University of South Carolina Libraries
fcGATE A story or fensreRY.iiivoi.viNc startling 'COMPLICATIONS &? ADVCNTUP iy ANNA KATtCRINC CRttl -_. AATTMOR- OP* W laSSSlSSIOSlM SfcHiND CLOS! CHAPTER x. Two Doors. flS%\HE enthusiasm, the expects I 1 I tloa In Urs. Deo's voice were ?HHfl unmistakable. ' This good woman believed In this res waif of turoulent caprices and ways, and from this moment began to believe In her too, consequently to share some of the lent which had now become it all through the house. His suspense was destined to bo While he was straining his to see what might be going on the road, s small crowd of poo round the corner of the la their midst walked a vom St* with s shawl or cape over hsr I?a fl?Tce and wilful figure which the hand kind lira. Deo laid em her arm. and shrank as the great it door foil open, sending forth a of light which, to one less wed to wild waye and outdoor living, a hospitable cheer. *t)eorgiaaa firm!" muttered Ran ?sen involuntsrl y to himself. "And ?aorglaa's face!" be felt obliged to snti. as the Ugbt fsll broadly across Isar. -Bat not Georgian's wsys and as* Georgian's nature." he Impetuous %y amJshed as ahi slipped out of eight the myitery of the brother rushing 01 er him and hs yleld hJmself again to the wonder of the till hi was reawakened to by the shuffling of feet on stairway anl the raised tones of I Deo as eis tried to make herself by her new and some difficult guest ft was a trylnj; moment for Ransom. for au>thor glimpse of the but 'eared to betray his own 11/ to the two women who so? iled her. Should he be forced %s allow her to enter her room un aasaT alight hi not better run some risk of detection? He finally Used mutters by flinging his aids open und then retreating to end of the room, where the NM appealed heavy enough to hin. Fron this point he cast a down the ball, which was in s Uno fron i his present stand and was fortunate enough to ^WlU ? tauen look tt Ucee about her. a gllmpe? of the girl with her turned In Ills direction. Her corn on thi contrary, were stand with their backs to him, one be the door she had just thrown the othet at his wife's door, on ch she bad Just given a significant | +~fjuca was tho picture. The girl sbsorbed all his attention. The shawl?a gay ons with colors la * had fallen 'rom h?r head and wal trailing, wet aid bedraggled, over an ly bedraggled skirt Soused with her balr disheveled, and all her ents awry with the passion of movsmens, she yet msde his stand still as, with s sullen look those about her, she rushed into room prepared for her use and ?med the door behind her with a cry of ningled rage and relief, with all these drawbacks of man and appearance she was the liv picture of Oeorgian; so like her, , that he could well understand w the shoes which his darling re red when, in the unconsciousness possessing s living sister, she had ntered n street or store, or rever the/ had first met, this liv reproduction of herself. "No wonder she became confused to her duti," he muttered. "I even d myself becoming confused as to a** "Bring me ip something to eat." he tow heard tils latest comer shout from her doorway. "I don't want tea aad I don't rant soup. I want meat, sseat And I shan't go down after? ward, either. I'm going to stay right here. I've seen enough of people 1 don't know. And of my sister too. Rhn was cross to me because I hated the coach at d wanted to walk, and She shan't come into my room till I ball her to. Don't forget; It's meat I mumm M*k?tt **A,wL'' want, Just meat and something sweet. Pudding's good." All shocking to Mr. Ransom's taste, but mor 3 so to his heart. For not? withstanding the coarseness of the ex? pressions, the voice was Georgian's and laden with a hundred memories. * Ransom now decided that if he must keep up his watch?and nothing now could de'er him from doing so ? he must take a position consistent with his assumed character. Detec? tion by Georgian was what he now feared. Whatever happened, she must not get the smallest glimpse of him, or be led by any Indiscretion on his part to suspect his preeence under the same roof as herself. Yet he must see all, hear all that waa possible to him. For this a continuance of the present conditions, an open door and no light, were positively requisite. But one expedient suggested itself. He would light a cigar and sit in the win? dow. If questioned he would say that he waa engaged In deciding how he would end the story he waa writing; that such contemplation call? ed for darkness but above all for good air; that had the weather been favorable he would have obtained the I latter by opening the window; but it j being so bad he could only open the door. Certain eccentricities are al? lowable in authors. This settled, he proceeded to take a chair and envelope himself in smoke. With eyes fixed on the dimly lighted vista of the hall before him, he waited. What would happen next? Would hla wife reappear? No; sup? per waa coming up. He could hear dishes rattling on the rear stairway, and in another moment saw the maid coming down the hall with a large tray in her hands. She stopped at Anltra's door, knocked, and was an? swered by the harsh command: "Set It down. I'll get It for myself." The maid set It down. Next instant Mrs. Ransom's door opened. ''Don't be too generous with me," he heard her call softly out "I can't eat I'm too ejpset for much food. I Tea," she whispered, "and some nice < toast. Tell Mrs. Deo that I want nothing else. She will understand." The maid nodded and disappeared down the hall Just as a bare arm was thrust out from Anltra's door and the tray drawn in. A few mlnutee later the other tray came up and was car? ried into Mrs. Ransom's room. The contrast in the way the two trays had J been received struck him as showing the difference betwen the two women, | especially after he had been given an ( opportunity, as he was later, of seeing the ferocious way in which the food j brought to AnUra had been disposed of. But I anticipate. The latter tray had . not yet been pushed again into the ' hall, and Mr. Ransom was still smbk- j ing hl? first cigar when he heard the lawyer's voice in the office below ask- ? ing to have pen and ink placed in the ' small reception-room. This recalled him to the real purpose of his w!fe'3 presence in the house, and also as- ( sured him that the oprcrtvnity wovM , soon be given him fo?* cnoihei" sjUsnpia of her before the evening was over, j It waa also likely to be a full-face one, as she would have to advance sev? eral steps directly towards him be? fore taking the turn leading to the front staircase. I He awaited the moment eagerly. The hour for signing the will had I been set at nine o'clock, but It was surely long past that time now. No, , the clock in the office is striking; it , is Just nine. Would she recognize the summons? Assuredly; for with the I last stroke she lifts the latch of her door and comes out. She has exchanged her dark dress for a light one and has arranged her ? hair in the manner be likes best But he scarcely notes these changes in the Interest he feels in her intentions and the manner in which she proceeds to I carry out her purpose, 1 She does not advaace at once to the staircase, but creeps first to her sis? ter's door, where she stands listening for a minute or so in an attitude of marked anxiety. Then, with a ges- i ture expressive of repugnance and 1 alarm, she steps quickly forward and disappears down the staircase with? out vouchsafing one glance in his direction. His vision of her as she looked in that short passage from room to stair? case was momentary only, but it left him shuddering. Never before had l.c seen resolve burning to a white heat In the human countenance. The Inno* cent, affectionate young girl, whose soul he had looked upon as a weeded garden, had become in a moment to his eyes a suffering, determined, deep? ly joncentrated woman of unsuspect? ed power and purpose. What was she going to do? Sign away all her prop ! erty? Beggar her heirs for ? He I could not say what. No! There was in her distracted mind something of more tragic Import than this; and he i dared not question what. What if she I were about to will away her fortune to the man she called brother? He him? self had no use for her wealth. Her health and hnppincss were all that concerned him, and these possibly de? pended on her being allowed to go her I own way without interference. His suspense presently became so great that he could no longer control himself. Throwing up the window, he thrust his head out into the rain and felt refreshed by the icy drops falling on his face and neck. But the roar of the waterfall rang too per? sistently in his ears and he hastily closed the window again. There was something in *he incessant boom of that tumbling water which strangely disturbed him. He could better stand suspense than that. If only the wind would bluster again. That, at least, was intermittent in its fury and gave momentary relief to thoughts strained to an unbearable tension. Afterwards, only a short time after? wards, he wondered that he had giv? en himself over to such extreme feel? ing at this especial moment. Her ap? pearance when she came quietly back, with Mrs. Deo chatting and smiling behind her, was natural enough, and though she did not speak herself, the tenor of the landlady's remarks was such as to show that they had been conversing about old days when the two little girls used to ransack her cupboards for their favorite cookies, and when their united pranks were the talk of the town. As they passed down the hall, Mrs. Deo garrulously remarked: "You were never separated exeept on that dreadful day of the school houBe burning. That day you were sick and?" "Please!" The word leaped from Georgian in terror, and she almost threw her hand against the other's mouth. "I?I can't bear it." The good lady paused, gurgled an apology, and stooped for the tray which disfigured the sightliness of the neatly kept hall. Then, nodding to? wards a maid whom she had placed on watch at the extreme end of the hall, she muttered some assurances as to this woman's faithfulness, and turned away with a cordial good night. Geor? gian watched her go with a strange and lingering intentness, or so It seem? ed to Ransom; then slowly entered her room and locked the door. The incidents of the day, so far as she was concerned, appeared to be at an end. CHAPTER XL Half Past One in the Morning NOTHING now held Mr. Ransom to hin room. The two women in whose fate he was so nearly concerned, his sister in-law and his wife, had both retired and there was no other eye he feared. Indeed, he cotirted an interview with the lawyer, if only it could be natural? ly obtained; end he had little reason to think it could not. Bo he went down-stairs. In a moment he seemed to have passed from the realm of dreams to that of reality. Here was no mystery. Here waa life as he knew it. Walking boldly into the office, he ran his eye over the half-dozen men who sat there and, picking out the lawyer from the rest, sauntered easily up to him and sat down. "My name is Johnston," said he. "I'm from New York; like yourself, I believe," The lawyer, with a twinkle in his light-blue eye, answered with a cor? dial nod; and in two minutes a lively conversation had begun between them on purely impersonal subjects suited to the intelligence of the crowd they were in. This did not last, however. An opportunity soon came for them to stroll off together, and presently Mr. Raneom found himself closeted with this man who he had reason to be? lieve, was the sole holder of the key to the secret which was devouring him. "Did my w fe sign the will?" Ran? som asked. "All pretense aside, this is a very important matter to me, Mr. Harper; not on account of the money Involved, but because the doing of this simple act loomed to require such an effort on her part." "You are mistaken," was the quick reply, harshly accentuated. "She did just what she wanted to do. She was not in the least coerced, unless it was by circumstances." "Circumstances! But that is what I mean. They seem to have been too much for her. I want to understand these circumstances." The lawyer honoied him with his first direct look. "t don't understand them myself," said he. "You don't?" "Mo." Mr. Ransom feet down the wineglass ! he had ral?eil half way to his lips. 1 "You have simply followed her or* ders?" "You have said it. Your wife is a woman of much more character than you think. Hhe has amazed me." "She is amazing me. 1 am here; she is here; only a feU boards sepa? rate us. Bi t iron bars could not be more effectual. I dare not approach her door; dare not ask her to accept from me the natural protection of a lover and husband. Instinct holds me back, or her will, which may not be stronger than mine but is certainly core dominant," "Lawyers do not believe much in in B?nct as a utsual thing, but I should advise coufidence in this one. A wom? an with a tremendous will like that of Mrs. Ransom rhould be allowed a slack tether. The day will arrive when she will come to you herself. This I have said before; I can say nothing more to you to night." "Then there is nothing in the will you have drawn up to show that she has lost her affection for me?" The lawyer drained his glass. "1 have not been given permission to declare Us terms," said he, when his glass was again upon the table. "In other words. I am to know nothing." exclaimed his exasperated companion. "Not from me." And this ended the conversation. Ransom withdrew immediately up? stairs. At ten o'clock he retired. The last look he cast down the hall had shown him the drowsy figure of the maid still sitting at her watch. It seemed to insure a peaceful night. But he had little expectation of sleep. Though the wind had quieted down and the rain fell with increasing gentleness, the roar of the waterfall surged through all his thoughts, which in themselves were turbulent. He did sleep, however, slept peacefully till half-past one, when he and all in the house were startled by a wild and piercing cry rising from one of the rooms. Terror was in the sound and in an instant every door was open save the two which were shut upon Georgian and her twin sister. CHAPTER XII. "Georgian." HR. RANSOM was the first one in the hall. He had not un? dressed himself, expecting a totally sleepless night. It was his figure, then, that the maid en? countered as she came running from her post at the end of the corridor. "Which room? which?" he gasped out, Ignoring every precaution in his blind terror. "This one. I am sure it came from this one," she declared, knocking loud? ly on Anitra's door. There was a rustle within, a cry which was half a sob, then the sound of a hand fumbling with the lock. Meanwhile, Mr. Ransom had bent his ear to his wife's door. "All still in here," he cried. "Not a sound. Something dreadful has hap? pened?" Just then Anitra's door fell back and a wild image confronted him and such others as had by this time col? lected in the passageway. With only a shawl covering her nightdress, the gipsy-like creature stood clawing the air and answering the looks that ap? pealed to her, with wild gurgles, till suddenly her hot glances fell on Rog? er Ransom, when she instantly be? came rigid and stammered out: "She's gone! I saw her black figure go by my window. She called out that the waterfall drew her. She went by the little balcony and the roof. The roof was slippery with the rain and she fell. That's why I screamed. But she got up again. What is she going to do at the water? fall? Stop her! stop her! She hasn't steady feet like me, and I wasn't real ly angry. I liked her; I liked her." Sobs choked the rest. Her terror was infectious. Mr. Ransom reeled, then flung himself at Georgian's door. It resisted but the silence within told him that she was not there. Neither was she in Anitra's room. They could all look in and see it bare to the win? dow. "You saw her climbing past there?" he cried, forgetting she was deaf. "Yes, yes," she chatted, catching his meaning from his pointing finger. "There's a balcony. She must have jumped on it from her own window. She didn't come in here. See! the door is locked on her side." This was true. "I woke and saw her. My eyes are like lynx's. I got out of bed to watch. She fell?" The noise of a breaking lock snap? ped her words in two. One of the men present had flung himself against this communicating door. Immediate The gipsie-like creature s'.ood clawing the air. ly they all crowded Into t*e adjoining room. It was empty and bitterly cold and wet. An open window explained why. and possibly the letter lying on the bureau inscribed with her hus? band's name would explain the rest. But he stopped to read no letters now. "Show me the way to those falls." he cried. ro-'keting the letter as he rushed by the disheveled Anitra Into the open hall. "I'm her husjand. Roger Rnnrom. Who goes with me? TTo ?'ho flr?cs is my friend for li"e." 71.0 i and one or two others rushed for their coats and lanterns. He waited for nothing. The roar of the waterfall had told him too many tales that day. And the will! Her will Just signed! "Georgian!" They could hear his cry. "Georgian! Georgian! Wait! wait! hear what I have to say!" thrilled back through the mist as he stumbled on, followed by the men waving their lanterns and shouting words of warn? ing he probably never heard. Then his cry further off and fainter. "Georgian! Georgian!" Then silence and the slow drizzle of rain on the so^fry walk and soaked roofs, with the fur-off boom of the waterfall which Mrs. Deo ind the trembling maids gazing at the wide-eyed Anitra shiv? ering in the centre of her deserted room, tried to shut out by closing window and Mind, forgetting that she WM deaf and only heard such echoes as were thundering in her own mind. CHAPTER XIII. Where the Mill Stream Runs Fiercest. IWO o'clock. Three o'clock. Two men were talking be? low their breaths in the otherwise empty office. "That 'ere mill stream never gives up anything it has once caught," muttered one into the ear of the other. "It's swift as fate and in certain places deep as hell. Dutch Jan's body was five months at the bottom of it, before it came up at Clark's pool." The man beside him shivered and his hand roamed nervously towards his breast He rose and walked rest? lessly to the window. "Half the town is up," he muttered. "The lanterns go by like fire-flies. Poor Ransom! It's a hopeless job, I fear." And again his hand wandered to that breast pocket where the edge of a document could be seen. "I have half a mind to go out myself; anything is better than sitting here." But he sat down just the same. Mr. Harper was no longer a young man. Then all the men looking up, stared. A girl stood before them in the door? way. Anitra, with cheeks ablaze and eyes burning, her traveling dress flapping damp about her heels, and on her head the red shawl she pre? ferred to any hat. Behind her shoul? der peered the anxious face of Mrs. Deo. "I'm going out," cried the former in the loud and unmodulated voice of the deaf. "He don't come back! he don't come back! I'm going to see why." The lawyer rose and bowed; then resolutely shook his head. He did not know whether she had appealed to him or not. She had not looked at him, had not looked at any one, but he felt that he must protest "I beg you not to do so," he began. "I really beg you to remain here and wait with me. You can do no good and the result may be dangerous." But he knew he was talking to deaf ears even before the landlady mur? mured : "She doesn't hear a word. I've used every sign and motion I could think of, but it's done no good. She would dress and she will go out; you'll see." The next minute her prophecy came true; the wild thing, with a quick whirl of her lithe body, was at the front door, and in another instant had flash? ed through it and was gone. "It is my duty to follow her," said the lawyer. "Help me on with my coat; I'll find some one to guide me." "Here is a lantern. Excuse me for not going with you," pleaded Mrs. Deo, "but some one must watch the house." The New Yorker nodded, took the lantern offered him, and went stoical? ly out. He met a man on the walk in front He was faced his way and was panting* heavily. "Hello," said he, "what news?" "They haven't found her; but there's no doubt she went over the fall. The fellow who calls himself her husband has just been reading a letter they say she left on her bureau for him. It was a good-by, I reckon* for you can't tear him from the spot He says he'll stay there till daylight I couldn't stand the sight of his mis? ery myself. Besides, it's mortal cold; I've just been running to get warm. Who was the girl who just went scur? rying by out of here? It's no place for wimmen down there. One .lost gal is enough." "That's 7>hat I think," muttered the lawyer, hurrying on. He was not a very imaginative man; some of bis best: friends thought him a cold and prosaic one, but he never forgot that walk or the sensations ac? companying it. Dark as it still was, the way would have been impassable for a stranger, had it not been for the guidance given by the noisy passing to and fro of the awakened townspeo? ple. A ring of lanterns marked the spot. It was near, very near where the heavy waters fell into a deep pool. No one now spoke of Anitra; she had evidently been warned by her first en? counter to move with less precipitan? cy. As he approached the place of cen tral interest, he moved more warily too. He saw Ransom crouched on the wet earth, star ng down at a slip of paper he held in his hands. A lantern set in the sand at his feet sent its feeble rays over his face and possibly over the paper: but he was no long? er reading it, he was simply so lost in its sorrowful contents that all pow? er of movement had deserted him. Harper approached to his side, but he did not address him. Something stirred in his own breast and kept him silent. But there was another ;<erson near wiio was not so deterred. I As Harper stood watching Hansom's I crouched, almost insensible tigure. he I perceived a slight dark form steal I from the shadows and lay a hand on the Stooping man's shoulder, then as he failed to move or give any tokeu of feeling this touch, he heard Anitra's voice say in accents almost musical: "You will get ill here; you are not used to the cold and the night air. Come hack to the house; Georgian would wish It." (To Be Continued.) Walter Streeter, colored, was shot land Killed at Bennettsvtlle by Dave McNeill, also colored. WHITE MEN CONVICTED. lyonnie Hu!! und .lohn White Gfvea 12 und 10 Years for .Manslaughter. Columbia, Sept. 16.?I>>nnin Hall and John White were sentenced to? day to twelve years and ten years and one month, respectively, at har I 'a bor in the State peritentiary for the killing of young Eber Ashford, tor which they were yesterday found guilty of manslaughter. Sta-ri".^ at he bar. Kali, In or effort to obtain the mercy of the court, told of the attempted jail delivery some lime ago, which he discovered and report? ed to Jailer Shannon. Toward the end of his speech his voice broke and tears came to his eyes as he begged for mercy. White was very composed. He sim? ply said: "Be as light on us as you can, Judge." Judge Memminger In passing sentence said that he took in? to consideration the character and past reputation of both men. Neither one's reputation was anything to be proud of, said he, but White's was possibly the better of the two. He would therefore take this into con? sideration in imposing his sentence. He then pronounced his sentence. Af? ter the judge had finished, Hall broke down completely and sobbed like a child. White kept his nerve well. - ,1 A Crum of Comfort. It was April 1st. Little Genevieve was suffering from a painful abscess. The doctor had lanced it that morn? ing, and she had cried fot an hour. Now her mother was putting on the hot poultice which was so hard to bear. The little girl could not help crying. "Mama," she said between her sobs, "who is that behind you?" The mother ins .Inctively looked around, though she assured the child that no one was there. "April fool!'' was the reply, in a small, tearful voice. TEACHEKS EXAMINATION. The next regular teachers' examin? ation will be held at the Court House <>n Friday, Oct. 1, beginning at 9 o'clock a. m. S. D. CAIN. County Supt. Education. 9-18-25-30; W. 22-25-29. Just as Good as The Stief f Is getting to be one of the great talking points for many dealers and agents. It's a great advertisement for the artistic Stieff piano, but we feel sorry for the fellow who thinks when he buys the other he is getting just as good piano. Buyer, don't be fooled into taking the piano said to be just as good as the Stieff. Get the artistic Stieff and you will, have the best piano made without running any risk. Write Today. Chas. M. Stieff Manufacturer of the Artistic Stieff, Shaw and Stieff Self-Player Pianos. Southern Warerooni 5 West Trade St. OIL\HLOTTE, - - N. C. C. H. Wilmoth, Manager. (Mention this paper.) Glasses and Glasses. Some people seem to think that If tiny only wear Glasses it will be al? right with their eyes. There would bo just as nueh sense is prescribing the same medicine for every ?iis saae. We give mi Examination that can Leave no Defect UaeHecoveteel, l have a graduate optician in charge of my Optical Parlor. All work guaranteed. W. A. Thompson, ,1ew?icr and Optician. ft S. .Main Street Sumter. S. C