Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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swamp she had got the start of me again. Aud, unpleasant as I felt this intrusion to be, I hastened on, overtaking her once more just as we reached a tiny gateway so covered with vines ' that there was no need for Loreen to say: “Ido not believe this has been open ed for years, but it must be opened now. ’’ And, throwing her young strength against it, she burst it through with all its vines, and bidding me pass she stepped herself over the trailing branches and made without a word tor the winding path we now saw clearly defined on the edge of the orchard be fore us. “Oh.” exclaimed Loreen, stopping one moment to catch her breath, “I do not know what I fear or to w'hat our steps will bring us. I only know that I must bunt for Lucetta till I find her. If there is danger where she is, I must share it. You can rest here or come far ther on. But what is this?” It was a man. He had started sud denly from some one of the shadows near the hedgerow. “Silence!” he whispered, putting his finger on his lips. “If you are looking for Miss Kuollys, ” ho added, seeing us both pause aghast, “she is on the lawn beyond, talking to Mr. Trohm. If you come here, yon can see her She is in no kind of danger, but if she were Mr i tiryjce is in the first row of trees to the back there, and a call from me”— 'lhat made me remember my whistle I It was still round my neck, but my hand, which had instinctively gone to it, fell again in extraordinary emotion as I took in the situation he hud hinted at and realized that it was on Mr piessiy said belore sne came into tms place that she could do nothing if for any reason Mr Trohm should suspect that th' v were not alone.” “We will be quiet, 1 assured him. anxious to lr.de mv face, which I felt twitch at ' Vi ry mention of Mr Trohm’s name bemud the screen he thus offered for our use. Loreen was already behind the hedge The evening was one of those which are made for peace The sun, which had set in crimson, had left a glow on the branches of the forest which had not yet faded into the gray of twilight The lawn, around which we were skirt ing, had not lost the mellow brilliancy which made it sparkle, nor had the clus ter c.f varied hued hollyhocks, which set their gorgeousness against the neat yellow of the peaceful doorposts, shown any dimness in their glory, which was on a par with the setting sun. But though 1 saw all this it no louger appeared to me desirable. Lucctta and Luoetta’a fate, the mystery and the impossibility of its being explained out here in the midst of turf and blossoms, filled all my thoughts and made me forget even my own cause for shame and humiliaticu^b not sorrow. Loreen,. who had wormed her way along till she crouched nearly opposite to them, plucked me by the gown us 1 a^u7cn'’Vd to where she was, aud, pointing to ti e hedge which pressed up go dose it nearly touched our faces, seemed to bid me to look through heardiing for a spot where there was a small opening, 1 put my eye to this and imnieuiatcly drew hack “They are moving nearer the gate,’ 1 1 signaled to Loreen, at which she crept along a few paces, but with a stealth so great that, listening as I was, By ANHA KATHARINE GREEN. [Copyright, 1897, by Anna K. Roblfs.) CHAPTER XXXIY. UNDER A CRIMSON SKY. At 6 o’clock the diggers began to go home. Nothing had been found, and the excitement of search which had animat ed them early in the day had given plr.ee to a dull resentment mainly di rected toward the Knollys, if one could judge of these men’s feelings by the hi avy scowls and significant gestures with which they passed its broken down gateway. By H the last man had filed by, leav ing Mr. Gryce free for the work which lay before him. I had retired long before this to my room, where I awaited the hour set by Lucetta with a feverish impatience quite new to me. As none of us could eat, the supper table had not been laid, and though I had no means of knowing what was in store for us the somber si lence and oppression under which the whole house lay seemed a portout that was by no means encouraging Suddenly I heard a knock at my door Rising hastily, I opened it. Loreen stood before me. with parted lips and terror in all her looks. “Cornel” slie cried. “Come and see what I have found in Lucettu’s room As she was already half way down the hall I hastened to follow her, and in a few moments found myself on tin* threshold of the room 1 knew to be Lu cetta’s. “She made me promise, ” cried Lo reeu, halting to look l ack at me, "tbai I would let her go alone and that 1 would not enter the highway till an hour after she had left. But after this how cau we stay in 4his house?” Aud dragging mo to a table, she showed me lying on its top a folded [taper and two letters. The folded paper was Lucettn's will and the letters were directed sever ally to Loreen aud to myself with the injunction on them that they were not Tnil,in's grounds we sto< \ and that it i was toward Mr Trohm himself Lore n's j looks of unmistakable fear aud dread were turned. “Lorn n,” 1 whispered, “it is not hers you look for a solution of that awlul mystery?” “Mi-s Lutterworth,” she answered, “it i- in re you should look for it.” “lit re? I?” Never have I felt such emotion and never have I so nearly suc cumbed to it “What do you mean?” 1 pr. yen “Tell me, tell me quickly what you mean!” “I menu." she gasped, “that that is 1 could not hear a twig snap. I eudeav- oml to imitate her, but not with as \ much success as 1 could wish The .seiise of horror w inch had all at once settled upon me, the supernatural dread of something which I could not see, but which I felt, had seized me for the first time and made that ruddy sky and the broad stretch of velvet turf with the shadows playing over it, of swaying tree tops and clustered oleanders, more thrilling aud awesome to me than the dim halls of the haunted house of the Knolly s in that midnight hour when 1 saw a body carried out for burial amid “DEACON SPEAR IS MUCH TOO FARAWAY FROM MOTHER JANE'S COTTAGE." to be read till sbe nad been gone six hours. “Serious!” I murmured. “But Mr Gryce is with her.” “No one is with her. Mr. Gryce may be near, but she has undertaken her task alone. Miss Butterworth, I have never broken a promise before in all my life, but I am going to break this. | Come, let ns fly to her. She has her lover’s memory,' but I have nothing in all the world but her. ’’ I immediately turned, and we hasten ed down the stairs, but at the foot Lo- recn gave me a look and said: “My promise was not to enter the highway Would you be afraid to fol low me by another road—secret road— all overgrown with thistles aud black berry bushes which have not been trim med up for years?” 1 thought of my thin shoes, my neat ■ilk dn ss, but only to forget them the next moment. “I will go anywhere, ” said L “But where, where has Lucetta gone? is it to Deacon Spear’s? If so”— But Loreen was already too far in ad vance of me to answer. She was young, she was lithe and was down as far as 1 the kitchen before I had passed the flower parlor. But when we had sped clear of the house I found that my prog ress bade fair to be as rapid as hers, ! for her agitation was a hindrance to her, i while excitement always brings out my powers and heightens both my wits aud my judgment. Our way lay past the stables, from which I expected every minute to see two or three dogs jump. But William, who had beeu discreetly sent out of the way early in the afternoon by the two sisters, had taken Saracen with him, and possibly the rest, so onr passing by disturbed nothing, not even ourselves. The next moment we were In a field of prickers, through which we both strng- ; gled till we came into a sort of swamp. This was bad going, but we floundered through it, edging continually as I could not but see toward a distant fence beyond which rose the symmetrical lines of an orchard. “Loreen,” 1 cried, “Loreen, those are Mr. Trohm’s grounds I Must we pass through them?” “It’s the shortest way,” she shouted back, for among the hummocks of the the man who has pv.rsued us with his hatred, driving my father and my moth er into tin ir graves. Ubadiah Trohm is the rich n an of whom we spoke to you: not Deacon Spear or any one else in this unhappy lane. ” And breaking from me she slid away nearer the ill assorted couple, in one of whom from that moment 1 saw no longer the cour teous, kindly country gentleman, but a monster of vengeful propensities, if not something worse and still more diabol ical. “Cornel” she beckoned, happily too absorbeu in her own emotions to notice mine. “Lot us get nearer. If Mr. Trohm is the wicked man wo fear, there is no telling what the means are which he uses to get rid of his victims. There was nothing to be found in his house, but who knows but that the danger may be arom d her now. It was evidently to dare it she came, to offer herself as a martyr that we might know”— “Hush!” I whispered, controlling my own fears roused against my will by this display of terror in this usually calmest of natures. “No danger can menace her there, not where they two stand, unless he is a common assassin and carries a pistol”— “No pistol, ’’ murmured the man who hud crept again near us. “Pistols m&ke a noise. He will not use a pistol. ” "Good God!” I whispered. “Youare not anticipating also that it is in the heart of this man to kill Lucetta?” “Six strong inch have disappeared hereabout,’’ said the fellow, never moving his eye from the couple before us. “Why not one weak girl?” With a cry Loreen started forward. “RunI” she whispered. “Run!” But ns this word left her lips a slight movement took place in the belt of trees where we had been told Mr. Gryce lay in hiding, and we could see him issue for a moment into sight with bis finger like that of his man laid warningly on his lips. Loreen trembled and drew back, seeing which the man beside ns pointed to the hedge and whispered softly: “There is just room between that and the fence fra person to pass sideways. If yon uni this lady want to get nearer t'< Miss Ki. illys, you might take that r '.,d. But Mr. Gryce will expect you t be very quiet. The young lady ex trouble and hush and a mystery so great it would have daunted most spirits for all their lives. The v ry sweetness of the scene made its horror. Never have I had such sen sations, never have I felt so the power of the unseen, yet that anything would happen here, anything which would ex plain the total disappearance of several persons at different times without a trace of their fate being left to the eye on this spot or in the .house beyond, seemed so impossible that I could but liken my state to that of nightmare, where visions take the place of realities and often overwhelm them I had pressed too close against the hedge as I struggled with these feel ings, and the sound I made struck me as distinct, if not alarming, but the tree tops were rustling, too, and, while Lu cetta might have heard, her companion gave no evidence of doing so. We could hear what they were saying now, and realizing this wo stopped moving and gave our whole attention up to listen ing. Mr. Trohm was speaking. I could hardly believe it was his voice, it had so changed in tone, nor could I see in his features, distorted as they now were by every evil passion, the once quiet and dignified countenance which had so lately imposed upon me. “Lucetta, my little Lucetta,” he was saying, “so she has come to see me; come to taunt me with the loss of her lover, whom she says I have robbed her of almost before her eyes! I rob her! How can I rob her or any one of a man with a voice and arm of his own stron ger than mine? Am I a wizard to dissi pate his body in vapor? Yet is it here in my house or on my lawn? You are a fool, Lucetta; so are all these men about hero fools! It is in your house”— “Hush !” she cried, her slight figure rising till we forgot it was the feeble Lucetta we were gazing at. “No more accusations directed against ns. It is you who must meet them now. Mr. Trohm, your evil practices are discover ed. Tomorrow you will have the police here in earnest They did but play with you when they were here before. ” “You child!” ho gasped, striving, however, to restrain all evidences of shock aud terror. “Why, who was it called in the police and set them work ing in Lost. Man’s lane? Was it not I”— "Yes. that they might not suspect you and perhaps that they might sus pect us But it was useless, Obadiah Trohm. Althea Kuollys’ children have been long suffering, but the limit has been reached at last. When you laid your hand upon my lover, you roused a spirit in me t;hat nothing but your own destruction cau satisfy. Where is he, Mr. Trohm? Where is silly Ru fus and all the rest who have vanished between Deacon tipear’s house aud the little home of the cripples on the high road? They have asked me, but if any one in Lost Man’s lane can answer that question it is you, persecutor of my mother, of ourselves, whom I here de nounce in face of these skies where God reigns aud this earth where man lives to harry and condemn. ” And thou I saw that the insthiol of this girl had accomplished what mere human acumen had failed in. For the old man—indeed he seemed an old man now—cringed nad the wrinkles came out in his face till be was demoniacally ugly. “You *iperl” he shrieked. “How dare you accuse me of crime—you whose mother would have died in jail bnt for my forbearance? Have you ever seen me set my foot upon a worm? Look at my fruit and flowers, look at my home, without a spot or blemish to mar its neatness and propriety. Can a man who loves these things stomach the de struction of a man, much less of a silly, yawping boy? Lucetta, yon are mad!" “Mad or sane, my accusation will have its results, Mr. Trohm. I belie vs too rt'.’epiy in your guilt not to make others do so. ” “Ah.”-sc Id he, “then yon have not dom- sc y t? You tcli*. ve this uud that, but you ha u uot arid so ’ “No.“she calmly returned, though her face blanched to the colorlessuess of wax, “1 have not said so yet.” Oh, the cunning that crept into his face! “She has not said it. Oh, the little Lucetta, the wise, the careful little Lu cetta!” “But I will,” she cried, meeting his eye with the courage and constancy of a martyr, “though I bring death upon myself. I will denounce you and,do it before the night has settled down ujxm us. I have a lover to avenge, a brother to defend. Besides, the earth should be rid of such a monster as you. ” “yuch a monster as I? Well, my pretty cue”—bis voice grown suddenly wheedling, his face a study of mingled passions—“we will see about that. Como just a step nearer, Lucetta. 1 want to see if you are really the little girl I used to dandle on my knee. ” They were now near the gateway. They had been moving all this time. His hand was on the curb of the old well. His face, so turned that it caught the full glare of the setting sun, leaned toward the girl, exerting a fascinating influence upon her She took the step he asked, aud before we could shriek out “Beware!” we saw him bend for- ward v, ith a sudden, quick motion and then start upright again, while her form, which but an instant before had stood there in all its frail and inspired beauty, tottered as if the ground were beuding under it, and in another mo ment disappeared from our appalled sight, swallowed in some dreadful cav ern that for an instant yawned iu the smoothly cut lawn before us and then vanished again from sight as if it had never been. A shriek from my whistle, mingled with a simultaneous cry of agony from Loreen aud the bushes iu our rear. We heard Mr. Gryce rush, but we our selves found it impossible to stir, para lyzed as we were by the sight of the old man’s demoniacal delight He was leaping to and fro over the turf, hold ing up bis fingers in the red sunset glare. “Six!” he shrieked. “Six! And room for two more. Oh, it’s a merry life 1 lead. Flowers and fruit and lovemak ing (Oh, how I cringed at that!), and now r and then a little spice like this! But where is my pretty Lucetta? Sure ly she was here a moment ago. How could sho have vanished then so quick ly. I do uot see her form amid the trees, there is no trace upon the lawn, and if they search the house from top to bottom and from bottom to top they will find nothing of her—no, not so much as a print of her footstep or the scent of the violets she so often wears tucked into her hair.” These last words, uttered in a differ ent voice from the rest, gave the cue to the whole situation. We saw, even while we all bounded forward to the rescue of the devoted maiden, that he w 7 as one of those maniacs w ho have per fect control over themselves and pass for very decent sort of men except in the moment of triumph, and, noting his look of sinister delight, perceived thai half his pleasure and almost his sole re ward for the horrible crimes he had perpetrated was iu the mystery snr rounding his victims and the entire ini inuuity from suspicion which up to this time be had fancied himself to en joy. Meantime Air. Gryce had co Vied the wretch with his pistol, and his man who succeeded in reaching the place even sooner than ourselves, hampered as we w’ere by the almost impenetrable hedge behind which we had crouehi d tried to lift the grass covered lid we could faintly discern there. But this was impossible until I, with almost superhuman self possession, considering the imperative nature of the emergency, found the spring hidden in the well curb which worked the deadly mechan ism. A yell from the writhing creature, cowering under the detective’s pistol, guided me unconsciously in its action, and in another moment we saw the fa tal lid tip and disclose what appeared to be the remains of a second well, long ago dri d up and abandoned for the other. The ■■■» *• of Lucetta followed after Continues to make Miraculous Cures READ THIS LETTER t ALMOST A MIRACLE. m inonin auer me aiaeaae started I had to give up mjr work and go to d. It continued to grow worse until tny arms and bands wera badly drawn, muob so that I could not use them. My legs were drawn back until my st touched my bipa. I was as helpless as a baby for nearly twelve months. Dillon, 8. 0., Aug. 18th, 1901. GentlemenIn September, 18M. [ took rbeu mutism in a very bad form, bed* fhe dlsease started. I had to give up my work and go to ao feet ■ _ ^ ......... , The muaclea of'myVrma and legs wo'rehard andshrlvVledup.' 1 I suffered death manv times ovar. Was treated by aix different physicians in McColl, Dillon and Marion, but none of them could do me any good, until Dr. J. P. Swing, of Dillon, oametoaee me. He told me to try your KHauuACiDB." Ho got me one bottle of the medicine and I began to take it and before the first bottle was used up I began to get better. I used five and a half bottles and was completely cured. That was two years ago, and my health baa been excellent ever since. Have bad rheumatism. I regard “Khkdmaoidi" as by far the best rheumatism on the market. I osnnot say too much for it. I have recommended It to others since and It baa cured them. •• a* began to walk in about six days after I began to take °f crutQh'-s; in about three months after I began to take it, I could walk as good as anybody, and weut back to work again. Very truly, JAMBS WILKES. All Druggists, or sent express prepaid on receipt of $i.oo. Bobbitt Chemical Co. # - - Baltimore, fid. gW For cnle by the Cherokee Drug Company. LIVER PILLS Form the modern mild power cure that completely idoet (be work, without shock or injury to any part of the system. Booklets and samples free of any dealer, J \ or complete treatment, Twenty-five Doses, 26c. BROWN MFG. CO. fcExjSfcv MEW YORK fKSKbv AND OREENEVILLE. TENN. BILIOUSNESS ^§5 Yf The liver must be gently stirred eo that V ’the bile will be thrown off In the right channel; the aystem at the same time should be invigorated by a tonio that Nature may ^begin her .work and complete the cure. sale hy Cherokee Drug Company. CRACK GOES THE WHIP IN COME THE ORDERS SELLS THE VERY BEST GRADES OF FERTILIZERS AT THE VERY LOWEST COST, It pays to fertilize your lands wj THE VIROINIA-CAROLIN^ CHEMICAL COMPANY^ PRODUCTS. SOLD EVERYWHERE, The Vlrglnia-Carolina Chemical Co.. CHARLESTON. S. C. r<\ TIE IEHICH COUflKl “The Largest Manufacturer of Fertilizers on Earth” Forty odd Manufacturing plants Wholesale purchasers Largest importers Concentration of Management more or less difficulty. As she had faiuted in falling she had not suffered much, and soon we had the supreme delight of seeing her eyes unclose upon the fare of Loreen. ’Ah,” she murmured in a voice wnose echo pierced to every heart save that of the guilty wretch now lying handcuffed on the sward, “I thought 1 saw Albert, aud he was dead, and I”— Bnt hero Mr. Gryce, with an air at once contrite and yet strangely trium phant, interposed his benevolent face be tween hers and her weeping sister’s and whispered something in her ear which turned her pallid check to a glowing scarlet. Rising up, she threw her arms around his neck and let him lift her. As ho carried her—where was his rheu matism now — out of those baleful grounds aud away from the reach of the maniac’s mingled laughs aud cries her face was peace itself. But his—well, hia was,a study. This “’■or> will be concluded in next F-iday’s '"-ue of The Ledger. Beauty la often one woman’s thorn in another woman’s flesh. fhla signature in O’i ovhv/ box of t’ao gonuln* Laxative Bromo-Quinine “ tha remedy that euroe n cold la e**« <:m SPECIAL SALE. I will offer until closed out, a lot of Men’s Overcoats at Flat Co«t: $10.00 Overcoats at $7.00; $5.00 Overcoats at $-1 50. Ladies’, Misses’s and Children’s Jacket’s, and Infants long Cloaks to go same way. Ladies’ $5.00 Jackets at $3.85 ; Ladies’ $2.00 Jackets at $1.75; Children’s $3.00 Jackets at $2.25; Chil dren’s $2.00 Jackets a" $1.05. See my line before buying an Overcoat or Jacket. Big lot of Trunks, Packing Cases, Satchels, ite,. just received and 1 have marked them very close. Trunks $1.10 to $7.50; Satchels and Bags 50c to $5.00. 9 I carry’ as complete line of Shoes as you will find in the city. Don’t fail to see me when in need of Shoes for Ladies, (rents, Youths, Misses and the little Tots. I have them for all sizes. Come, look through, and I'll convince you that my goods and prices are right. Don’t forget me when you go to buy that winter suit. My goods and prices win every time. Single Barrel Breech Loading Shot Guns, $5.00 and up. Double Barrel Breech Loading Shot Guns, $1000 and up. Half*Patent floor $2.00. Better grades a little higher in price. Men’s Water-Proof work coats $1.00 to $2.00. Notice. Buy you a home with rent money; nlee bulldltiK lots in town 'for snle; a.ho Im proved property for bhI<\ Bents colleoted promptly and returns made the 1st of eaeJi month. Personal attention given to col lecting. See me. Rgar Hallman. See me if hunting bargains in anything usually kept in a first- cla-s general store. Same line at my store at Goforths at same price as here. |. I. SA.RRJVTT.