The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-11
CHAPTER XIII.
Dorothy's Horror.
Gervais started back.

DoIoeiiy
Gervais started back.
"a mar dead! Stabbed to death in
my grounds! Groves, you must be
dreamingi"
Enid had crouched back against the
door; her heart stood positively still
for one instant, then began throbbing
so violently and heavily as to make
her feel quite faint. She pulled the
door to quietly, but the buzz Of con-
versation and laughter from inside
sounded horrible while this other
grim subject held sway outside.
"Dreamin', my lord, I wish I was.
No, it's no dreamin'; the mans stone
dead. Must ha' been killed hours
ago, and"
"Be careful, Groves" Gervais said,
sternly; make no rash remarks of
that sort. 1t will be for the coroner
to determine whether he was killed or
not. What have you done with the
body?"
II left 'un down there, my lord. I
thought it best. I couldn't "a moved
'un by myself, and I didn't like to
touch him till I'd told you, my lord"
Enid went up to her own DON
first.
With trembling hand she unlocked
her box and drew out the handker-
chief in which she had wrapped the
dagger; she shuddered as she gazed
at it again; then going hastily into
her studio, she flung the handker-
chief, as Dorothy had done, into the
fire, and taking some oil and sand
paper that lay with her painting para
phernalia, she rubbed with feVerish
haste at the steel t. remove the spots
Of rust. The action relieved her over
charged heart; the fact of doing moth
ing had accentuated her misery.
To her unspeakable delight the
rust removed easily, and the blade
looked as 1t had done when 1t left
Roger Leicester's hands; the slight
discolorment On the ivory did not
trouble her, for it was very small
and quite unnot..eable.
This done, she threw off the cloak
nervously, and picking up some large,
fiat sketch books and a portfolio, she
hid the dagger in the latter, and went
swiftly from the room.
Outside she met Maria, her maid,
and forced herself to say some easy,
pleasant words as she passed.
Her first visit was to Dorothy's
boudoir; no one was in the dainty
apartment, and closing the door, Enid
went across to the writing table
and deposited the Indian dagger in
the place it usually held. AS she was
turning away n of the housemaids
came into the room.
81 beg your pardon, miss" she
apologized. Ends heart beat fast.
There is no OCCASION" Eliza" she
said, with a smile that faded imme-
diately; then she bent over her port
folio. Il am trespassing here, but
the fact is, I borrowed Lady Derri-
mans Indian dagger yesterday to copy
in one of my pictures, and-and I
forgot to put it back last night"
ALI I did miss it, miss, when I
was dustin this morning, cos I knew.
I'd seer it yesterday, only my lady
often takes it out to cut her books,
and papers, so I knew it was all right
Many thanks, miss"
Il must know the worst-the very
worst at once" Enid said, desperate
ly, to herself; land then, Tiff my
fears should be true, at all hazards
I must keep the truth from him"
She knocked at Dorothy's bedroom
door as she resolved on this, and in
answer to her cousins voice went in.
All, Enid! is that you? I thought
it was Lady Lowe. Virginie said she.
was coming up: 1 an better this
morning, thank Heaven! Another
hour of that pain and I don't know
what / should have done"
Dorothy was lying in bed, sur
rounded by letters and papers; she
looked supremely beautiful with her
golden hair lying loose on the lace
edged pillow, and a small wrapper
Of her ~favorite blue twisted about
her in graceful folds.
Enid walked toward the fire and
then turned round.
Ito be continued.)