The Darlington news. (Darlington, S.C.) 1875-1909, August 04, 1892, Image 3
fhr Jarlinfllon ' “^r'fcTwi w«T to kmnr whrr*
PublisHKuEvkk^ThubsDAT cr^tur. into hi. employ. I STths
JlEMB* J. jHCMP*t>ll,
PBOPR1ETOR.
my tpetnfcitfato to |
'•fool #flilV:
I not Ukiiwke * RmH *f again
j if I could help it—at least not With this
parttcnlar family. I noticiwi tin i wlii.n
TKHMH-ll 1’cr A«...ii.u it. A.IvaiiCe;, eV8t Mr Birclimore had (s eason to
Ml. euts lor 0 UlOlltllS. d * CCU.S for , '»«■»«> IS msnill to ,l(t-
.Kliitiis lor uress this titan mr did so in a issuluily
a iuoutl | •cvere and peremptory tone, very differ-
Advertib-Dk, Kates 4inft ‘eut from his usual low voiced st\!c
o"® square ^ '‘‘"“r' W “* * e ‘‘‘" ln K | 3 r DO « T, ,lt “ffectiou
i’ver^liil.ee.iuent insert loo.... W f'' r h">t'm hismaster's part, therefore.
Contract ad vert icemen ti in.^rteti •O 4 * veitainlj^heralBi looked incajwble
retiso4}j*tiU* leruift.
upon tJie lliObt l
- Up/ ^DIAMONDS
j
Hawt^oa 1
. F ms-
Copysienre* tj a.AfpstfoH ^c*
CHAPTER iV.
of a tender feeling toward any human
creature.
Possibly, however, he was invaluable
as a servant and his nnpropitiatiug ex-
I tenor might cover an honest and faith-
fu! hts-L Only, should such turn out,; have done, or haw in Ids
to be the case, I would never again put f
faith either in physiognomy or my own
instinct of aversion. 1 disliked to think ’
of this ill favored mortal being in daily ;
association with my lovely Kate Birch- i
more—for already, in my secret soul. 1 |
called her mine—and I made up my
mind that if ever fortune granted me
the privilege of making her what 1 called
lier, I would see to it that monsieur the
Valet formed a i»art of any one s house
hold rather than ours.
Meanwhile the ferryman had poled
and paddled ns across the river, on the
shore of which a swarm of hotel i>ortcrs
stood ready to rend us limb from limb.
But Mr. Birehmor© put them all aside
are goingT
“Because f ve taken a great fancy to—
to Mr. Slnrk. and 1 can't bear to think
of losing sight of him!"
I had ex|ieoted her to laugh and per
haps blush: instead of that an expres
sion of something like terror swept over
tier face. hikI she laid h«r linger on her
lip.
“Don't talk of him!" she whispered.
Her ftpiotion had so astonished me that
I could only stare in silence. Hero was
another mystery—or stay! could it be
that Sluik waa nt thn tmttmn of all those
strange signs and enigmas that I had
been puzzling myself over from the first':
I was prepared to believe whatever
amount of evil concerning the fellow
might be rerpiired. But what could he
power to do.
that could so affect Miss Birch more?
Had he held her life or fortane at the
mercy of a word, elie coaid liardly have
betrayed more dismay'at my jesting
satire.
“It’s nothing," she said, recovering
herself after a moment “Only 1 don',
like him mnoh, and you—and I wasn't
expecting to hear his name just then.”
“Heaven knows it is a very different
name I should havo spoken!"
“No, no, no! You have an)used your
self with me today, and tomorrow you
must find some one else to amuse yon.
that’s all!"
“Amused myself, Mias Birchmore?"
I “Well, Mr. Gainsborough, I’m sorry
SSStL
**""•*•>* hUafcd. Y«
aavsa.and now ^ h prettier
> overhand. ’Hfl aX.n ^
Clntped the necklace nrot.iid her throat.
Mr. Birchmore shook my hand cor
dially. yet 1 fancied that he betrayed
signs of embarrassment or uneasiness
He seemed glad to meet me on my own
account, and yet to feel constrained by
my presence. Had he any reason for
wishing to conceal from me the fact that
be had a daughter? It now occurred to
me for the first time that in her conver
sation with me Miss Birchmore had never
allnded to her mother. Perhaps her
mother was dead—had died in her child's
infancy. Perliaps the silence concern
ing her arose from some other and less
avowable cause; there might lie some
matrimonial disgrace or tragedy at the
bottom of the father's and daughter's re
serve. The idea hail a certain plausibil
ity. and yet I found it unsatisfactory.
The true explanation of the mystery
might not he worse than this, but 1 fan
cied it must he different—it must he
something more unusual and strange.
“This is an nnexpected pleasure," said
I. for the sake of saying something, as
we descended the steps down the river
embankment to the ferryboat.
“The world is not so large a place as
people pretend," replied Mr. Birchmore.
save one, to whom he pointed out my . if [ failed to entertain you. I'm sure 1
trunk and gave him some directions tried hard. But it's so difficult to enter
which did not hear. tain an Englishman!"
take the liberty, he then said, turn- “Upon my word, 1 believe you've been
IDK to pie. “to so far do the honors ot laughing at me from the beginning!
“Have yarn been long in Dresden?'
“A week or so. I've been doing the
neighborhood and was told that Saxon
Switzerland must not be left ont of the
list. I came near going by the boat”-
(Here 1 suddenly recollected that if Mr.
Birchmore had gone by boat, aa hi*
daughter said be had, his presence in
bchaudau before us was wholly inexpli
cable.) “How did you manage to get
here so quickly?" I exclaimed: “the
steamer can’t be doe for three hours
yetr
He looked at me in apparent perplex
ity. and Miss Birchmore, too. seemed
taken aback rather than sharing my own
astonishment. There was a pause of a
few moments; then she said, In a low.
hurried tone:
'‘You know, papa, I got word that fronj
some misunderstanding you had taken
the steamer tikdead of the train."
“Ah, to be sure,” he rejoined, with a
short laugh, “I see the difficulty. Yon
must look upon me, 1 suppose, as a sort
of magician, able to transport myself
about the country on some new tele
graphic principle. Well, I’m afraid 1
can't lay claim to any such supernatural
power. 1 shall lose credit by the expla
nation, but yon shall have it neverthe
less."
“No, no: give us room for the exer
cise of our imagination," cried l, laugh
lug. The fact was 1 felt as if my query
had been in some way unfortunate.
There was a certain effort in Mr. Birch
more’s manner and a want of sponta
neity in his laugh, and the awkwardness
seemed shared to some extent by his
daughter. In my Ignorance of the true
lay of the land 1 was continually mak
ing some irritating blunder, and the
more 1 tried to make myself agreeable
the worse was my success.
Mr. Birchmore, notwithstanding that
1 deprecated it, chose to make his ex
planation. “Kate was right," said he.
“My first intention was to go by train.
Afterward I decided on the boat, and
left the hotel with the purpose of get-
ting our passage that way and sending
Kate word to meet me at the landing.
Bat the boat turned out to be so crowded
that I changed my mind again. It was
then so late that I hadn't time to reach
the Central railway station. My only
chance of catching the trnin was to
jump into a drosky at the steamboat
landing and drive as the ‘kutscher'
never drove before for the lower sta
tion, which was iialf a mile nearer. 1
got there barely in time, and Kate, it
seems, was waiting at the Central all the
while!"
“And of course," added Miss Birch-
more eagerly, “the people at the hotel
fancied that he had gone by the boat
and sent ms word. Oh, yss, I under
stand it all now—don't you, Mr. Gains
borough?"
“1 don't take it kindly of your father
to strip away the illusions from life so
pitilessly," returned i in a hninorous
tone: “I should have been much happier
in believing that ho had flown through
the air on the Arabian king's wishing
carpet" This sally sufficed to raise the
smile of which we all seemed so greatly
in want, and so we got Into the ferry
boat in a comparatively easy frame of
The valet to whom I have already al
luded sat on a thw wt near the bows in
such a position that I bad a full view of
him. A more onconi'iliating object 1
have seldom beheld. His body and anus
were long, but his log* were short and
bowed outward. Hu features were
harsh, forbidding and strongly marked,
but there was an expression of power
stamped upon them which fascinated
my gaze in spite of tb* ugliness which
would otherwise have made me glad to
look away, (t was not the power of in
tellect. for. although there was plenty
of a saturnine kind cf intelligence in the
countenance, it was not to be supposed
that a fellow In bis position of life would
be remarkable for brains. No; this
power was of another kind. I do not
know bow to describe it, but 1 believe
some people would get out of the diffi
culty by calling it magnetic.
Whatever it wae it produced a very
4i*a*re<!kb} 9 Impwgiqn o» m* and I
this place aa to recommend yon to the
most agreeable hotel in it, the Bade
haus, at the, farther end of the village
and about half a mile up the valley.
These hotels that front the river would
give you better fare perhaps and less
unpretending accommodations, but if
quiet and coolness are what you are
after, not to mention the medicinal
spring water and a private brass baud,
the Badehaus is the thing.”
“The Badehaus be it, by all means.”
. This attention surprised me, not because
1 misdoubted my friend's courtesy,•but
because I hail imagined that his courtesy
would not stand in tbe way of an nnob-
trnsive attempt to withdraw himself
and his daughter from my immediate
companionship. Yet so far was this
from being the case that he had taken
some pains to secure our being together
—for of course the Badehaus must be bis
own quarters. 1 glanced at Kate, who
bad taken her father's arm and was pac
ing beside him thoughtfully, with down
cast eyes. Was she glad os well as 1?
We passed through a narrow alley,
between two friendly buildings, which
seemed strongly inclined to lean on one
another’s shoulders; crossed the rough
cobblestones of the little market place
and, gaining the farther side of the
bridge, found ourselves mi a broad,
level walk, which skirted the southern
side of the small valley wherein the vil
lage lies. Gu our right hand was n
series of stuccoed villas, built against
the steep side of the hill; on our left a
strip of meadow, with a brook brawling
through it; and beyond this again the
straggling array of the village and the
hill on the other side. Overhead tbe
spreading branches of low trees kept
off the glare of the sun. Had Kate and
1 been there alone, methought the charm
of the place would have been complete.
“What delightful little villas these
are!" 1 exclaimed. "Aren't they better
than any hotel—even the Badehaus?"
“If you think of spending^ any great
time here—1 believe they don't let for
leas than a week. But probably these
are all full at this season. Higher up
the valley, two or three miles beyond
the hotel, you will find detached farm
houses, whose owners would no doubt
be glad of a lodger If you are not
broken Into a traveler’s hardships,
though, you'll prefer the Badehaus."
“1 think 1 shall prefer it as long as
you are there.”
“Well, I'm sorry to say that won't be
long—we shall move tomorrow morn
ing. If I had expected you, 1—1 should
have been liappy to have arranged mat
ters otherwise. But the fact is, 1 hat”'
engaged rooms at one of the farmhouses
1 spoke of, and tomorrow they will ex
pect us."
My spirit* fell at this hews like a
feather in a vacuum, aud I dare say my
face showed it. There could be no
doubt now that Mr. Birchmore was re
solved to get rid of me. That he would
go tomorrow to some distant farmhouse
jf did not question, but as to his having
intended any such tbiug before he saw
me alight from the train 1 confess 1
didn't believe it- It waa an unpremedi
tated expedient, and bi* inviting me np
to the Badehuu* was only a polite miti
gation of the shock,
“J am very sorry I" was #11 1 pould
Kate turned her face a little toward
mo at the worl* and her eyes met tain#
sidelong. Only that look—she did uot
speak—but 1 saw. or thought 1 saw,
enough in it to make our partiugatsuch
brief notice a sentimental impossibility.
At whatever sacrifice of the laws of
aeremony and civilized reserve; 1 deter-
mined that my acquaintance with her.
SO Well begun, sbonld not thus bo nipped
in the bnd- I would sooner win her .#»
• barbarian than lose her as a man of
the world. How to execute my deter
mination was a pro Idem to to solved at
qiv leisure
We sauntered on to the hotel, chat
ting discnrsivelyt my mi»d was too
much preoccupied to to thoroughly
aware what we were talking about,
Arrived at our destination, 1 followed
my trunk to my room, haviug arranged
to take an early dinner with my friends
U was nearly two hours before we met
again. TTm dinner passed "Tth tbe ^ 8hall not call me
we bad affected durijig our walk.
Birch more’s manner was serious and
rather cold. Kate, too, was subdued i
and grave; not the brilliant, laughing ;
Kate of the railway carriage, We wen i
waited npon at table by the saturnine
valet, whom his master called Stork—a I
name that seemetojo me to suit hhu ex-1
cellently well. HkVaitcd on is ‘
feet sileno# fiWm tUKl
Ijend, Biotf;
But however ridiculous I may lie. Miss
Birchmore, 1 can have thoughts aud
feelings that are not ridiculous”
“Oh, please—please don't to angry.
And I'm sure 1 never thought you ridic
ulous—I—oh, anything but that!"
The tone, the look which accompanied
these last words made me forget caution
and self possession for a moment. “Miss
Birchmore—oh, Kate! I cannot lose
sight of you—1 cannot lose you! Do you
care—is it nothing to you if we never
meet after today? Kate, i love you!"
Had the confession come too soon:
Was she offended? She shrank away
from me with a glance searching, yet
pathetically appealing.
“Do not forget yourself, sir. You are
an honorable English gentleman. What
have you said?”
“1 love you—yes, love you!"
“He loves me," she repeated slowly
and caught her breath with a kind of
sob. Her eyes fixed themselves on ms
with an inward look, as of intense rev
■srie. “It must not to! it must not to!—
bnt he does love me!" Her hands fell in
her lap; there were tears now in hei
eyes, but a smile quivered over her lips.
“Why do you say it must not be, Kate:.
It is! It shall be!”
1 took her hand, which she scarcely
attempted to withdraw. 1 felt that 1
had won her and would hold her against
all comers.
Just then a knock came to the door:
she snatched her hand away and rose to
her feet. Mr. Slurk entered.
“The band is going to play in the
court,” be said in German. “1 have
kept chairs and a table for the lady aud
gentleman beneath the trees."
He made a low obeisance us he spoke,
bnt his malignant glance never swerved
from Kate, and she, half turning toward
him, seemed impelled by a power
stronger than her own will to meet it,
though slightly shivering the while with
pure aversion. For my own part 1
longed with all my heart to kick the
varlet into the hull or throw him out of
the window. But prudence warned me
to bide my time. If 1 obtained the foot
ing to which 1 aspired in Mr. Uirch-
more's family 1 would settle smnmarily
with Mr. Slurk; meanwhile 1 should
best consult my interests by conducting
myself with all due quietness and de
corum. 1 offered Kate my arm to lead
her from the room, but with a tiarely
perceptible gesture she declined it, aud
walked swiftly before me through the
doorway, Slurk making another deep
obeisance as we passed. The fellow had
a smooth, unimpeachable way of getting
the better of one that made my blood
boil. I commanded myself, not without
an effort, and nursed my wrath to keep
It warm.
When we reached the court the brass
band had established itself in the little
pagoda erected there for its accomoda
tion and was jnst striking np, and there,
sure enough, were g table and chain
awaiting ns beneath tbe trees. But
neither of us was in a humor to face a
crowd of people, and by a tacit agree
ment we turned to the left and, crossing
the little plank bridge which spanned
ihe narrow stream that skirted the hotel
grounds, we found ourselves on the high
road leading up the valley. Along this
yve walked for some distance, both of
n* silent. At length the opening of a
path presented itself, which climbed by
a zigzag route to ih u ><mutate the ptoe
olad Hill. Into toil we tamed, and in a
few moments were out of Bight of alien
eyes amid the think growing hemlocks.
Tile ascent was Steep, Jtad at the first
turning in thm»*k my beautiful com
panion paused for breath.
“Will yoptako my arm now, ICatef' 1
eaid. v W ■ ■ : ’ ‘ *
With a faint smile she complied.
ujusf tbr this once," 1 heard her mnr-
piqr, seemingly speaking to herself.
"Never again—bnt this pnpe 1 will,"
pNbW, Kate,” 1 said resolutely, bend
ing forward *q as to catch her eye, "let
qs fiave done with mysteries. Kq more
‘pever agains' and ‘just this ouees,’ if
you please! First, J want yon to toll
me whether you love me,"
She drew her breath hard.
“1 can tell you nothing. Mr. Gaine-
borongk"
Mr. Gains
me 'Twin,’
| call me nothing; hut 1 will never he ‘Mr.
Gainsborough' to you again 1"
“1 thought we were to have no more
•ftever agains?'" she reiopied, with a
passing sparkle pf the old playfulness in
her air. 1 J| #\ CJ f m \
"None of-ywir*, { meant." *
1 Will CI..1 yon ‘Tota,’ if yon please,
munie ponditon,”
mWhat condition?"
“That you let it be ‘just this once.'"
“Kate, do you love me?"
, , , .. , „ , — . . | "Oh, you are . cruel!” she cried with
Wy impressive in the fel ow s very ac i- p ass j onllt ,, emphasis, slipping lief hand
torwty-|t seeded to todicato reserved my ann all( , f^ing mb with glow-
ppwer Kate i hotMd, wbs ing|qu fc. ^ , wou i,, My
sever to speak to kiln, hut | saw his • --
glaime several times directed fixedly , poor girl
Mil
meal to the)
peremptorily adflri’SBdff by
There was to me something.
npon her.
foul ¥«'! are a mat) of the world, mid I
a poor girl from a ponvent, whq knows
-.,,, . _ , , no thing. | am trying to do right, and
After dinner Mr. Birchmore produced oJ(pow » oake lt ^ ^
a cigar mm emat . 1 bitter to me. If you lovod me as I—as 1
“1 must take a drosky over to our wou |j pj Ve jf [ lvere A man. you would
farmhouse. Do you young people care Bot me , teU y9n it must , lot
to come, or would yon rather stay ^
"And iTtosee that nobody mas away •»*‘j‘P™e..t it or forbid our being maw
With her," I added, with aa easy smile,
"Slurk, get tne a carriage,” said My,
Birchmore, and nodding a goodby to u*
he went out.
"How far is it from here—this farm
house. Mia* Birchmore?" I asked when
we were alone-
"I believe about two miled!"
"I should like to know its exact situa
tion."
“Why didn’t you go with papa, then?"
“Gant you imagine?"
She had been sbeeqtly puckering her
handkerchief into folds i« bar lap. How
■ha looked no.
“Hushf MBhr She came a step nearer
to me and caught mf sleeve with her
little hand as a timorous pliild might da.
glancing nervously over her shoulder as
if something fearful were hidden among
Hie trees. “Did fou hade nothing?' she
whispered- "Old not some one pall meT
"Only | have called you. dear. I
called you 'Kate,' and oow I want to
call yon'wife '"
She oonthfued to stand motionless,
with that frightened, listening expres
sion still on her face; and yet my word*
had apparently naseed unheard, ww
. „ . To my eenfC. the foreM%as
full af shadowy utmaaM. ‘
by a faint whispering of 1
and then a bird note high oversea-L ijy.
Gradually the strange preoccupation
left her. Her breathing, which had
been irregular sad labored, now came
evenly and gently once more. She
glanced sidelong at me for pi moment,
then with a sv.ift, leader movement she
came yet a trifle closer ami laid her
other hand upon my arm.
"Tom—Tom, dear! 1 will say it. for
wesliall be parted aeon: andtheiiiif.l
aia alive, I shall b^ comforted a little to
think that I did say it. Listen—Tom,
dear, I love you! Never forget that I
said it—Tom, I love yon."
I was taken delitaoutly by surprise.
Ton must not expect me to >ell how 1
felt or what I said. 1 can only remem
ber that I took her in my sms and
kissed her. The bird that warbled over
onr heads seemed to utter the ecstasy
that I ML
Presently we began to move on again.
1 don't know why 1 didn't speak. Per-
hape 1 thought that our kiss had been
the seal of her surrender, and that there
fore words were for the moment imiierti-
uent. By and by the converse would be
renewed from a fresh basis. Resides,
my thoughts were flying too fast just
then for speech to overtake them. I was
thinking how singular bail been tbs
manner and progress of our acquaint
ance. It was scarcely in accordance
with what I believed Jo be my normal
temperament and disposition to plnnge so
abruptly and almost recklessly into a
new order and responsibility of life. I
hud fancied myself too cautious, too
cool headed, for such an impulsive act.
But it was done, ami the fact that Kate's
feelings had responded to my own
seemed to justify the apparent risk.
We were meant for each other and had
come together in sheer despite of all
combinations of circumstances to keep
us apart.
Knowing, as we did, scarcely anything
of each other as worldly knowledge goes,
we bad yet felt that inward instinct and
obligation to anion which made the
most thoroughly worldly knowledge
look like folly. What would my mother
say to it? How would the news be
relished bydier father? I cared not. I
foresaw difficulties enough in store, bnt
none that appalled me. After all, an
honorable man and woman, honestly in
love with each other, are a match
against the world, or superior to it
Union is strength, and the union of lov
ing hearts is the strongest strength of
all.
"And do yon want to marry me.
really. Tom?"
We had gained the summit of the
steep hill and were now (lacing along
the ridge. The narrow, winding valley
lay sheer beneath us on the right, with
the white road aud the dark stream ly
ing side by side at the bottom of it. The
crest of the opposing hillside seemed bnt
a short stone's throw distant; the aroma
of our privacy was the sweeter for the
pygmy drosky. with its manikin inmate,
which was crawling along through the
dust so far lielow. We commanded the
world, while we were onrselves hidden
from it
“1 should rather think I did, Kate."
“1 thought Englishmen only married
as a matter o' business; that they mar
ried settlements and dowries, and rank
and influence, and added women merely
as a matter of custom and politeness.”
“1 am satisfied to marry for love; if
that’s un-English, so much the better
for me.”
“You would take me without any
thing but just myself?”
“What is worth having compared
with you?’
“Oh, Tom! But then yon cannot have
just myself alone. Nobody in the world
is independent of everything—not even
an American—not even an American
girl who has lived seven years in a con
vent! 1 may not be able to bring yon
anything good—anything that would
make me more acceptable; but what if I
were to briug you something bad—some
thing terrible—something that would
make you shudder at me if I were ten
times as lovable as you say I am?”
“ Why, then 1 should have to love you
twenty times more than ever, 1 suppose,
that's all!” 1 answered with a laugh.
“You don't mean what you say—at
least, you don't know what you say.
You are not so brave as yon think you
are, sir! What do you know of me?'
She spoke these sentences in a lower,
graver tone than the previous ones,
which had been uttered in a vein of half
wayward, fanciful playfulness. Almost
immediately, however, she roused her
self again, as though unwilling to let
lightsome humor escape so soon.
“Well, let us pretend that you have
married me. for better or worse, and
that it is all settled. Now. where will
you take me to first?''
‘•Where do you wish to go?'
•'Oh. it must be somewhere where no
body could come after ttsl" she ex-
claimed. With a unriotis. subdued laugh.
“Hobodjf that either of ns have eve*
kioten; neither your mother, nor uyr
father, nor—nor—wnybody! And there
we natst stay always, because as soon
as we came out we should lose each
othor aud never find each other again.
Ami that won hi be sadder than never to
have met, wouldn't it.?" , , .
“But my darling Kate," interposed 1.
IsiV ing again, "wiiWy aa earth in this
agetef railws'-s and steamboats and tele
graphs and balloons are we to find such
a retired spe ? Unless we took a voyage
to the moon, or could find pur way dow-
to the cent: r of the earth, we should
hardly feel Safe, 1 fear!"
“Oh. well, you must arrange about
that, only it is as 1 tell you, and you see
marrying me is not such a simple mat
ter xfter all. Well, now, suppose we
have reached the place, wherever it is—
What would yon give me for a wedding
present?'
“What would you like?”
'•No; you are to decide that. It
Wouldn't he proper for your wife to
choose her own wedding present, yon
know.”
“ 1 believe such a thing does sometimes
happen, though, when the people are
Very fashionable and anstocratio-"
‘•Bnt | ant not aristocratic; I am an
American Now, what will you give
J'
“What do yon say to the diamonds?"
“Well, I think I will take the dia
tnonds," she said, meditatively as
though weighing tbei qnosfiou In bet
mind. “Yes- |‘a)ri said I might wear
diamonds after I was married Uni
might uot your mother object?
“Not when she knows wfiiom they are
for, and at any rate she is going to leave
them to me in her will."
“Ob! and yon exyiect that the news of
onr marriage will kill her?'
“It ought rather to give her a new
lease of life. Bnt you shall have Hie
diamonds all the same. Will yon try
them on now?”
~>Ytiy. have yon got them with yon?
• “Certainly: ( always carry them in
this pocket.
“now careless! Yon might lose them
“No; the iiocket buttons up—see!' aim
turning back the flap of my oust I showed
her how all was made secure
“But what if robbers were to attack
yon?'
“Then I should talk to them with
this,” I rejolfied, taking my revolver
from another pocket and holding it op
“Oh, that's a Derringer! They have
those in America. What a pretty OMt
Bet me took star.
"Ho,” said 1, repteciag It to my pocket
“tt Bm a hair trigger and every barrel
Yon shall look at something
off
sit
ynnr
recollection ot now 1 TOUOweJ; I only
know that a few seconds afterward 1
was standing beside her with my arm
and not dangerous at air r
down on this stump and take ‘““T f-rward a few paces out o
hat and i ll put them on f-w ,! 6 h ‘ of the r,V,n V th * U1 f r8 t ^ n > {ht f
n ; which now tnmeU me rick, and bmnght
The stump of which l spoke stood at her to •• T 1 ** ‘ >f «> n turf - ben0i,,h » ,r ee
the end of the path we had been follow " 'tfi tow. spreading branches 1 he
ing. and within a few rods of the brink tnua ' e WH * wideutly passing away, her
of a precipitous gorge, which entered i
the side of the ste-p mountain spur
nearly anight angles. Across this gorge
twbirh. though seventy to one hundred
feet, in depth, was scarcely more than
half as wide at the top) a wooden bridge
ha<l formerly been thrown; bnt age or
accident hail broken it down until only
a single horizontal beam remained, span
ning the chasm from side to side, aud
supported by three or four upright and
transverse braces. The beam itself was
scarcely nine inches in width, and tbe
whole strnctnre was a dizzy thing to
look at. My nerves were trained to
steadiness by a good deal of gymnastic
experience, but it would have needed a
strong inducement to get me across that
beam on foot.
Kate sat down on the stump as direct
ed, bnt her manner had become languid
and indifferent; the brightness and spar
kle of her late mood were gone. As she
looked up at mo her level eyebrows were
slightly contracted and tbe corners of
her month drooped. Her hands were
folded listlessly in her lap. She was
dressed in some soft white material,
through which was visible the warm
gleam of her arms and shoulders the
skirt was caught np in such a way as to
allow freedom in walking; she wore a
broad brimmed white bat over her black
hair, a yellow sash confined tier waist
and her bands were bare. I untied the
ribbon of her hat, she permitting me to
do so without resistance; and then
kneeling before my 1 unbuttoned the
diamonds from her pocket und laid
them, in their case, upon her lap
“Now, dear, shall 1 put them on vou.
or will yon do it yourself?’
She opened the case and the gems
flashed in the checkered sunshine that
filtered down lietween the leaves of the
trees. The sight seemed to rouse her
somewhat; a faint spot of color showed
in either cheek, aud she drew in a long
breath.
“They are splendid!" she said. "I
never saw anything like them. No.
your mother would need to die before
giving up these.”
“They won't look their best until yon
have put them on. Come!”
“Oh, I'm afraid! What if
“Afraid of what?'
“What if some one were to come and
"Nonsense, my darling! There's no
one within half a mile of us; and if there
were they wonld only see a lovely girl
looking her loveliest."
“How nicely you talk to mel Well,
then—you put them on me. I won't
touch them myself."
The parure consisted of a necklace
and a pair of earrings. 1 lifted them
flashing, from the cose; clasped the neck
lace around her throat, she sitting mo
tiouless, and hnng the earrings in her
ears. A light that matched their mar
velous gleam seemed to enter into her
eyes as I did so.
“Yon and these diamonds were made
for each other!” i said; and bending for
ward I kissed her on the lips.
For more than a minute she sat there
quite still, I kneeling in front of her
we were looking straight into each
other's eyes. Ttien all at once a trou
bled, anxious look came into her face
She rose with a startled gesture to her
feet.
“Hush! hush! did you hear?'
“What's the matter?" cried I, jumping
np in surprise.
“Hush! some one calling—calling
me!"
Again that strange fancy! What did
it mean? I conld not repress a certain
thrill at the heart as 1 gazed at her It
was very weird and strange.
As 1 gazed a singular change crept
over her. Her face was now quite color
less, and its pallor was intensities! by the
blackness of her mystical eyes. Those
eyes slowly grew fixed—immovable, as
if frozen. The lids trembled for a mo
ment. then drooped, then lifted again to
their widest extent and so remained
Her lips, slightly parted, showed th<f
white teeth set edge to edge behind
them. Tbe rigidity descended through
her whole body; she was like a marble
statne. She breathed low and deeply
as one who is in profound slumber.
“Kate! what has happened to yon!" I
cried in alarm, putting my liand on her
shoulder. Her arm was fixed like iron,
she seemed to hear nothing, feel noth
ing She was as much beyond any
power of mine to influence her as if she
bad been dead. The diamonds that glit
tered on her bosom were not more in
sensible than she.
I must confess that 1 was somewhat
unnerved by the sitnation. Kate was
evidently in some sort of trance, but
what had put her into that state ami
how was she to be got out of It? For
aught I knew it might be the prelude to
ia fit or other seizure of that nature, in
volving consequences dangerous if not
fatal In tbe bewilderment of tbe mo
ment the only rnmody that I could think
of was cold water; to dash her with
water might be of use, and scareely
make matters worse. About thirty paces
from where we we»e standing a small
rill meandered among the roots of the
trees aud trickled at last in a tiny
cascade down the rocky side of the
gorge. Toward this I ran. and, stooping
down attempted to auoop np some of
the refreshing eiement in the crown of
my straw hat.
Rising with the dripping hat in my
hands I turned to go back, hut the sight
that then met my eyes caused me to
drop everything and spring forward with
a gasp of horror.
Movirig as if in obedience to some
power external or at least foreign to
herself as a mechanical figure might
move, steadily deliberately and yet
blindly, Kate hail advanced directly to
ward the narrow chasm, and when I
first beheld her she already seemed bal
ancing on the brink Before I could
cover half the distance tiiat sejiarated
us. she had set foot on the long beam
which spanned the abyss, and had be- j
gun to walk along it- By the time I bad '
reached tbe hither end ahe was half way
over, stepping aa comtioeedly and ae
oursly as if she were on an ordinary |
aide walk, tbongh the slightest defiection |
from a straight course would have sent
her down a bandied feet to the jagged
bowlders below.
Rtanding on the hither verge, every
nerve no tensely strung that I seemed to
bear the blood hamming through my
brain, I watched the passage of those
small feet which 1 had admired that
morning aa they Peeped coquettishty
from beneath her dress in the railway
carriage—1 watched them pass, step
after atop, along that awful beam. I
suppose the transit must have been ac
compli* bed in less than a minnte. but it
seemed to me that I was watching it for
hoars. I ottered no sound lest it might
roqse her from her trance and insure the
catastrophe thar else she might escape;
I did not attempt to overtake her, fear-
fnl lest the beam shuold fail to support
oar aigted weight. I saw her pass on.
rigid, unbending, bnt sure of foot as a
rope dancer, and at last I saw her teach
tb* oppuate stde and stand once more on
•otM earth, preserved from death as it
teemed by a miracla 1 have no
r thought
i obseflre-
o finder-
limbs no longer had that unnatural
rigidity her eyelids droi>|sst heavily
ami her jaw relaxed. A violent trem-
t>lmg seized upon her; she sank down
on the turf as it all power of self sup
port bad gone out ot her. At that mo
ment I fancied I heard a slight crackle
among the shrubbery not far off; I
looked qnickly up. and saw—or thou;
I saw -a short, ungainly figure
ly stealing away through the
brush Almost immediately lie vanished
amid the trees, leaving me in doubt
whether my eyesight had uot after all
played me false
As I turned again to Kate she was sit
ting np against the trunk of the tree, the
diamonds thisbing at her throat and
ears, aud s puzzled, questioning expres
sion on her face.
•What makes you look so strange?”
she murmured. “Where is your hat?
How did we come here, Tom? I
thought"
She stopjied abruptly and rose slowly
to her feet. Her eyes were cast down
shamefacedly and she bit her lip. She
lifted her hand to her throat and felt the
diamonds there. Then with an appre
hensive. almost a cowering glance, she
peered stealthily around through the
trees, as though ex|Ktcting to see some
thing that she dreaded. Finally she
tnrned again apiiealiugly to me, but said
nothing.
I thought 1 jiartly understood the sig-
uitieance of this dumb show. She was
subject to these somnambulistic trances,
and was ashamed of them. She knew
not, on this occasion, what extravagance
site might have committed in the pres
ence of me. her lover. She feared the
construction 1 might put upon it, yet
was too timid—or, it might be, too proud
—to speak But her misgiving did me
injustice. Shocked and grieved though
I was. I loved her more than ever.
'Yon were faint, my dear, that's all,"
I said, cheerfully ami affectionately. "1
brought you under this tree and now
yon re all right”
She shook her head with a piteous
smile. “1 know what has been the mat
ter with me. Mr. Gainsborough," she
said, with an attempt at reserve and
coldness in her tone. “1 had hoped 1
might have parted from yon before yon
knew, but—it was not to be sol It is
very good of you to pretend to ignore it,
aud I thank you—1 thank you. Here,"
she added nervously unclasping the
uecklace aud removing the earrings, “1
have worn these too lomr Take them
piease.
•Kate, von shall wear them forever!'
enea t
— mn oegm yet, at all events,"
•he returned, more firmly. “Take them,
please, or yon will make me feel more
humiliated than 1 do now." She put
them in biy unwilling hands. “And
now we ll get our hats and go back to
the hotel," she continued, with a smile
which was |>alhetiu in its effort to seem
indifferent and unconstrained “Where
are they? All!"
She bad just caught sight of tier white
hat lying beside tbe stump on tbe far
ther side of the gorge. The suppressed
■cream and the start indicated that she
now for the first time realized by what
a perilous path she had come hither.
She remained for a moment gazing at
the beam with a sort of fascination;
men, moving forward to the brink
looked down the sheer precipice to the
rocks below.
“1 wish 1 had fallen!” she said, almost
below her breath; “or," she added, after
a short pause, in a tone still lower bnt
of intense emphasis, “1 wish he had!”
"You wish 1 had?"
“1 did not know you were so noar," i
she answered, drawing back from the
verge. *“No, no—not j'ou! Come, we
must walk aronnd this place. Tell me,”
she said, facing me suddenly, “did you
see any one?’
“1 think not 1 fancied 1 heard" j
"We must get back to the hotel," she
tnterrnptod excitedly; “at least, I must
get back. 1 don’t like to lie here. 1
wish yon would leave me. 1 would
rather say good by' to you here than
there."
"1 never mean to say 'goodby' to jrou
at all. Kate. If this is the trouble you
hinted at. you overrate it entirely.
Why, two [ss.ple out of every seven are
somnambulism. It is as common as to I
have black hair. Besides, you will out
grow it in a few years; it is only a
nervous affection, which any doctor can
cure."
“It is not that; you don't understand,"
she said with a sigh.
“Whatever it is, I'm determined not
to lose you. 1 shall tell your father
when I see him that 1 love you, and that
wherever he takes you 1 shall follow.
No one can or shall keep ns apart.”
The resolution with which 1 spoke
seemed to impress her somewhat “You
can speak to him if you will. But oh!
it is no use. It cannot be; you don’t
understand. Let me go; goodby. No,
do not come with me; please do net! 1
have a reason for asking it 1 will see
you once more—tomorrow—before we
leave. But let me go alone now if you ,
love me.”
She went, walking quickly away
through the wood. 1 watched her for a
few moments aud then returned to the
grass plot beneath the tree amt threw
myself down there in a very dissatisfied
frame of mind. The sun had set liefore
1 returned to the hotel.
fro Bit CONTINUED.]
TXARTSVILLE RAILROAD.
In effect May 31, 1892.
DAILY MIXED TRAIN
Leave Harteviile 5.86 n"iu
Juvanu U.2b a in
Floyd's 7.1(1 a m
Darlington 7!T... 9.00 am
I'almetto 9.25 a in
Arrive Florence 9.50 a in
Leave Florence 2.00 p ill
I’almetto 2.15 p m
Darlington 2.35 p m
Floyd’s 3.25 p m
Jovann 8.45 p m
Arrrive Hartsvllle 4.05 p m
J F, DIVINE, Gen. Supt.
C HARLESTON,
N(lkTHKk\
SUMTER AND
NORTHERN RAILROAD
CHARLES E. KIMBALL Receiver.
In Effect March 2, 1892
NORTH. SOUTH.
1 2
P. M. A M.
5.05 Charleston 11.05
6.35 Pregnall’s 9.50
8 50 Sumter 7.35
9.48 lanmr 6.35
10.4 Syracuse 6.20
10.21 Darlington 6.04
10 38 Mont Clare 5 48
10.51 Robin’s Neck 5.36
11.06 Mandeville 5.21
11.20 Bennettsville 5.07
P. M. A. M.
Trains Land 2 have through cars
between Charleston and Fayetteville.
All trains daily except Sunday.
J. H. AVER1LL, General Manager.
€/
D. and C. A S. RAILROADS.
In effect May 31, 1892.
laiave Wadesboro
. 4.40
a
m
Bennett's
5.01
a
m
Morven’s
,.. 5.14
a
m
McFarland
... 6 27
a
m
Cheraw
. 6.05
a
in
Cash's
.. 6.17
a
in
Society Hill
. 6.32
a
m
Dove’s
a
in
Floyd’s
6.58
a
in
Darlington
7.12
a
m
Palmetto
... 7.22
a
m
Arrive Florence
...7.37
a
m
]a“iive Florence
.. 9.00
p
in
Palmetto
p
in
Darlington -
9.23
p
m
Floyd's
9.33
p
m
Dove’s
.. 9 40
p
in
Society Hill
. 10 00
p
in
Cash's
p
m
Cheraw
. 10.27
p
in
McFarland
11.04
p
m
Morven’s
11.16
p
in
Bennett’s
. 11.34
p
in
Arrive Wadesboro
. 11.59
a
in
Freight Train.
Leave Florence
.. 7.45
a
in
Arrive Darlington
. 8.30
a
in
Ijeave Darlington
... 4.00
p
in
I Arrive Florence
. 5.IK)
p
in
Have
A. F. RAVEN EL, President.
ORTHEASTERN RAILROAD.
In effect May 31, 1892.
SOUTH BOUND.
You
Time
To
Pay?
Attention to the fact that your
character is read in the style of
Stationery that you use in business
correspondence ?
tainly it is.
Well, most cer-
If you use badly printed and infe
rior Stationery you are pat down
ns an inferior business man.
W e furnish you liigh-Cluss letter
paper, note heads, bill heads, state
ments, padded in our neat and at
tractive covers, at lowest living
prices.
Plain and ornamental—in fact, ev
ery kind of printing executed with
neatness and despatch.
We guarantee satisfaction, tirst-
class work and low prices.
Practice what you preach and pat
ronize home indusih'y.
When you want anything printed
come around to see us about it.
The Darlington News Job Office.
Leave Florence
No. 27.
Kingstree
Lanes
2.5u a m
Arrive Charleston
r,.(K) H m
is-uve Florence
No. 23.
8.05 a in
Kingstree
9.30 a m
lames
9.55 u m
Arrive Charleston
11.59 a m
Leave Lanes
No. 53.
8.45 p m
Arrive Charleston
10.20 p in
Train on C. A D. R. K. conn.-cts at
Florence with No. 23 Train.
NORTH BOUND.
Leave Charleston
No. 78.
lames
3.25 a m
Kingstree
3 43 a m
Arrive Florence
4.45 a m
1 Leave Charleston
No. 14.
5.16 p m
lames
7.05 p in
Kingstree
7.24 p m
Arrive Florence
8.30 p in
| Leave Charleston
No. 52.
6.50 a m
Arrive Lanes
. 8.27 a m.
No. 52 runs through to Columbia
via Central R. R. of S. C.
Nos. 7S and 14 run solid to Wilming
ton, N. C., making close connection
witli W. ii W. it. it. for all point*
North.
J. F. DIVINE, Gen. Supt.
w
7ILMINGTON, COLUMBIA A
AUGUSTA RALROAD.
In effect March 27, 1892.
SOUTH BOUND.
No. 23.
Leave Wilmington
.. 6 25 p m
Marion
Arrive Florence
10.25 p m
No. 50.
Leave Florence
. 3.20 a m
Sumter
4.35 a m
Arrive Columbia
. 6.15 am
No. 27.
Leave Wilmington
. ID.lOp m
Marion
12.40 a m
Arrive Florence
. 1.20 a m
No. 52.
Leave Sumter
. 9.43 a m
Arrive Columbia
. 10.55 a m
No. 58.
Leave Florence
.. 7.57 a m
Sumter
9 20 a m
HI
GREENVILLE, S. C.
The next session will begin on Sep
tember, 98th, 1892, with a full corpe of
professors and instructors. There are
several courses leading to degrees. In
struction thorough. Expenses moder
ate. For further information apply to
DR. O. MANLY, or to
PROF. H. T. COOK.
July 14—3t
The Best is the Cheapest.
The “Dcniestic'' Sewing Machine I w
provements for 1891.
ALL GOODS GUARANTEED.
OXO . X. TQALC HCNSV OLIVES
Geo. E. Toale k Co,
WHITE EIITE
DOORS, SASH,
BLIHDS,
AND
W Wig Material.
OFFICS AND SALESBOOMS
10 and 12 (layne Street,
OF!AKLE ATOM, • y. 0
MgrSpecial Prices Cheerfully Fur
nished.
Fin kme!
Now is the time to insure your
Two machines in one; chain stitch;
lock stitcli; “Domestic'' loo per. Ask
the agent to show it to you. Yon
will see its groat Value at onee.
Thk Wondkr ok thk Agk! First
in the field witli new ideas; high aim;
bent wood woia; convertible stitch
sewing machine.
The “DOMESTIC” can be seen at
the store of McCall A Burch, or at tbe
residence of J. G. McCall.
Mrs. J. Q. McCall,
Agent for Darlington County
Gin House;
AND
Tobacco Barns.
I am prepared to place them in
the best companies.
It. 0. BRISTOW.
Aarrive Columbia
No. 52 runs through from Charles-
1 ton via Central Railroad; leaving
! Lanes 8.82 a m, Manning 9 09 a m.
Train on C. and D. Railroad con
nects at Florence with No. S'*.
NORTH BOUND.
No. 51.
Leave Columbia 10.45 p m
Sumter 12.04 a in
: Arrive Florence 1-15 a in
No. 78.
I Leave Florence 5.00 a m
Marion 5.44 a m
Arrive Wilmington 8.55 a m
No. 59.
Leave Columbia
Sumter 7.30 p in
Arrive Florence 8.40 p in
No. 53.
Leave Columbia 6.00 p m
Arrive Sumter 7.25 p m
No. 14.
Leave, Florence 8.50 p m
Marion 9.85 p m
Arrive Wilmington 12.20 am
No. 53 runs through to charleston
via central Railroad, arriving Man
ning 8.00 p in lames 8.40 p m,
charleston 10.30 a m.
No. 59 connect* at Florence with c.
A D. train from Cher&w and Wades
boro.
Nos. 78 and 14 make close connec
tion at Wilmington with W. A W.
j Railroad for all points North.
1 Trains on Florence Railroad h ave
l Pee Dee daily except Sunday 8 35 a
t tn, arrive Rowland tl.4() a m. Retum-
| ing leave Rowland 12 16 p m, arrive
! Pee Dee 4.00 p m.
Trains on Manchester & .Augusta
' Railroad leave Sumter daily except
Sunday 10.50 a m, arrive Rimini 11 59
| a m. Returning leave Rimini 12.30p,
> m, arrive Sumter 1.40 p. m.
J. F. DIVINE.Gen Supt-
-
K£EP COOL!
Good advice for the dog days, which
may be followed by patronizing
H. J. LaMotte, Agt.
Who sells the coldest ice in town at
50 cents a hundred; packed in Iwrrels
at 60 cents a hundred; watermellons
and all perishable articles frozen at a
very -mull cost. Finest refrigerator
beef always on hand. Sole agent for
Armour’s “Gold Brand" hams. High
est cash prices paid for country pro
duce.
June 16—2m