Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-01-15

for your treachery to him. If you remain,
will kill you for your treachery to me-
In her grand wrath, which eliminated with
her last words, she fairly lowered above the
six.foot menial-such is the surprising infu
ence and majesty of true dignity-and trem
bling in his boots, he received the money and
left the apartment, soon after quitting the
house forever.
Once more alone, Gertrude broke the sea-
of the delicate, perfumed note, and read these
lines, penned in Mrs. Fessenden's chirogra
ply:
"BELoyED IRVING We must not meet again
cannot come to you; you must not seek me more
I have come to this decision, not only for my own
sake, but for the sake of your beautiful WIFE, llci
heart is breaking. My wOmanly nature can
gauge hers ! She is too proud to show it; but hol
eyes tell that she is unhappy, all the as II mel
convaoscent Be careful; he warned. Col. +. is
bitter and implacable He will endeavor, over
and over again, to accomplish the purpose OF
taking your life by violence. He seems positive
ly nourished by his hatred of you. DO not, Dt
word, sign or deed, show that you are aware M
was the man who shot you; and 90 not mot
avcnge it. AU0id nc , All eyes will be upon us
When you meet him be just as aftable and cour'
teous rs you always were else he VIII accuse me
of betrayng him, andI wWsngcr. O, Irving, my
love, my love, be warncd-be wary AM re-
UOT. W
Gertrude put the letter away, making nc
comment about it to anybody. She was aware
of course, that her husband and Mrs. Fessen
den knew exactly what had become of it
but they were reticent as she was, and no no.
of tbo l;cp,i of n nr
ace
The next day after Gertrudeintercepted the
letter, Irving made his appearance among his
friends and that very hour festivities com
menced again at the Manor. The old life
was resumed. Music and dancing, and the
rattle of dice, filled the hours of day and
night. Just as soon as his health would per-
nit it, Irving Mcdonald Joined in this mag
ni6cent style of living, and frequented the
gaming table oftener than ever, and playing
more recklessly than he had been known tc
do hitherto. Col. Vaughn Fessenden played
opposite, as of yore, and Irving Mcdonald
treated him with the same grave, undertaking
courtesy that marked his intercourse with all
men.
Every night, for two weeks, these two men
sat opposite, pitting their skill and strength
against each other, and Col. Vaughn Fessen'
den was invariably the loser to immense
amounts. 1t made his temper perfectly terri
BILE. He was rude to his associates, domineer'
ing to his interiors, and autocratic and un
kind to his wife-one day even using oaths
toward her.
From the time that he made this breach o1
etiquette and decorum, Irving McDonald's
manner changed to one of cold and high dis
dain ; and the day that it happened, it was
whispered among several that Mcdonald NUT
tered "Brute !-scoundrel |" and then fol-
lowed up his execration with ringing oath
that made the hair stand on end. No man
who heard it, doubted that Irving Mcdonald
and Col. Vaughn Fessenden were enemies to
the death, and beyond the grave
One day Fessenden sat down to the table
without dollar, and commenced to borrow
from his companions. He borrowed and lost,
and borrowed and lost, until they declined to
"stake" him, and then Irving Mcdonald be-
gan pushing piles Of money toward him, all OF
which he re-won and still Fessenden played
steadily on and on, until the dark came down,
and the night passed, and the day dawned.
Still Irving Mcdonald sat him out to the
bitter end. Everybody else ceased to play
all eyes were fastened on them. Fessenden's
face was haggard and hollow.eyed; but Nc,
Donald wore mask that none could pene,
trate-only his lips seemed to close with a
grim and malicious satisfaction, and his terri
BILE eyes said to the gamester:
"I will beggar you yeti"
Gertrude marked Irving's strange excite
ment and quiet and pale, she passed and re-
passed the apartment in which the gamblers
sat. Fessenden was full of dogged despair.
McDonald's face fairly blazed with cruel tri.
umph. The last toss of the dice came. Nc
Donald held the cups; it was his throw.
Gertrude, shivering with horror, stood at the
door gazing, half dazed, at her husbands de-
moniacal expression of exultation.
The die was cast.
Mcdonald won; Fessenden lost.
And the excitement died out as if by magic.
One man was ruined but another was sue
cessful and the auinner auas the host.
Fessenden's head fell on his arms. "Ru-
ined !-ruined ruined !" he murmured, in
hoarse and broken tones.
"Satisfed !-avenged p were the only two
words that escaped through the clenched teeth
of Mcdonald; and only one or two who
heard his terrible oath, when Fessenden cursed
his wife, knew what they meant.