Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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LOST MIN’S LANE. By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN. [Copyright, 1897, by Aon* K. Rohlfa.] CHAPTER XXXLL LUCK XT A. The next morning I rose with the lark. I had slept well, and all my old vigor had returned. A new problem was before me, a problem which had in creased in interest since it had become narrowed down by the elimination from it of the Kuollys hou ehold. Mother Jane and the jewels v ere to be Mr. Gryce’s starting point foe future investi- gation. Should they be mine? I thought I would take an early stroll and see. There was silence in the house when I passed through on my way to the front door. But that silence bad lost its terrors and the old house its absorbing mystery. Yet it was not robbed of its interest. When I realized that Althea Kuollys, the Althea of my youth, had actually breathed this same atmosphere with me, and that within a few days, 1 felt that no old time romance nor any terror which flitting ghost or stalking apparition might bring could compare with the wonder of this return and the strange and thrilling circumstances which had attended it. And the end was not yet. Peaceful as everything looked this morning, I still felt that the end had not come. The fact that Saracen was loose in the yard gave me some slight concern as I opened the great front door and looked out. But the control under which 1 had held him the day before encouraged me in my venture, and after a few words with Hannah, who was careful not to let me slip away unno ticed, I boldly stepped forth and took my solitary way down to the gate. It was not yet 6, and the grass was still heavy with dew. At the gate 1 paused. I wished to go farther, but Mr. Gryce’s injunction had been imperative about venturing into the lane alone. Be sides— No, that was not a horse’s hoof. There could be no one on the road so early as this. I was alarming myself unnecessarily, yet— Wel^J[ J^eld my I place, a little aw| conscious ild nc Self through aTl this village as a rough and cruel man. I have tried to stand his friend, hut it’s been against odds, Miss Butterworth. Even his listers raw that and showed their lack of confidence in our frieudsb’p. But I would like to oblige you.” I know he ought to go. I knew that if he had lingered only the five minutes which common courtesy allowed that curious eyes would bo looking from Lo; eon’s window and that at any min ute I might expect some interference from Lucetta, who had read through this man’s forbearance toward William the very natural distrust ho could not but feel tow ard so uncertain a charac ter. Yet with such an opportunity to hand how could 1 let him go without another question? ‘‘Mr. Trohin,” said I, ‘‘you have the kindest heart and the closest lips, but have you eter thought that Deacon Spear”— Ho stopped me with a really horrified look. ‘‘Deacon Spear’s house was gone through yesterday,” said he, ‘‘as mine will he today. Don’t insinuate anything against him,” he entreated. ‘‘Leave that for foolish William. ” Then with the most charming return to his old manner, for I felt myself in a measure rebuked, he lifted his hat and urged his horse forward. But, having withdrawn himself a step or two, he paused and with the slightest gesture toward the little hut he was facing added in a much lower tone than any he had yet used: ‘‘Besides, Deacon Spear is much too far away irom Mother .lane’s cottage. Don’t you remember that I told you she never could be gut to go more than 40 rods from her own doorstep?” And, breaking into a quick canter, he rode away past Mother Jane's cottage, at which ho barely glanced, into the mazes of the forest beyond. I was left to think over his words and the impossibility of my picking up any clew other than that given me by Mr. Uryce. I was turning toward the house when I heard a slight noise at my feet. Look ing down, I encountered the eyes of Saracen. He was crouching at my side, and as I turned toward him his tail ac tually wagged. It was a sight to call the color up to my cheek; not that sign of good will, astonishing as that was considering my feeling toward dogs, but his being there at all without my know'ing it. That made Amelia Butter- worth blush. That was a sign that no oman—I make no exceptions—can lis lore than one minute to an agreo- ’s expressions of sincere admi put letting go just a little of It may not be to her ;s her out as a wom- L s not a thing to one has not id which all Idiculous. :pected, at ;e not just use of refused them. So that man’s cellar bot tom had a stir up. They didn’t find anything, but it done me a lot of good and that’s something. I do hate that Deacon Spear—couldn’t hate him worse if he’d killed and buried ten men under his hearthstone.” ‘‘There is no harm in Deacon Spear, ” said Lucetta quickly. ‘‘Did they submit Mr. Trohm’s honse to a search also?” asked Lorecu, asham- ei of William’s heat and anxious to avert any further display of it. ‘‘Yes. they went through that too. 1 was with them. Glad I was too. I say. girls, I could have laughed to see all the comforts that old bachelor has about him. Never saw such fixings. Why, it’s as neat and pretty from top to bottom as our old house is not. It’s silly, of course, for a man, and I’d rather live in an old rookery like this, where I can walk from room to room in muddy boots if I want to and train my dogs and live in freedom like the man I am. Y'< t 1 couldn’t help thinking it niightv comfortable, too, for an old fel low like him who likes such things and don’t have chick or child to meddle. Why, he had pincushions on all his bureaus, and they had pins in them.” The laugh with which he delivered this last sentence might have been heard a quarter of a mile away. Lucetta look ed at Loreen and Loreen looked at me, but none of us joined in the mirth, which seemed to me very ill timed. Suddenly Lucetta asked: “Did they dig up Mr. Trohm’s cel lar?” William stopped laughing long enough to say: ‘‘His cellar? Why, it’s cemented as hard as an oak floor. No, they didn’t polish their spade s in his house, which was another source e,f satisfaction to me. Deacon Spear hasn’t even that to comfort him. Oh, how I did enjoy that old fellow’s face when they began to root up his old fungi!” Lucetta turned away with a certain odd constraint I could not but notice. ‘‘It’s a humiliating day fejr the lane, ” said she. “And what is worse,” she suddenly added, “nothing will ever come of it. No band of police can ever reach the root of this matter.” I thought her manner odd, and, mov ing up to her, 1 took her by the band with something of a relative’s familiar ity. “What makes you say that? Mr. Gryce seems a very capable man.” “Y'es, yes, but capability has nothing to do with it. Chance might and pluck might, but wit and experience not. Otherwise the mystery would have been settled long ago. I wish I”— “Well?” Her hand was trembling violently. “Nothing. I don’t know why I have allowed myself to talk on this subject. Loreen and 1 once made a compact nev er to give any opinion upon it. You see how I have kept it. ” fcjhe had drawn her hand away and X" ■» >/” SUE CRIED. thought I heard her whisper. At all events the two sisters were silent for more than a moment. Then Lncetta said: “Deacon Spear is well off, but noth ing will ever make me accuse living man of crime so dreadful.” And she walked away, drawing Loreen after her. In another moment she was out of the room, leaving me in a state of great ex citement. “This girl holds the secret to the whole situation,” thought L “The be lief that nothing more can be learned from the Kuollys is a false one. I mu.-.I see Mr. Gryce. William’s rodomantades are so much empty air, but Lucetta’s silence has a meaning we cannot afford to ignore. ” So impressed was I by this that I took the first opportunity which presented itself of seeing the detective. This was early the next morning. He and several of the townspeople had made their ap pearance at Mother Jane’s cottage, with spades and picks, and the sight had naturally drawn us all down to the gate, where we stood watching operations in a silence which would have been con sidered unnatural by any one who did not realize the conflicting nature of the emotions underlying it. William, to whom the death of his mother seemed to be a great deliverance, had been in clined to be more or less jocular, but his sallies meeting with no response ho had saunter* d away to have it out with his dogs, 1c aving mo alone with the two girls and Hannah. This latter seemed to bo absorbed en tirely by the aspect of Mother Jane, who stood upon her doorstep in an at titude so menacing that it was little short of tragic. Her hood, for the first time in the memory of those present, had fallen away from her head, show ing a wealth of gray hair which flew away from her head like a weird halo. Her features we could not distinguish, but the emotion which inspired her breathed in every gesture of her uplift ed arms and swaying body. It was wrath personified, and yet an unreason ing wrath. One could see she was as much dazed as outraged. Her lares and penates were being attacked, and she had come from the heart of her solitude to defend them. ‘ ‘ I declare! ’ ’ murmured Hannah. ‘ ‘ It is pitiful. She has nothing in the world but that garden, and now they are go ing to root it up. ” “Do you think,” said I, “that the sight of a little money would appease her?” I wished an excuse for dropping a word into the ear of Mr. Gryce. “Perhaps,” said Hannah. “She dear ly loves money, but it will not take away her fright.” “It will if she has nothing to he frightened about,” said I, and turning to the girls I asked them, somewhat mincingly for me, if they thought I would make myself conspicuous if I crossed the road on this errand, and when Loreen answered that that would not deter her if she had the money and Lucetta added that the sight of such misery was too painful for any mere personal consideration I took advantage of this complaisance and hastily made my way over to the group, who were de bating as to the point they would at tack first. “Gentlemen,” said I, “good morn ing. I am here on an errand of mercy. Poor old Mother Jane is half imbecile and d< ies not understand why you in vade her premises with these imple ments. YVi.T you object if 1 endeavor to distract her mind with a little piece of gold I happen to have in my pocket? She may not deserve it, hut it will make your task easier and save us some possi ble concern. ” Hall of the men at once took off their hats. The other half nudged each oth er’s elbows and whispered and grimaced like the fools they were. The first half were gentlemen, though not all of them wore gentlemen’s clothes. It was Mr. Gryce who spoke: “Certainly, madam. Give the old woman anything you please, hut”— And here he stepped up to me and be gan to whisper: “Youwant something. What is it?” I answered in the same quick way. “The mine you thought exhausted has still its possibilities. Question Lucetta. It may prove a more fruitful task than turning up the soil. ” The how he made was more for the onlookers than for the suggestion I had given him. Yet he was not ungrateful for the latter, as I, who was beginning to understand him, could see. “Givoit!” he cried out aloud. “We would not disturb the old crone if it were not for one of her well known follies. Nothing will take her over 40 rods away from her home. Now what lies within those 40 rods? These men think we ought to see. ” The shrug I gave answered both the open and the underlying question. Sat isfied that he would understand it so 1 hurried away from him and approached Mother Jane. “See!” said I, astonished at the regu larity of her features, now that I had a good opportunity of observing them. “I have brought you money. Let them dig up your turnips if they will.” She did not seem to perceive me. Her eyes were wild with dismay and her lips trembling with a passion far be yond my jjower to comfort. “Lizzie!” she cried. “Lizzie! She will come back and find no home. Oh, my poor girl! My poor, poor girl!” It was pitiable. I could not doubt her anguish or her sincerity. The delirium of a broken heart cannot be simulated. And tins heart was not controlled by reason; that was equally apparent to any one who could see. Immediately my heart, which goes out slowly, but none the less truly on that account, was touched by something more than the surface sympathy of the moment She may have stolen, she may have done worse, she may even have been at the bottom of the horrible crimes which have given its name to the lane we w m. but her acts, if acts they were, ..ere u result of a clouded mind fixed forever ■ ;>ou the fancied needs of an- other ar not the expression of personal | -rriitv 1 j or even of personal longing or avarice. Therefore I could pity her, and 1 did. Making another appeal, I pressed the coin hard into one of her hands till the contact effected what my words had been unable to do, and she finally look ed down and saw what she was clutch ing. Then indeed she changed, and in a few minutes of slowly growing compre hension became so quiet and absorbed that she forgot to look at the men and •ven forgot me, who was probably noth ing more than a flitting shadow to her. “A silk gown,” she murmured. “It will buy Lizzie a silk gown. Oh, where did it come from, the good, good gold, the beautiful gold, so little, but enough to make her look fine, my Lizzie, my pretty, pretty Lizzie?” No numbers this time. The gift was too overpowering for her even to re member that it must be hidden away. To gloat over it, she must keep it in her hand. I walked away while her de light was still voluble. Somehow it eased me to have done her this little benefit, and I think it eased the men too. At all events, every hat was off when I passed them : gain on my way back to the Kuollys gateway. I had left both the girls there, but I found only one awaiting me. Lucetta had gone in, and so had Hannah. Why I was soon to know. “What do you suppose that detective wants of Lucetta now?” asked Loreen as I took my station again at her side. “ While you were talking over thereto Mother Jane he stepped over here, and with a word or two induced Lucetta to walk away toward the house. See, there they are in those thick shrubs near the right wing. He seems to be pleading with her. Do you think I ought to join them and find out what he is urging upon her so earnestly? I don’t like to seem intrusive, hut Lucetta is easily agitated, you know, and h\s business cannot be an indifferent one jtfter all be has discovered going on in our house.” “No, ”1 agreed, “and yet I think Lucetta will be strong enough to sus tain the conversation, judging from the very erect attitude she is holding now Perhaps he thinks she can tell him where to dig. They seem a little at sea over there, and living, as you do, a few rods from Mother Jane, he may imagine that from some sign or other she can direct him where to first plant the spade. ” “It’s an insult,” cried Loreen. “All these talks and visits are insults. To ho sure, this detective has some excuse, but”— “Watch!” I interrupted. “Lucetta is shaking her head and looking very positive. £he will prove to him it is an insult. Wo need not interfere, I think. ” But Loreen had grown pensive and did not heed my suggestion. A look that was almost wistful had supplanted the expression of indignant revolt with which she itad addressed me, aud when next moment the two we had been watching turned and came slowly to ward u:s it was with decided energy for her she bounded forward aud joined them. “What is this?” she asked. “What does Mr. Gryce want, Lucetta?” Mr. Gryce himself spoke. “I want her,” said he, “to give me just a little clew from her inmost thoughts. When I was in your house,” he explained, with a careful considera tion t jr me and my relations to these girls, which was one of the good points with which he offset some which wen of an exasperating nature to me, “I saw something in her attitude, being, as you may surmise, something of a keen observer, which convinced me that as a dweller in this lane Miss Kuollys was not without her suspicions as t< the secret cause of the dread mysteries which I have been sent here to clear up. Today I have frankly asked her, and she—she will not tell me, Miss Loreen. Yet her face shows even at this moment that my old eyes were not at fault in my reading of her. She docs suspect somebody, audit is not Mother Jane. ” “How can you say that?” began Lu cetta, but the eyes which Loreen that moment turned upon her seemed to trouble her, for she did not attempt to say any more—only looked equally ob stinate aud distressed. ‘ ‘ If Lucetta suspects any oue, ’’ Loreen uow remarked steadily, “then I think she ought to tell you just who and why. ” “You do. Then perhaps you”—com menced Mr. Gryce—“can persuade her as to her duty, *’ be finished as he saw her head rise in protest of what he evi dent jy ' ad intended to demand. “Lj< tta will not yield to persua sion, ” was her quiet reply. “Nothing shert of conviction will move the sweet est uatured but t lie most determined of all my mother’s children. What she thinks is right, she will do. I will not attempt to inflm nee her. ” Mr. Gryce, with oue comprehensive survey of the two, hesitated no longer. I saw the rising of the blood into his forehead, which always precedes the beginning of one of his great moves, and filled with a sudden excitement, I awaited bis next words as a tyro awaits the first unfolding of the plan ho bus seen working in the brain of some fa mous strategist. “Miss Kuollys”—his very tone was changed, changed in a way to make us all start notwithstanding the prepara tion his momentary silence had given us—“I have been thus pressing and per haps rude in my ap]jcal because of something which has come to my knowl edge which cannot but make you of all persons extremely anxious as to the meaning of this terrible mystery. I am an old man and you will not mind my bluntness. 1 have been told—and your agitation tells me it is true—that you have u lover, a Mr. Ostrander”— “Ah!” She bad sunk as if crushed by one terrific blow to the earth. The e>es, the lips, the whole pitiful face that was upturned to us remain in my memory t< day as the most terrible aud yet the most moving spectacle that has come into my by no means uneventful life. “V. hat Las come to him? Quick, quick, tc.l me.’’ For answer Mr. Gryce drew out a telegram. “From tho master of the ship on which he was to sail,” said he. “It asks if Mr. Ostrander left this town on Tuesday last, as no news has come from him. ” “Loreen! Loreen! He passed down that way!” shrieked tho girl, rising like a spirit and pointing down the road toward Deacon Spear’s. “He is gone! Ho is lost, but his fato shall not remain a mystery. I will dare its solution. I— I— Tonight you will hear from me again.” And without another glance at any of us she turned and fled toward the housa This snory will be conMnu >d iu next Friday's issue of The Ledger. Startling, Hut True. “If every one knew what a grand medicine Dr. King’s New Life Pills is,” v rites D H. Turoer, Demp^cv- towo, Pa . • you’d sell all you have in a day. Two weeks’ use has made a new man of me.” Infa'lib'e for con stipation, stomach and iiv« r trouble. 2oc at Cherokee drug store. Cured of Pile* After 40 Year*. Mr. C. Haney of Geneva. Ohio, had the piles for forty years Doctors and dollars could do him no lasting good. DeWi t’s Witch Hazel Salve cured him permanently. Invaluable for cuts, burns, bruises, sprains, lurcera- tions, eczema, tetter, salt rheum and all other skin diseases. Look for the name DeWitt on the package—all others are cheap, worthless counter feits. Cherokee Drug Go. Any man who lives within himself is apt to be troubled *itr indigestion. It is enough to di-courage a tru’h* fui man When even his friends refuse to bdievi- Sim To Cure it Cold In Oue l>ay Take Laxative Broroo Quinine Tab lets. All druggists refund the money if it fail* to cure E. W. Grove's sig nature is on each box. 25c. France's society of Dramatic Auth or* collects for its clients some $50 - UOU a year. Dickey’s Dyspep*.a Cure cures in digestion. sour stor jaoh, heartburn, costiveness, gnawLg and ..tuning pains at pit of stomach, sick head ache. Try it. One • o;tle w: l give you relief. S B. Crawley & Co. .More deaths from snake bites occur io India in houses than in the fields or the jungles. Rheumacide is a po*itive cure for rheumatism in every form. Does not injure the digestive organs. The best laxative and ‘blood purifier. Ask your druggist for it. The present population of greater Berlin exceeds 2,550,000—just two million more than Munich. All in the^AftkliiK. As< for a sack of flour and you get the flour that best suits your dealer. He may care more for his orofit than your health. Ask fur “Clifton” and y° u get the bi st ami purest fl.,ur sold a the south. It (II ly will power to face v .Ur mother-in-law, but it takes heroic for titude to love her pets. Tell Your Grocer What You W ant. \\ hen you order u sack of flour be certain to tell your grocer to send you “Clifton,” otherwise you may an something that costs the grocer less but which you buy no cheaper. And you don’t get as good, pure flour, either. Always ask for “Clifton” brand. Marrying a woman who knows her ow n mind means marrying a woman with a Wildcat temper. Towel* Without Cost. Every forty-eight pound sack in w ’Lich Clifton” flour is packed will meke two good towels, the regular toweling goods being made in the manufacture of the sacks. Ask your grocer to send you a forty-eight pound eack A woman can gain an awful lot of flesh without anybody discovering it except her corst t maker. There is no cough medicine so pop ular as Foley’s Honey and Tar. It contains no opiates or poisons rnd never fails to cure. Cherokee Drug C>. 6 A bachelor in bis second boyhood and a widow in her second girlhood head the list of harmless idiots. Phyaichtiift'l'retM-ribe It. Many broad minded physicians pre scribe Foley’s Honey and Tar, as tney have never found so safe and reliable a remedy for throat sud lung troubles as this great medicine. For sale by Cherokee Drug Co. Respect always a silent woman; great is the wisdom of the woman who holds her tongue. Foley’s Honey and Tar for cough and colds: reliable, tried and tested, safe and sure. Ghurokee Drug Co. A haughty woman stumbles; for she cannot see what may be in her way. Foley’s Honey and Tar always stops the cough and heals the lungs. Refuse substitutes. Cherokee Drug Trust not the woman who tbinketh more of herself than another; mercy will not dwell in her heart. iV. A. Herren of Finch. Ark., writes, “I wish to report that Foley’s Kidney Cure has cured a terrible case of kidney and bladder trouble that two doctors bad given up.” Cherokee Drug Co.