The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-03-13


he found himself pausing before O fine
| house in fashionable quarter of the
| city, from which shambled somewhat
bent and awkward figure that presently
disappeared in a brougham before the
door.
Gerald recognized the man as Mr..
Badger the millionaire, and involun-
tarily contrasted his condition with that
OF the fortunate soap dealer. He was,
however, SO absorbed with the direful
news he. had to tell Emily that before
| she came into the parlor he had forgot
ten Badgers existence.
1t was singular that her remarkable
beauty and brilliant toilet did not ap-
pe,l Gerald at that moment that the
1act of his no longer being able to grace
that lovely hand with beftting gems
| did not prevent him from seizing it in
both his own, and kissing it rapturous-
| ly. But for an enchanting moment he
| Der where his aunt lay dead, and the
| woman who waited there for the money
he had been taught to consider his own.
&C. It seems to me that you are very
beautiful this morning." was all that
he could say. ~ :
Emily drew her hand gently away
from his caress.
"Gerald," she said, "I have some
thing to tell you"
Her accent was cold. There was
| something in her manner that caused
| him to step back and look at her with
dim premonition of what was to come.
!" You know" she, continued, chow
bitterly opposed is your aunt to your af-
fection for me. She has told mo herself
that she will never consent to our hap
piness. Gerald, am too fond Of you
to wreck your whole life. There was
but one way to end it all
She paused. He leaned forward, and
still kept his eye, now wan and haggard,
| upon her face. Then she sank pale and
trembling into n chair, and covered her
eyes with her hand. She was moved
with pity, perhaps, or u vague regret.
at last she spoke. f!i
II have just accepted uu offer of
marriage
"From Badger, y. cried Gerald, and
walked to the door. !" Your prudence, !"
he added, standing upon ,the threshold,
has served you we'll, You have just
got rid of me in tinies. My aunt died
this morning, and,,3sssas left everything
to her nurse and companion"
Then he got into the street, and
walked along witt. o faltbring, etagger,
ing sSep. HIS eyes were wild his face
|tlividly pale. People turned to look at
him as he'went by, and two or three
wondered what was sending that man to
the devil.
q He went home ind stood by the body
OF his aunt, There was u single fasci-
nation about this dcath-something
very wonderful and tempting in that
smysterious and absolute rest. Sudden
~ he became master of himself, OF the
bitterness and despair of the moment.
He walled firmly to tho door, but step
followed him, and, turning, he saw the
pale, perturbed face of Miss Williams.
Then he remembered her presence in
the room, but his madness and grief
had prevented him from realizing it.
Just enc word, hIr. Erism," she
said. "Of course You know that will
1t doesn't matter now," he replied.
cit might as we'll be yours as any
body's!' r.
krlt it is yontt," she said.
"Oh, as for me-" said Gerald, 81
shall not want it," He walked through
tie hall. Miss Williams followed him
stealthily. He entered the room, but
! when the door ahnt him in Lnane re-
mained, haggard.and trembling, her ear
glued to the cold panel between them.
A grim silence reigned about her. She
could hear the clock tick in the dead
woman's room below. Suddenly she
put both her hands about the knob and
opened the door. Gerald turned quick
ly; there was an -oniinous click the
pistol fell little as it went off, The
blood soaked through his coat and
trickled out upon the floor. Just rs
Luane was about sinking at bis feet,
Gerald put ont his hand to her.
An accident, Miss Williams" he
said. Please send Adams for the
doctor, and then help nae off with my
coat" rt
This brought Luane to herself. She
haetened to do his bidding, dispatched
Adams, and returning again to Gerald,
stsnched the blood with strips of the
pillow-case from bed. When the
doctor came she held the light for him
while he probed the wound and ex-
tracted the bullet.
| An inch or 80 higher" said the doc
tor, and you would have been buried
on the same day with your aunt"
L"lt was lucky thing, then, that
l Miss Williams had an errand to my
room when she did,. said Gerald.
"As she opened the doar my hand fell
and the pistol went off,
She has uncOnsciously saved your
life" said the doctor. Then as Llane
left the room he added, "She's the
finest young woman know, and would
mako capital nurse in my hospital.
Do you know what she thinks of doing
now that your aunt is gone ?"