The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-07-04


II swear, Mr.. ODowd."
"Then," said he, IT have no time to
waste here. I am looking for a tir
box. I beg your pardon for disturb
Ing you"
"Oh, Mr.. O'Dowd, I shall never for
get all that you have"
"Whist, now! There is one thing
must insist on your forgetting COM
pletely: all that has happened in the
last five minutes. What I am doing
Mr.. Barnes, would be my death SEN
tenQe Il it ever became known"
1T shall never be known through
me, O'Dowd. I'd like to shake your
hand, old man."
God bless you, Mr.. ODowd," said
the girl in low, small voice, singular
ly suggestive Of tears. "Some day J
may be in position to"
Don't say It'll You'll spoil every
thing If you let me think you are in
my debt. Bedad, don't be so sure ]
sha'n't see you again, and soon."
'Tell me how to find Hart's Tavern
old man. I'll"
mo. I'm dashed If do. You ought
to be grateful to me for not stopping
you entirely, without asking me to
give you a helping hand. Good-by,
and God bless you. I'm praying that
ye get away safely, Miss Cameron. So
long, Barnes. If you were crow and
wanted to roost on that big tree IN
front Of Hart's Tavern, I dare say
you'd take the shortest way there by
flying as straight as bullet from the
mouth Of this pit, following your ex-
tremely good-looking nose"
They did not wait for the break Of
day. Taking O'Dowd's hint, Barnes
directed his steps straight out from
the mouth Of the quarry and pressed
confidently onward. In answer to a
question she informed him that there
were no fewer than twenty-five men in
Green Fancy, all of them shrewd, reso-
lutte and formidable.
II cannot, for the life Of me, see
why they took chances on inviting me
to the house, Miss Cameron"
She was silent for q moment, and
when she spoke it was with great in
tensity. "Mr. Barnes, had your life
in my hands all the time you were at
Green Fancy. I shudder now when I
think of what might have happened.
Before you were asked to the house, /
was coolly informed that you would
not leave 1t alive IL so much as
breathed a word to you concerning
my unhappy plight. The first word Of
an appeal to you would have been the
signal for-for your death. That is
what thy held over me. When ]
spoke to you on the couch that night,
I-oh, don't you see? Don't you see
that I wantonly, cruelty, selfs|l'y
risked your life-not my owll-whea
II
sThere, there, now!" he cried, con-
solingly, as she put her hands to her
face and gave way to sobs.
'Forgive me-" she murmured. i
didn't mean to be so silly"
ut helps, to cry sometimes" he said
lamely.
The frst faint signs Of day were
struggling out Of the night when they
stole across the road above Harts
Tavern and made their way through
the stable yard to the rear OF the
house. his one thought was to get
her safely inside the Tavern.
The door was locked. he delivered
a series Of resounding kicks upon Its
stout face. Revolver in hand, he faced
about and waited for the assault OF
the men who, he was sure, would
come plunging around the corner OF
the building in response to the racket.
But there was no attack.
At last there were sounds from
within. A key grated In the lock and
a bolt was shot. The door few open.
Mr.. Clarence DilDngford appeared In
the opening partially dressed, his
hair sadly tumbled, his eyes blinking
In the light Of the lantern he held
aloft. ---~~------. ~~
swell, what the" Then his gaze
alighted on the lady. For the love
Of" began the embarrassed Dilling-
ford. "What the dew say, can't
YOU sec that I'm not dressed7 What
the"
"Give me that lantern" said Barnes,
and snatched the article out Of the un-
resisting hand. "Show me the way
to Miss Thackeray's room. Dlllingford.
No time for explanations"
"Well, for the love Of"
II will take you to Miss Thackeray's
ROOM" said Barnes, leading her swift
ly through the narrow passage. "She
will make you comfortable for the
that is until am able to secure
room for you. Come on, Dillingford."
Miss Thackeray was awake.
Through the closed door she asked
what on earth was the matter.
'I have a friend here-a lady. VIII