The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-12-08
ABBEVILLE s. c. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER s. 1875.

tnat noIy night.
It's memory still fingers along the James;
people will tell it to yol to-day, as am
going to tell it.
During the day many wedding guesta
came to Wrthmoor, among them Wartop
Jourdan and Webb Faverley Harriet
Gosnold welcomed with smiles and kind
words her former lover, who, with devilish
triumph in his tone, congratulated her on
the life about to open to her. He knew
that she would be happy, and he thanked
the waves for their mercy, and for the re-
turn of Marmaduke Lee.
Yet moment later he turned to whisper
to Webb Faverley:
"Noble is going 10 win. knew it would
be thus, my lady. You've Tilted me once
too often."
The sun went down on the snow, and the
shining chandeliers in the old mansion filled
with wedding guests. The moon, full and
white as oliver planet, shone in clear
sky, and made the snow-capped houses,
trees, and fences shine with beauty in
describable.
Old Yost Gosnold was happy. He moved
from room to room, thanking God that he
he had lived SO long-blessing the night
he would curse before the dawn of another
day.
When the appointed hour came, the
counterfeit Marmaduke Lee, with Harriet
on his arm, stood before the surpliced man
Of God. How feelingly the father gave the
bride away will never be forgotten by those
who stood by and listened. 1t must have
touched Budd Mobiles heart; it made
Wartop Jourdan glance at Faverley, and
smile. His lips moved, but spoke nothing,
but Faverley knew what words they had
uttered "Once too oflen"
Why need dwell on this scene when I
want to reach the end Of my story.
Amid almost palpable silence, the min
lister opened the marriage ceremony,
and the pair before. him became man and
wifel
A lie and bet had done it all
Blushing, the bride looked up into her
husbands face, and he was STOPPING to
bestow the first kiss, when the door opened
and the guests began to utter cries Of
horror.
Budd Noble looked, and turned pale
when he beheld the man who had entered.
He was his counterpart, and that instant
he knew him.
With shrek Harriet dropped his arm;
with her eyes fastened on the newcomer,
sank senseless to the floor.
II am Marmaduke Lee !" cried the stran.
ger. "The sen has given me up" and
he faced Budd Noble and raised his
clenched hands. "By base lie this wo-
man has been won, and I will claim my
own p
He stopped to raise Harriet, when Noble
touched his arm.
"Touch her on your peril |" he said,
fercely. "she is my wife Touch her
Marmaduke Lee, and by the king of
heaven, III kill you! If you want satisfac-
ton, there is grove behind the house and
the moor, is full"
"Then come !" cried Marmaduke Lee.
"f this woman, won by lie is a wife,
God help me to make her this night q
widow !"
Nobody tried to prevent bloodshed, and
the two men, followed by many, left the
house.
Then Harriet, white as marble and as
cold, was borne to sofa, and her aged
father bent over her.
Never would she know the result of the
battle about to be fought under the brilliant
moon, for she was dead .
"Leave me with my dead p commanded
Yost Gosnold, and tho Mortified guests with
| drew.
Silence filed that high ceiled chamber.
The old man bent over the beautiful dead
in bridal robes, his only child, and the last
save him, of the name. And he, too, would
soon be gone
All at once q sound penetrated the room.
1t was the report Of two pistols, blended
into one.
The watcher raised hia head, and an
anxious look ovelspread his face.
Then he seemed to be waiting for news,
for he watched the door,
At last it opened, slowly, noiselessly, and
Marnaduke Lee entered.
| There was triumph in his eyes.
ut ia all |" he said. "There Is q
| dead man out in the snow"
And old Yost Gosnold said "Amenr
By-and-by the wedding guests sntered
to look at the beautiful dead.
Wartop Jourdan with calm face, un'
shaken lip, and fearless eye stood over her
and murmured:
ut is terrible terrible but she Tilted
me once too often Z"
Writhmoor is heap Of ashes now.
Marmaduke Lee fed sfter the duel, and
Virginia never saw him more.
Wartop Jourdan, the avenging devil four
years later received a mortal wound at the
gambling table, and died in deliriu1a, mur-
muring:
"Once-oncs too often y