Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-01-29
gu 0rigiual Storg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
DESTINY;
OR,
HOUNDED DOW n .
for the Yorkville Enquirer.
BY NELLY MARSHALL McAF EE'
CHAPTER XVII.

MlrlaTl, MlTlaui, 1ooh uP'
sake, look up! Speak to mel" cried Gertrude,
frantically, as she stopped down and took the
wretched rwomans head upon her knee.
Stansbury stood over them. His face was
pale-deadly pale but every feature was set
in calm cruelty of expression, dreadful to be-
hold. Doubling his fist, he shook it 6ercely
at the inanimate body of Miriam Halstead,
who, whatever her dreadful disgrace, was re-
deemed through the love she bore him. His
voice was harsh and rasping, as he said
"You would have fed from mech You
informed on me, traitress! And your judg-
ment was clear Your life was not worth-a
pinch of dust to me-much less pinch OF
snuff" Then turning to Gertrude, he caught
her by the arm. "Get up!' he said, sternly
"don't sit there so stupid, holding that dead
devil in your arms!" And as he spoke, he
brutally spurned the still figure with his foot
Gertrude arose with difficulty and stood like
a woman gone daft, but said not word.
"You are shocked, madam !; I can see that, y
said Stansbury, half apologetically; "your
husband kept you in ignorance of his love at
fair, and I never intended to betray it to you.
But for the long tongue of that demon, you
might have been ignorant and happy. She
is we'll out of the way. That dead shot OF
mine finished her off. You need not shudder.
Your own husbands hands are redder with
blood and darker with sin than mine ever
u,oro or ovnr will no"
'Say no more, sir you cannot convince me
that Irving Mel cDonald-villain though ne is
would ever commit the foul and dastardly
deed that you have done" said Gertrude,
haughtily "now," added she, folding her
arms across her breast, 'shoot me through the
heart send my soul out in the night of death,
to join the one you have just driven out in the
dark, while the sun is shining all about her.
Come 1t will be brave deed-a merciful
one. am ready-aye glad to 60! Fire!"
"Gods how brave she is! What spirit I!
How could Mcdonald have deserted her, for
that quiet, yellow.headed doll?" exclaimed
Stansbury, regarding, with undisguised admi-
ration, the fearless and beautiful woman con-
fronting him.
"Pshaw, fair lady, you mistake me! Moth
ing could induce me to harm you! You know
I would not For love you-love you de-
votedly-wildly- passionately. No
mortal woman ever so enchanted me- and l
mean to possess you for my own"
"Neverw she said, sternly and loudly !;
never! So help me God NEVER"
He laughed long and sneeringly.
81 usually do what say' he answered.
Gertrude began to trembe violently. She
could scarcely stand, and her wan features
were livd with dread She knew, we'll enough,
that she was entirely at the mercy of this
wretch-this scoundrel-and her very soul
sickened with terror within her. Nothing,
save death, could snatch her from her horri-
BILE fate. But how to compass it? She was
placed in such position that she had no
means of attainingit She had no destructive
weapon-no poisonous drug-and could get
none. Shame and dishonor stared her in the
face. By them she might be overcome before
she could snap the links that bound her to
life-to earth-to sorrow But what to DO!
Stansbury approached her to lead her back
into the house; but she shrank away from his
touch with shrek so shrill-so despairing-
30 full of penetration, heartrending distress
that for minute he hesitated, appalled, from
his purpose, and stood regarding her with a
dark and terrible frown.
"Fiend W she cried, "dare not lay the weight
of your finger on me"
"Are you doing this to taunt or to craze
me-" retorted he, in voice husky with pas
sion and desperate resolution; eff you are, l
will no longer suffer you to play with and
tantalize me! You shall be mine! !-mne
this very day-this very hour !"
So saying, he seized her by her left arm
and dragged, rather than led her, through the
grounds into the house, and on into his own
apartment There she was so exhausted and
terror-stricken that when he placed her on q
couch she lay perfectly quiescent. When he
saw this he laughed, and said suasively: 81
knew you would act with common sense if ]
only took the reins in my own hands in the
beginning"
She smiled family, and said in a low, re-
proachful voice "You hurried my footsteps
SOP
"I did not mean to do so did not realize
that I was doing 80" he answered; "lie still
and I will 60 bring you glass of wine. You
are weak, and it will revive you."
"Please do so," she said, family, with nal
closed eyes and pale lips, that had sad tire
NOR about them.
He hurried from the apartment to obey hel
behest But the door had scarcely closed
upon his form, before she started to her feel
with faring eyes and painting bosom, and
looked here. there and everywhere, for some
sharp instrument with which to terminate hel
life Just as she was despairng of finding
anything to serve her desperate purpose, she
noticed his dressing-box open. Running to ii
she opened drawer, snatched pearl
handled razor lying in its blue velvet sheath
and quick as a flash, the unhappy creature
drew it across her slender white throat, again
and yet again. Then tottering, fell back-the
red blood of the suicide staining darkly the
Indian mating on the floor.
So Stausbury found her moment later
She spoke not word more! The weapon had
severed the jugular vein, and she died without
even a murmur-a deep sigh being the only