Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, January 01, 1898, Image 1
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VOL 44 YORKVILLE, S. C., SATURDAY, JANUARY 1. 1898. ~NO. 1.
HiK
AWPWCHMONT
c o* /ft < cht iey?i
PROLOGUE I.
ON THE DEVIL'S ROCK.
"So you're iu earnest, are you, and
really mean it this time?"
"Every syllable of every word."
The reply was uttered with the crisp,
clear ring of determination, and Lola
Turrian as she spoke look?d her husband
in the face with set decision in
tv6ry line of her young, beautiful face.
The husband, a slim, fair, good looking
man, sneered provokiugly as he returned
her gaze. He shrugged his
shoulders as he answered readily and
rapidly, though with a slight foreign
accent:
"Upon my word, you really are very
beautiful, Lola. I'm not a bit surprised
that other men fall in Jove with you.
On my soul, I should?if you weren't
my wife already, of course." He ended
with a laugh that might have marked
nhnso nf fpeliiic. but there was a
threat veiled in the light toue of the
question which followed, "And what
then?"
"I care not what then," was the answer,
spoken with angry emphasis. "I
know what you mean, and I care nothing.
You mean that yon will add informer
to your other characters and tTy
to send my father to the galleys. The
same chivalry which let you live on
me urges you to whip me with a fear
for my father's safety. Would to heaven
1 had dared you at the first aud never
put this cursed fetter on my life." She
was playing nervously with her wedding
ring as she spoke.
Her husband eyed her curiously without
letting any sign of annoyance at her
words appear aud replied with the air
of one who is merely balancing the pros
and cons of a given course:
"I wonder if I did make a mistake
with you when I stopped you going on
the boards. A speech like that to the
gods ought to draw many pounds a
week to auy bouse. You want a trifle
more gesture. If you're going to say it
again, either hold up the 'fetter' and
flaunt it in my face or dash it on the
ground. The gallery likes gesture.
Don't forget. But you'd better not rehearse
here because the rock is not very
wide, and if you chuck much of your
jewelry about some of it's pretty sure
to roll down into the gorge, and what
goes over there won't como up again.
But there! What's tho need for mo to
doubt your powers of acting? Haven't
I seen you lead a dozen men on?ayo,
and to the very verge?only for us to use
'em up in the end? You're a born actress,
Lola, with limitations and iu a certain
line."
"I'll act no longer, then," returned
the girl, for she was little more. "You
go your way. I'll go mine."
"Aud your father can go his, eh?
Poor old chap. You're very hard on
him Lola, very hard indeed. To 6end
him to the galleys in that way, and at
his age too."
His cold, sneering indifference goaded
her almost beyond the point of endurance,
but she fought dowu her rage.
"I have come out here to tell yon
that this kind of lifo must end. I"?
"Aud a devilish uncomfortable place
you've chosen," he said, interrupting
her and laughing. "Here we are on a
lonely crag, with these villainous fir
trees on one side aud a sheer dip right
down to the bottom of the ravine on the
other and a sky that looks as though
nothing short of a miracle could stop it
sending down buckets of rain inside five
minutes. I wish you'd be a bit thoughtful.
If yon want to do an uncomfortable
thing, yon might at least choose a comfortable
place to do it iu. Look here! Let
us go to some hotel and have it all out
there quietly over a bottle of wine."
"I know what you mean by all this.
You think to sneer me out of my present
mood I mean to speak here and
now. I came here on purpose."
"What! Here up on this infernally
bleak Devil's rock, stuck right iu the
middle of the Schwarzwald? What rubbish,
Lola! Do be consistent. Why, when
the train started this morning we had
not an inkling that we should be brought
to a standstill at this roadside station,
with threo hours to wait for the next
train, so you couldn't havecoiiieon pur
pose, as any 1001 can see.
"When I knew we had to stop so
long, I resolved to bring you here to
say what I had to say."
"All right," was the answer, and
the husband glanced round as if resigning
himself to an uncomfortable experience.
"Devilish dramatic surroundings
and devilish dangerous, too," he muttered,
glancing over the side of the rock
into the abyss that yawned below, some
200 or 300 feet down. "Might be devilish
convenient, too, if you wanted to
get rid of an uncomfortable friend.
Well, wife, wife, go ou," he said, sitting
down on a point of the rock and
looking round to shrug his shoulders
again and smile. "You've brought me
lo the dismal depth of a Swiss wood iu 1
order to thrill me with a terrible tale
of defiance. Very well; thrill away."
He seemed determined to make light
of the interview and to mock his companion's
indignation and emotion. But
he watched her all the time, despite his
assumed indifference, with lynx eyed
vigilance.
"1 repeat, this life shall end," she
. cried, after a moment's pause, bursting
into quick, vehement, emotional utterance.
"Shall end, do you hear? I will
be your decoy no more?your slave?
your tool. I will no longer lure men infn
tho meshes of the net your cruel
hands spread for their ruin. You and I
shall part. Do you hear, part, now and
kay]
ZS&S&S&35 j
JR OF ? o o o
H0ADLEY3 iECiyZf I
ERY OffW6TinOPE 5TRANCE
>5E HAND'y <=> ? ?
ld hill mistcry '
cr ? <? ? <? ? 1
By rue. AUThon. j
for always. I will be uo wife of yours (
- - - +-* - *-* ? ? -3 -* r ?. :* .
ior uie iuture, una xx x xau uvuxu u, nu
help me heaven, I'll never look on your
hateful face again."
The man listened in silence, and
when she ceased waited beforo answering,
looking at her with his head a little
on one 6ide and his eyes half closed, j
"All right. Good by," he said at
length, turning away to whistle.
"What, not gone yet?" he added after
a pause in a tone of surprise. "Pray
don't stop on my account. Any show of
politeness between us would be such a
superfluity of foolish pretense. " And he
resumed bis whistling.
Presently ho stopped and, getting up,
went close to her and spoke in a different
tone, seriously and directly:
"Look here, Lola! Don't make a fool
of yourself. You can't leave me. You
know that well enough. My silence is
as necessary to you as your beauty i9 to
me. There was never any other bend
between us and never will be probably,
but you can't break it. And you must
own that I've done well for you. You
live on the best of the laud; you've
never staid at any but the best hotels;
you spend what you like on dress;
you've any amount of lovers. What
husband could do more than that?"
The wife made no reply in words,
but her eyes lighted with anger.
"So long as you don't go too far with
any of them, I never say a word, and
the fact that while they are making
love to you I am making money out of
them ought to give a zest to the business
which you should appreciate. Don't
be a tool, ur course you wane your nys- c
terics in some form or another?all wo- j
men do?but don't let 'em lead you over
the Rubicon. This German pig that c
we're stalking now may be the last we t
need trouble ubout. He's rich enough t
to yield any amount of gold, and if I 1
know love in a fat fool's face when I i
see it he's mad on you and he'll give c
half his wealth if only you give mo the 1
ohance to handle"? i
"Stop!" cried the woman hotly, a
"Ma./ I rot if ever I movo a finger to a
help you again. If you want to rob r
men, go and do it like other thieves. B
Be at least a man and don't skulk be- e
hind my petticoats. I'll never speak to ^
that German again, I swear." t
The man turned a shade pale now a
and bit his lip. Then he swore under ^
his fair mustache, and bis voice was no j
longer steady when he spoke. He began
to fear that she was in earnest and this
made him angry. r
"I will make you do what I wish," fl
he said, and he laid his hand on her <
wrist. j
She 6hook it off with a toss of con- 8
tempt. c
"Bah! Do you think I am afraid of e
you?" she cried. "Do you think I have j
ever done what you wished because I (
feared anything you could do to me? ,
You poor, conceited fool. I'm no more
afraid of you than of a rat!" And she j.
laughed derisively. ^
At this all the color left his face with
rage. He gripped her wrist firmly and f
held it while, with a threatening brow, (
ho said in a voice harsh with anger, ,
"Unsay that at once or your father j
shall rot in jail." v
"You coward!" she cried, and, stung {
by the words and the gesture into a
paroxysm of rage, she raised the light
umbrella she was carrying and struck {
him with all her force across the face j
while wrenching her wrist from his g
grasp.
He was standing close to the edge of
the steep rock, with his back to it, and
in his surprise and dismay at the blow
he stumbled hastily back, and, losing
bis footing, slipped over the edge. As
he fell he managed to catch with one
hand at the ledge of the rock and remained
hanging by one hand over the
dark, deadly abyss.
For an instant he hung thus, looking
up at her, his face salt white and wet
with fear and rage, while he made
frantic efforts to get a hold with his
other hand.
Before ho could do this, however, the
girl, mad with the rage he had stirred
in ber, raised her foot and stamped her
heel with all her force upon the man's
white, strained fingers.
He uttered a loud, sharp cry of paiu,
and, unable to retain his hold, disappeared
over the face of the rock.
It happened so suddenly that the
yoor.g wife stood gazing at the place
where ho had fallen like one dazed
with horror.
Bat it was only for an instant. Then
she drew herself up and raised her head
as if with an iustiuct of defiance.
She waited some time and listened.
Then she bent forward and called to him,
"Pierre, Pierre I" and she was pleased
when no answer came. Lying down at
lUli jeilgCll, sne irieu III joint (until j111u
the gorge, but a slightly projecting
breast of the cliff prevented her from
seeing to the bottom. Finding that, she
moved away and went to another spot
and tried to get a glimpr-e of the place
into which he had fallen. She thought
6he could see liim lying far down below,
but the light was thickening with the
growing storm, and she was not eerfaiu.
Bat she made no effort to get help,
and, when she had waited until the time
came for her to leave, in order to catch
the train at the station she walked away
quickly.
Sho was glad and her heart was
beating with an infinite pleasure that j
the man who had gloomed and ruled
ami deadened her young life was dead, t
He had been too hard a taskmaster ;
for her not to be thrilled with a sense j
of pleasure at the thought of freedom, j
PROLOGUE IL v
FREE AT LAST.
A fortnight after the incident on the I
Devil's rock Lola Turriau and her father
sat in close consultation in the old a
man's bedroom in a hotel in Neufchatel. e
The old man was sitting np on hit t
bed, propped by pillows, and his wrin- t
kled, parchment colored skin looked o
fellow and dingy against the snow e
white bedclothes. His voice was qnav- C
aring and thin, bnt his black, beady p
ayes shone with a light that seemed all s
the stronger and stranger by contrast a
with the weakness of his withered body, fc
"It's good news, Lola?real good j
news. I hope the brute is really dead!" 1
rhe hate with which he spoke of the p
lead man lent unwonted energy to his c
? * ? ? -1- !? ? Annovo i1
ruiutf, wmio urn icaU| uiuurcu UU^^AO U
gripped the bedclothes with a gesture 1
suggestive of his feeling. 1
"I wish I'd been with yon, girl, to o
bave made sure. Imps like those can v
tumble over cliffs, and yet the devil t
finds a soft place somewhere for them fr
to fall. If I'd been there," he added
grimly, "I'd have had him found by ?
those who'd have made sure he was h
lead.*
"He is dead, father, never fear. I tell I
pou I went back and staid at the hotel a
slose to the place for ten days, making li
sautious inquiries everywhere. If he d
bad escaped, I must have heard of it."
The old man was silent a moment, a
muttering and mumbling and shaking a
bis head. t!
"But you don't know it, Lola. You o
baven't found his carcass." 1;
"Well, he is dead to me at any rata
Dur paths shall never lie side by side y
igain. He never held me at all, as you y
mow, save for my fear for you. I am fi
sot afraid of such a thing as that" s
She tossed her head with a gesture of s
contempt. t
"Mark my words, we shall never o
iear oi him again," she added. t:
"I shall not, child," said the old
nan. "That's why I sent for you."
The girl rose impulsively at this, and
;aking her father's band kissed it and
hen kissed his face and smoothed some si
- * - i-.i L:.L LJJ -A. J A
)I tne WQlie JOCKS which huu aiiiajrcu *=
lown from under bis skullcap oyer bis p
'orehead. b
He suffered rather than enjoyed the o
:aress and sh'^ok his head with a half u
jetulant movement of impatience. t
"You ought to be glad I'm going to
lie at last, Lola," he continued. "I've a
>een an unconscionable time over it, u
jut that fool of a Dr. Lubin says I can't v
ast now more than a week or a fort- h
light more, and if I do I can't get out a
if bed. Wnat the deuce is the good of b
iving, I should like to know, caged up
n a hole like this, and in bed, and not o
ible to have a scrap of deoent food or
i drop of wine, nothing but a oup of e
tasty stuff that might be pig swill for p
ill I know? If that's the case, the 60on- t<
r I go after Pierre the better. I only g
vish I could let you know that he's a
here safe bound. We shan't be far ji
ipart over there, I expect," he added, tJ
vith a smile that made his wrinkled eatures
inexpressibly ugly. a
Lola said nothing. a
"I hope you don't think I'm going to g
nake a fool of myself about dying," he k
aid querulously, noticing her manner. 1
'You wouldn't have me turn white h
ivered and send for a pack of priests
md pretend to wipe out all the record si
if a full life well lived and well enjoy- a
id with the cant of half an hour! Pshl u
But there! That'll do about myself. I'm d
hinking more about you. What will a
-ou do?" u
"I have made no plans yet, father. I a
lave only thought so far that you and I a
vould be much happier together now." d
"Then it's time you did think, that'B
ill. Your face and form are good D'
mough to win you half a kingdom if n
'on only use them properly, and your
duck?well, it's as stanch as mine, a]
ifou'll go far if you choose. Only mind
lon't try to go too fast."
"I don't want to talk of myself." ?
"I don't care what you want," was
he testy reply. "I do, and I mean to. h
.listen. Drop the name of that infernal at
coundrel and act as though that part of 1<
'our life had never been lived. Play u
he beautiful ingenue. Be my daughter, h
jola Orawshay, once more, and as soon
is I'm dead do what those cursed relaives
of mine would never let me do? n
[0 back to England. They'd have stopped tl
ny allowance if I'd gone back, but when h
hey see you in the garb of the mourn- al
ng orphan?probably dressed for the
>art, mind?they'll take you in as sure- o
y as you will them. I've written a let- a
er for you to the only one among 'cm a
vho ever Bhowed she had a heart, old a
lira Villyers, and if you play your ^
:ards as my child ought to you'll make r
ier home yours and her introductions t:
>e the means of starting your cam- b
jaign. She's so deadly dull and religious
that the world will cash herintro- t.
luctions at sight to any amount just as f(
janks will Rothschild's checks. I've ^
;hought all this out, expecting that h
rou'd probably run away from that e
jrute as soon as I was in my coffin, and
I've written down hero a list of all your B
sligible relatives, with such hints as t
incurred to me of the best means of get
\ \ tl
The girl witched him till he dropped 8
asleep. v
ting round tlieru. I've 110 money to give B
you except a few butik notes, but I can
give you a family, child, as good as any o
In England, and if you don't make your a
?ay with them you're not my ch.'ld."
"I'd rather you'd not speak," began
jola, when the old man cat her short:
"Do hear me to the end, girl. I've
11 bnt done, and you know how ivs tires
ae to talk. You'll find everything in
hat black box addressed to you to save
rouble. Don't waste your little money
n any funeral fallals for me. I should
lot do it on yon, and I don't want 'em.
let away as quickly as you can, bnt
tost the letter two days before you
tart, only two days, so as not to give
ny one a chance of replying. It's just
o say I've told you to go straight to our
jeople in England, and as they don't
ove me overmuch they may want to
mt off my child. Don't give 'em the
hanoe, but yon go, and when you're
here I'll trust you to do the rest.
.'bat's the best I can do for you, Lola,
fon've had a rough time between an
Id scapegrace like me and a young
illain like Pierre, and you've been a
tanch, brave girl. Now let me lie down
o sleep."
Lola kissed him again, and this time,
oftened by his own words, he kissed her
tand in return.
"You're a good girl when you like,
jola," he said. "I believe you'd do
nything on earth for the man you
oved?and anything to the man you
idn't," he added dryly.
The girl watched him till he dropped
sleep, and then she eat thinking over
11 he had said. She was really sad at
he thought of bis death, for he was the
nly thing she had ever loved in her
ife.
But he was right when he said he
ras dying. In less than a fortnight be
ras in his grave, and she had started
or the new life in England, and depite
her regret for the old man's death
he was filled with an intense gladness
bat the old disgraceful thraldom was
ver, as well as with eager anticipaions
of what the future held for her.
CHAPTER I.
MAD FOR THE LOVE OF HER.
"It's no use. I've come baek, you
oo I rmooaorl mriM ha alnito nntr ''
00. A 5 UVOUVU J M MX/ ?v/ ??
ind Sir Jaffray Walcote laughed as he
asBed out through the window of the
otel on to the veranda and sat down
n a low basket chair, which creaked
nder the weight of his tall, powerful
rame.
Lola Crawshay, who was sitting
lone at the end of the veranda, looked
p from her book and first greeted bim
rith a glance and a smile, which made
is pulses beat faster, and then changed
d said in a tone which implied reuke:
"You said you would go with the
there."
"I know, and I meant it right
nougb. I always do when?when you
ack me off. I got nearly as far as the
jwn, and upon my word I meant to
o right on and find the little woman
nd my cousin and stop with them,
ast as I said, but?well, I thought of
bis cozy veranda, and that?that you"
-he glanced at her, checked himself
nd changed the finish of the sentence,
dding?"that on such an evening one
ets such fine views of the scenery, you
now, and all that, and so here 1 am.
'hat's all." And he turned his smiling,
andsome face to her.
"You had no right to come back,"
aid Lola gravely and almost coldly,
nd she olosed her book and gathered
p the fancy work which she had been
oing. Then she rose from her chair
nd stood just where the sun shone
pon her, bathing her in golden light
nd making her magnificent beauty seem
lmost supernatural in its dazzling raiance.
Her companion gazed almost like one
switched by the glorious picture she
lade.
"Will you let me pass, Sir Jaffray?"
be asked, purposely avoiding bis eyes.
He jumped to his feet and reddened.
"Do you mean you are going in?
[ave I offended you? Don't go."
The last was a whispered appeal, and
e looked down at her and seemed to
jarch for her eyes with his. After a
)ng pause she lifted her face and turned
pon him a gaze which thrilled him till
e almost trembled with the passion
.Li.L
ruicii rugeu in liim.
Then she made as if to speak, but said
otbing, and her eyes fell again, as
aough beaten down by the ardent look
e bent on her, and instead of speaking
tie sighed deeply and tremnlonsly.
She moved on as if to pass him withufc
speaking, but he barred her path,
nd as though unwittingly she brushed
gainst him, then stopped, drew back
nd started and sank down again into
er chair, leaning her arm on the veanda
and her face on her hand and siting
quite still,' liko the statue of em
arrassed and emotional loveliness.
Sir Jaffray leaned against the rail of
he veranda and made no effort to speak
or awhile, content to feast his eyes
ipon her lustrous beauty and to yield
imself up to the full enjoyment of the
motions she had roused.
He was mad for the lovo of her, and
he knew it well enough and meant to
e his wife.
But she knew also that thero were
ifficulties to be surmounted first and
hat she must act warily and cautiously
f Bhe was to succeed.
It was more than 18 months since
hat scene on the Devil's rock, and sho
ad already made excellent use of her
ime in England. She had found Mrs.
rillyers, the widow to whom her father
iad sent her, ready at first to give her
nly a very cold and formal welcome,
rilling to do for a relative what the
emandsof duty, sympathetically inter
reted, might require, but unwilling,
n account of the ill odor of Lola's faher
with his family, to take lier into
he house on the footing of an intimate
nd loving friend.
But Lola had amply justified her
hrewd old father's judgment, and the
winning .tact, the clever usefulness, the
upplo adaptability and the patient
emper which the girl never failed to
how won the old lady's heart, until she
pus almost loath to let her out of her
ight.
As tho old man had predicted, inorever,
Mrs. Villyers' introduction opend
the doors of every desirable house in
the couuty, ami Lola's beauty and
shrewdness did the rest. She was the
beautifnl Miss Crawshay, uud nobody
ever tried to remember that her father
had enjoyed and deserved a reputation
for such ill conduct as had made his
friends pension him off on condition
that he never set foot in his native
country.
Lola was not long idle, moreover, in
making her plans. She meant to marry.
She had heard nothing of the man who
had forced her to marry him, and she
believed him dead. If he was still living,
it was almost impossible for him
to find her, she thought. Anyway she
would take the risk.
Tiie nomage wmcn tno men an rouna
the neighborhood were eager to pay her
wherever she went soon convinced her
that she could marry almost whom she
pleased, and, as she had long couvinced
herself that she had no love to give and
no reason to fear any yielding to a
weakness of the kind, she carried a very
cool head indeed behind her very glowing
and lire raising beuuty.
Her final decision as to the man she
would marry came as much by accident
as design on her part.
Among her distuut connections was a
bright, shrewd, gossiping little woman,
Mrs. Do Witt, whoso married lifo was
in Lola's views a curiosity. Tbo husband
and wifo had no tustes in common,
except that they were both intensely
fond of the comforts which money can
give. They went nowhere together. If
they met in public, it was generally accidental,
and if they staid at the same
place it was owing to quite independent
causes. Each had a separate circle
of friends, male and female, for uucon
4.Z 1 U
veuiiULiui uurpuma, luuugu uuiu ujuvcu
in tbe same social set for conventional
purposes.
The "little woman," as most of her
friends called her, heard of Lola's beauty
and went down to Mosscombe, the
village near Walcote where Mrs. Villyers
lived, to see for herself what the
girl was like and to judge whether she
could do herself any credit and serve
her own purpose by taking her up and
bringing her out in Loudon. She was
more than satisfied by her scrutiny,
and as Lola was careful to show a somewhat
different side of her character to
her from that known to Mrs. Villyers
?though not at all moro natural?Mrs.
Do Witt carried her off there and then
to London, protesting that such a girl
must not bo shut up in a country box,
but must seek her fortune and her husband
in Loudon.
At that juncture, howover, Lola
proved her clever shrewdness. After
staying with Mrs. De Witt for a few
days she relinquished what was in fact
inexpressibly delightful to her the pleasures
of the Loudon season, in order to
return to Mosscombe and Mrs. Villyers.
By that one act she secured forever the
affections of the widow, who would
after that go anywhere to please her,
while she did not leave London until
Mrs. De Witt had seen bow much use
tho girl could be in making the house
attractive to men.
She paid several visits to tbe lively
little woman's house, and it was in one
of these that she met Sir Jaffray Walcote
for the first time. He bad been
abroad on a tour half round the world
hunting and shooting at the time of Lola's
arrival in England, and she had
thus only heard of him by repute. She
knew, moreover, that he was to marry
his cousin, a distant relation of her
own, .Beryl Leycester, wnose people
lived near Walcote.
Mrs. De Witt bad spoken much about
hiru, describing him always as one of
her chief intimates and suggesting more
in her manner than in her words that
there was an understanding between
them of the closest and most confidential
kind.
The moment that the baronet's eyes
fell on Lola, however, he seemed to
yield to the influence which she exercised
ov6v men, and he never hnd either
strength or inclination to attempt to
resist it.
Perceiving this and known-; intuitively
that any encouragement on her
part would tend to estrange Mrs. De
Witt from her and being quite unwilling
to have so agreeable a house closed
against her, Lola held herself in the
strongest reserve against him and when
other things failed made an excuse am
returned to Mosscoinbe.
The baronet soon followed her, however,
and, going to Walcote manor,
much to the delight of his mother, who
quite misunderstood the reason of his
return, began to stalk Lola with as
much persevering patience as he had
been wont to show with some rare
game.
At that timo she was on very friendly
terms with Beryl Lrycester, and ber
quick woman's wit had shown her how
strongly Beryl, who hid her feelings behind
a mask of reserve, loved the man
whom, by the common desire of both
their families, she was to marry. Nor
at the time had Lola the least intention
or desire to come between them.
How that design was first formed she
never quite clearly knew. The baronet's
persistency was ono great cause, while
her determination had beer greutly
helped by au incident in w.-.jcii nis
mother, who had never liked lit r, had
slighted her and insulted the memory
of her father and stirred the. fires of that
temper which she knew so well how to
control. But when once the purpose
was formed nothing could stay it, aud
she set herself to weave such a web of
witchery over the man as ho could not
hopo to break.
She knew that the climax was fast
approaching, when, hearing that Mrs.
De Witt and Beryl Leycester were going
to stay at Torquay and that Sir Jaffray
was to be there at the same time, she
persuaded Mrs. Villycrs to go thero before
tliem and thus made it appear that
tho baronet had followed her.
When he found Lola was staying in
the plaoo, he did not attempt to conceal
his pleasure, and he would have been
with her from morning till night if she
would have allowed it; but, knowing
the strength of her hold over him, she
sent him away continually to be with
the others, while she herself would
avoid liim ostentatiously.
This treatment only fed the fever of '
his passion, however, and, absorbed in I
his love for her and desire to have her '
for his wife, he was perplexed by the i
thousand lover's fears and uncertainties
which the coquetry of her manner toward
him created.
A hundred times in the first few days !
of this visit he had resolved to ask her i
to marry him, and he sought to make i
an occasion, bnt always they seemed to
be interrupted jnst when he had begun I
10 irame rne qumiun, uuu uia wiui i
were too dazzled by his love to see that
Lola herself contrived many of the in- l
terruptions. I
But ou the day wheu he found her
alone on the veranda he had returned '
determined that he would wait no Ion- I
ger. He was hungering for the knowl- '
edge that she loved him. When she was i
near, he could think of nothing else.
His mother's objection to the marriage,
his more than half engagement to mar- 1
ry Beryl?every hindrance and caution i
was bnrned like dead grass in the fierce, i
hot flame of his passion.
Thus he looked at her with the hot i
eyes of desperate longing as she sat i
with her face resting against her band 1
and her eyes bent down, and it was like i
a sweet delirium to believe, as he did, I
thut the emotion which had brought
the blood to her cheeks and made her
bosom rise and fall in loveliest confusion
was due to the feelings which he
bad roused in her.
After a long pause be moved slowly
nearer to her and nerved himself to
speak.
As lio sat down close to her she turned
her head and flashed a rapid glance
right into his eyes and then as quickly
turned away, the hot blood surging
over her face in a deep blush. 1
"I want to end this suspense," he
said in a tone little louder than a whis- 1
per. "I can't bear it any longer. It's
not fair to either of us. I came back on
purpose." There was a pause of embarrassment
between each sentence. '
Lola made no reply, but she was |
thinking fast what was the best course
for her to take.
Sir Jaffray gathered himself for an
effort and a resolute look came into his i
face, knitting his brows and setting his
lips for a moment before he spoke
again. Then, forcing himself to be calm,
he went right to the point.
"I love you, Lola, and I want you for
my wife."
There was no mistaking the ring of
intense sincerity or of concentrated feeling
in the calm, strong tone, and the
girl felt a flush of triumph as she recognized
it.*lt promised her a certain victory.
But she knew that it was not to
be won yet, and she played her part
with consummate skill.
At first she turned toward him with
a look of infinite sweetness on her face
and with the light of love beaming in
her eyes, but she checked herself as
suddenly, drew back and then rose.
"That is an insult, Sir Jaffray, and
a wrong which you at least might have
spared me," she cried.
The words struck him like a slap in
the face.
'An insult? A wrong? To ask you to
be my wife?" His tone was still calm
enough, but it rang with the note of
angered pride. {
Twice she turned to him impetuously,
as if to speak, locking her fingers tightly
together as if fighting with her feelings
and unable to utter the words
which rose to her lips. Then she
clutched the rail of the veranda tightly
with both hands, and, leaning back, as
though at bay, she appeared to compel
herself to break the silence, whioh once
broken was followed by a flood of words
poured out with rapid, vehement rushes.
She was like one wrung by the deepest
passion.
"Why do you say this to me? Why
do you torment me? Why tempt me in '
this cruel, heartless way? Yes, heartless.
You know this thing can never be.
Yon know?who better??that between
ns stands the bar of yonr unfilled promise
to yonr cousin, Beryl Leycester.
You know that all the world looks on
that as settled. You have known this
all through. You must have known, and
yet yon come to me and press me to be
your wife. You, half pledged to another
woman, can ask me to help you break
that pledge by winning from me another,
because you think you can do
with me as you will.
"You hold me for a child, a toy, a
plaything, to be used for a season aud
tossed aside. You know your strength
with me. You think because yo.u have
made me love you?what do I say?
Made me hate yon, maybe, for, heaven
nelp me, I know not what I think or
feel, say or do, where you are. But
this I will not do?I will not help you ;
to play that girl false. Go to her. She
will make you happier than I ever can.
It is not love that makes happiness. 1
That comes far more readily from the
easy content of even flowing, placid
;
"1 love you, Lola, and I want you for my j
wife." 1
friendship. Yon and I are best apart. 1
You think yon love rue now. Yon will 1
come to love her in time. You will be J
happier with her. Yon and I are two <
tempest clonds, better apart. With us
life can only be a full heaven or a raging
hell. Iam afraid of you." And she
seemed to cower before him. "Your '
words scorch me. Go away, or let mo
go. Let us never meet again. If yon '
have any pity iu you. think of what it
is to burn as I burn with this love <
which yon have kindled and to know
that I can never?wait I I am mad. Oh,
why, why did I ever see yon?" She
stopped suddenly and stood pressing
her hands to her face.
Sir Jaffray stood by her, immovable,
but Infinitely moved, conscious of nothing
save the wild thumping of his heart
against bis ribs and of the mad, bewildering
thought that she loved him.
"Let me go in, Sir Jaffray, please,"
said Lola, her whole manner changed,
save for the light in her eyes.
A _ mLa a. u-.i?J L:? ?
J\0 BUU paeotu BUtJ tUUUIICU U1IU uguiu,
and he drew back as if afraid of losing
all self control
"One moment," he said, keeping his
roice as steady as he coul<L "I understand
now. You are right. I will do
what you wish, and till then I will not
say a word more."
He stood back and let her pass without
another word, watching her with
burning eyes till the last hem of her
dress disappeared and the soft fron frou
of the silk was lost in the room.
Then he turned his face to the light,
and a smile of proud triumph lighted it
as he stood and gazed at the sea, and
the woods, and the landscape, though
seeing nothing, lost in the thought that
be had won her, a queen among women.
TO BR CONTINUED NEXT WEDNESDAY.
ptettUantouis trading.
THE YORKVILLE URADED SCHOOL.
A Surprised Patron Is Delighted With the
Efficiency of the Distltnte.
Editor of The Enquirer.
One day last week, I received a
neatly written invitation to be present
at an entertainment to be given by the
pupils of the graded school on Tuesday
morniDg, December 21, begining
at 10.15 o'clock.
Now, I will say in the outset, that I
have always been a friend of the
Bchool, having worked for it in every legitimate
way before it was established,
and have always stood by it since,
when any voting was to be done or
taxes paid; but bad never been in the
school building when the school was
in session, or when the teachers and
pupils were there, and have only been
mere oareiy once ai any omer urne,
and that was when I was invited by
several friends to go round with them
on a tour of inspection.
After receiving the invitation above
referred to, and thinking the matter
over, I decided to be ou baud on Tuesday.
I went and am glad I did, and
every other citizen in the town who
will do likewise, will be pleased with
what be sees and bears if be will go
to the school when the teachers and
pupils are at work whether or not he
has a son or daughter, grandson or
grandaughter, nephew or neice, or
other relatives receiving its benefits,
provided, of course, he has a heart
that goes out to his fellows and does
not measure everything by dollars and
cents, and realize that there is a future
ahead of us as well as a past behind
us.
I shall not attempt to make an elaborate
and minute report of everything
that was said and done. Suffice it to
say that the entertaiment consisted of
songs, recitations and dialogues appropriate
to the Christmas season, by the
pupils in the grades presided over by
Misses Florrie Allison, Maggie Gist
and Jennie Hart. The manner in
which each pupil carried out its part,
was conclusive evidence that the
teachers are competent, faithful and
efficient, and are doing a work that
will be felt in this community long
after the friends and enemies (?) of the
school who took sides for and against
it at the time of its establishment, have
joined the silent majority.
There is no doubt of the fact that
this is an age of improvement, r.nd it
is equally true that as much, or more,
progress has been made in the school
books and methods of teaching during
the past twenty years, than in any
other. I heard and saw things on
Tuesday that would have been considered
marvelous less than twenty
years ago. Boys and girls, less than
ai.rhr voura nlil recited nieces and en
v'6"v J " ) r
gaged in dialogues with a calmness
and composure that would have marked
tbem as precocious in the days
when Webster's blue back spelling
book, Pike's arithmetic and Smith's
grammar were the favorite text books
tor all pupils from 6 to 16.
The teachers stated that in preparing
for the entertainment, not one
minute had been lost from the regular
work of the school, and that all preparations
bad been made during the
past two weeks, during the recess hour,
and after school had closed in the
afternoon.
In conclusion, I desire to return
thanks, for the entertainment, to the
teachers and pupils, and to say to the
former, that while the outside world
does not fully realize or appreciate the
importance of the work, still they
have a great responsibility on tbem,
and the Yorkville of the future will,
in a large measure, be what they
make it.
I must say something about the discipline
of the school as it impressed
me. It seems to be perfect. "The
worst boys iu town" are, of course,
pupils in the school; but I defy a
stranger to pick them out while in
school. If the parents of the town
could see their boys and girls as these
;eachers do, and control tbem as they
lo, they would grow to be better men
tud women than the signs indicate at
present from their neighbor's standpoint.
The whole trouble, however,
s due to the fact that we can see the
faults in other people's children but
not in our own. The teachers in the
graded school see them all as they are,
ind govern themselves accordingly..
x. x. x.
Two Phases.?"What're you doing
aow, Billy?"
"I'm selling baking powder to get a
aicycle."
"That's queer. I had to sell my bi;ycle
to get buking powder."