The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-11-11

do know George Ddnning. I know
he lis not an associate Z Lshonld CHOOSE
for my wife, ss1siis
The coarseness Of his manner, even
more than the insolence Of his words,
stung Kate insthe=midsskSSff SSf isSrisizii- her SKI
fafion. @7s'e'Y' !.
81 am not your wife yet, Mr.. Muir
don,3 : she exclaimed, sand never will
be, il this tone continues. You are
harsh, cruel, impertinent; you have
not the right to treat me so, and I
won't be 80 treated! Don't speak to
me father; would do anything for
you-make any sacrifice, but 1 can
not forego all seif-respect. When he
looks and talks thus, L despise him. I"
Her magnificent scorn lighted up
her face with beauty I had never
seen before. The big bully before
her was cowed for moment, and
then rose from his chair in suppressed
rage.
80, very good" he said between
his teeth; "I'il leave you to entertain
your friends here with your fine ira
gedy airs. AS for you, Mr.. Graham, I"
turning to the trembling old man,
"we can settle this matter between
us quietly. You know where to find
me. My lodgings are in Wylde
street, seven thousand four hundred
and eighty-two. The same as before:
l never move"
The words. spoken with significant
emphasis, strhck us like knell. On
me they fell with startling effect,
coming after the discovery of the
last night. What could they mean /?
Before 1 could recover, he was gone.
30 Kate, Kate, Kate" cried her
father, ''you have ruined me! o
deary, deary me! What hive you
done? how could you? and he sham
bled out after Murdon in manifest
trepidation.
L heard him overtake the cashier
in the passage, and I distinguished
Murdon's angry voice. I turned to
Kate, who was pale and weeping.
Kate, what does all this mean?
Why are you going to marry this man?
What does he mean by his reference
to Wylde and seven thousand four
hundred and eighty-two?"
'Hush, hush, George-never say
those words. O, listen! are they
quarreling?"
L stole to the door and listened.
They were speaking under their
voices, but their excitement made
some of the words audible. L heard
the old man murmur, GAS heaven
bears witness above us, I never stole
the money"
"I know nothing about that" re-
piled the cashiers scoffing voice. "I
only know it never reached its desti-
nation, and I know the worth of the
receipt I hold"
"And you swear to give it me
back?"
son the day when you fulfill your
part of the bargain"
L closed the door softly, and re-
turned to Kate. ''Tell me one thing,
Kate. This Wylde-this money"
eff you love me, George" she
cried in terror, "never speak of
Wylde or of money. You do not
know the danger you might bring
down on my fathers head and mine"
"Well, I will not speak of it," I
answered calmly; "but tell me some
thing else. You do not love the man
that has left us?"
Glove himI'
"And yet, you are about to marry
him?"
81 must. 1 cannot help myself.
You do not know"
'Kate-dearest Katel If this dan
ger were removed; if this mans
spite-for it is spite which animates
him, not love-were nullifed; if he
could work neither you nor your fa-
ther any harm; would you-could
you-be brought to love somebody
else?"
"She sobbed, but did not reply. 1
took her yielding hand in mine;
kissed away her tears; and her father,
returning, found us thus, ana broke
into passionate exclamation.
She glided to his side, hung over
him, smoothed his gray hair, and
murmured she would do anything in
the world for his sake.
Father and daughter wept together.