The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-16

hls tongue did not show It The dis.
may with which Georgian followed his
words grew as, she listened, and
reached its height as he added In
nnal explanation:
"The bag I did draw out OF the pool.
but only because l had taken 1t down
there In my blouse front. Did you
think q man could see that or any
thing else indeed in that maddening
swirl of water?'
But 1t was Mrs. Ransom's bag"
came from Harper in ill-disguised
amazement. Even his sang-froid was
leaving him before these evidences Of
plot SO deep as to awaken awe.
Where did you get it? Not from
Mrs. Ransom herself? Her own sur.
prise Is warranty for that"
mo, / got it from the river, an.
other reason why credited her
drowning. 1t was fished up from tho
sand, little way from the Fall. My
man found it; had sent him there in
q vain hope that he might find evil
dence Of the tragedy which others
had overlooked. He did, but he told
no one but me. You flung the thing
too far" he remarked to Georgian.
"You should have dropped 1t nearer
the bank. Only such prodder a. my
man Ives would ever have discovered
IT,"
Georgian shook her head, impatient
&t such banalities, In the face Of the
important matters they had to dis
0uss.
ITO the point" she cried. tell these
msa what will clear me Of everything
but . wild attempt at freedom"
Il have said what had to say" no
turned her brother.
Georgian's head fell. For q moment
her courage seemed to fall her. Mr..
Harper rose and locked the door.
I'VE must have no intruders here"
said he. pausing with q certain sense
Of shock. as he noticed the faint smile,
full Of some sinister meaning. which
for an instant twisted Hazen's lips at
these words. But the delay was but
momentary. With an odd sense of
haste he rushed at once to the attack.
Stepping in front Of Hazen, he oh.
served with force and unmistakable
resolution:
"Your devotion to the legatee Auch-
incloss cannot possibly be explained
BY any ordinary feeling Of obligation.
Your sister has mentioned q Cause.
Can he by any possibility be the
treasurer Of that Cause?"
But Hazen was as impervious to di.
rect attack as he had been to a covert
one.
Georgian will tell you," said he.
when a woman looks az she looks
now, and 10 80 given over to her own
personal longings that she forgets tho
most serious oaths. the most binding
promises. nothing can hold back her
speech. She will talk. and since this
must be. let her talk now and In my
presence. But let 1t be briefly" he
admonished her. "and with discretion.
An unnecessary word will weigh heav.
lily in the end. You know in what
scales. You shall have just fifteen
minutes"
He looked about for a clock, but
seeing none drew out his watch from
his vest pocket and laid it on the Ia
Bile. Then he settled himself again in
his chair, with a look and gesture Of
imperative command towards Georg-
Ian. Struck with dismay, she hest.
tated and he had time to add:
II shall not interrupt unless you
pass the bounds where narrative ends
and disclosure begins"
And Harper and Ransom glancing
up at this, wondered at his rigidity
and the almost marble-like quiet into
which his restless eye and frenzied
movements had now subsided. Georg.
ian seemed to wonder ALSO for she
gave him = long and piercing look be-
fore she spoke. Her nrst words set.
tied one point which up to this mo-
ment haa disturbed Ransom greatly.
"You must forget Anitra's story. It
was suggested By facts in my own
lite, but 1t was not true Of me or mine
In any OF It's particulars. Nor must
you remember what the world knows,
or wnat my relations say about my
life. The open facts tell little Of my
real history. which from childhood to
the day l believed my brother dead
was indissolubly bound UP in his.
Though our fathers were not the
same. and he has old-world blood In
his veins. while am Of full American
stock, we loved each other as dearly
and shared each others life as init.
mately as IL the bond between US had
been one in blood as 1t was in taste
and habit This was when we were
both young. Later. change came.
Some old papers OF his father fell into
his hands. A new vision Of life,-sym-
pathies quite remote from those which
had hitherto engrossed him, led him
further and further into strange ways
and among strange companions. Isno-