from his
beard. As she entered the break
fast room she found Trevor waiting
there alone. He looked haggard n
worn, but greeted her ch~eerfully.
Still we are prisoners indoors,
Miss Hatton! My wife has a head
ache this morning, and will not leave
her room. Tempests affect her I'M
pleasantly-she is a dollhouse plant.
May I ask you to take her place at
the coffee urn?"
Reluctantly Jacqueline took the
seat indicated. He watched the turn
of her white wrist, her graceful move
ments, as she poured the fragrant am
Der, and burst suddenly into loud
laughter.
What absurd tricks the magma
ton plays at times!" he said. II am
thinking, Miss Hatton, Of a tea to
which you invited me when you were
a child in the care of a governess.
1t was in the garden Of your fathers
Beverly villa. You presided, like a
small queen, and poured from a sam
ovar. The roses were in bloom
there were always many roses at
Beverly-and the pleasure boats were
beached at the foot Of the garden.
John Hatton sat opposite me at your
little tea table-God above! I be-
lieve he is here-opposite me now!"
He leaped to his feet; his face was
the hue Of chalk. But by an effort
he recovered himself.
"Preposterous!" he said, drawing
a heavy breath. 81 am as fanciful
as a woman! Come to my library,
Miss Hatton, and you will now see the
proofs that 1 promised"
Startled, and full of unpleasant
suspicious, Jacqueline with
alacrity and followed him. The lib
rary table was spread with papers,
memoranda, books of account.
IT leave you to examine these care
fully" said Trevor. "Take time-do
not hurry. By-and-by I will return,
and you shall then tell me IL your
opinion of me remains unchanged"
He went out, and Jacqueline was
alone with her task. She fell to 1t
eagerly, yet with a determination to
be just-to give Philip Trevor the
benefit of the doubt-to pursue her
search with the sincere desire Of find
ing some proof of his innocence. The
papers were promissory notes bearing
John Hatton's signature. She scru-
tinized them closely. Ink and paper
seemed strangely fresh. Again and
again she submitted them to a rigid
examination, but could find no touch
Of time upon them. The handwriting
was like. and yet unlike, her fathers.
She turned to the account books.
There she found a record of appalling
amounts that Trevor had furnished
his friend-columns of figures that
%bewildered and staggered her. The
necessary dates supported each trans
action-indeed, both time and place
were set forth with labored accu-
racy.
To be Continued.
The 0fice.Speker.