Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-04-02

| It was locked. lie cast 1t on the floor, shiV-
ering it into thousand pieces, and pointed to
the miniature and the packet of letters enclos'
ed
She endeavored to stoop down and pick
them up, but her courage failed her, and she
fell back on the sofa for support.
"Tell me, with your eyes Oh those" he said
sternly, "that you are less guilty than think!
Tell me, with your eyes on those, that you
do not love Mr.. McDonaldr
II do mol"
! "Swear it,"
sI swear it !" she answered, in a low voice
averting her head as she spoke.
"You lie! You perjure yourself-me-
Heaven-when you take that oath, Minion =
She gasped for breath, and gaining it, said
in feeble tones
"Have you read the letters? If so, you
know that of absolute disgrace am not gull
ty. I am culpable-I don't deny that; but
have not forfeited the right to be forgiven.
deserve that you should hate met is the
merit due me ; but oh! God, my husband, il
you could only comprehend what l am suffer
ing, you wo,.ld forgive me. When l became
your wife, I did not understand my own heart
I had been wife and widow; but | had
never felt enough to know what would make
me happiest. was young and inexperienced
He came to me here and the old love with
which be long ago inspired me, revived. But
I loved him without hope. Under your root
he has wooed me- but I am guiltless of shame
Now you know all 1 have to tell. am de-
spairing and wretched, and forever more de-
graded in your estimation; but my honor is
not lost You have seen him. You have
heard him for of course he told all this to
you"
Gadbury sneered.
"You weigh his loyalty in just balance.
He said he had told me all-and more"
"And you do not believe his statement?
You do not believe mine?" she cried out,
wringing her hands in great despair.
He made no reply; but put out his foot and
ground the ivory miniature into atoms under
his iron heel. Then taking the letters he
threw them on the hearth, and striking a
match, set fire to the packet Then going
over to her side, he clutched her by the shoul-
der, and pointed to the flames.
"Do you know have committed murder
on account of those letters?" he asked, with
q cruel laugh, and a demoniacal light in his
large, glittering eyes.
Cecilia dropped on her knees at his feet
and groaned.
She was almost crazy. She applied the
words that he had uttered to Mcdonald, and
moaned out, convulsively-
"Kill me, too! lied do love him !
do-I do; and I had rather moulder with
him in the grave than to live to be your wife
Kill me, O, kill mel!
He looked down on her, and if glances
could kill, she would have died.
Presently he said
"You have misinterpreted my words.
did not mean that Mcdonald was hurt. He
is alive and safe"
Cecilia could make no reply. She knclt
still before him, with her golden head bowed,
and her white hands clasped in all agony of
despair over her beautiful face.
! Gadbury seated himself opposite her. and
leaned his head back against the velvet cush-
ions of his chair
The silence that ensued was broken only by
the tick, tick, ticking of the ormolu clock on
the marble mantel. A half hour passed.
Suddenly low tap came against the pan
cling Of the door, as if made by the Autter
of finger nails, and then all was still. c.
celia rose to her feet and looked toward the
door. =,
spray be seated" said Gadbury, authorta-
lively, and yet with mock courtesy that did
not hide his anxiety.
Again, for second time, came the low tap
on the pauelling; and yet again, little loud
er, as. if made with knuckles.
"You know what that is; it is signal.
Explain it" said Gadbury, staring at his wife.
She was full of excitement.
81 do not know" she said, impetuously.
"Itis Mcdonald. Open the door,"
20, I cannot" she said, trembling fearfully.
"Obey me p he thundered in his severest
and harshest tones.
She rose and opened the door.
Just over the sill had been thrust little
note She picked it up and handed it to her
| husband.
"Shut the door" he said.
She mechanically obeyed his order.
He opened the note and read silently:
"CEcEL1A: My passion has ruined you-you,
whom adore-you, for whom l would sacrifice
my life-nly very soul. But my regret and my
despair avail naught now. l cannot drift out OF
YOUR life however, without telling you truth
horrible and torturng though it may be to you.
Tomorrow he and are to fight. If die, my
faultis expiated. If he dies, you are free When
| I 90 out from your presence tomorrow, if you
never see me again in life. you will find it torture
| to live with him. Your endurance will be taxed
/ to the utmost. If he never comes to you living
! again-O, God the visions that enchant me! One
! thing you must never doubt: in life or death, I
am YOURS forever. Farewell, my Cecilia! A few
hours will decide our fate My passion has ruin
ell you; but its devotion pleads for your pardon.
! When he finished the perusal of the note,
Gadbury handed it to his wife. He never
uttered word.
She took it, and with dull eyes gazed on it.
He waited for some time, and then said,
with fendish expression
! "Do you read what he says? Do you un.
derstand him ?"
"No, cannot!" she answered, pitifully ;
"my brain is in such a whirl that do not