Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-12-02
this morning, little madam. I've no wish to
be uncivil, but deed I've no time for talking

uOO.
"I shall not interrupt you" said I, offended
and turned abruptly away. 1t was an unu
sual thing for Barbara not to have time to
talk Even in the midst of her most engrossing
occupations, her tongue generally exercised
itself as busily as her fingers, and I could not
see that her present employment-that Of
making pastry-was such as to take up her
entire attention. 1t was true, roll of sum.
mer cloth, for the servants SUITS was lying
near, waiting to be cut out, and I had heard
her say, the day before, that she must do it
herself, as the tailoress was sick, but even this
accumulation of work would not, under ordi.
nary circumstances, have incapacitated her
for little chat.
"Something is the matter" said /, mentally,
"and Barbara is nervous, lest l should ques'
tion her about it. She need not be afraid.
What my husband chooses to keep me in ig'
norance of, l shall not seek to find out from
anybody else."
In no pleasant frame of mind, betook my
self to my own room again; and there re-
mained in solitude, until Ellen Holcombe was
announced
Of all persons in the world (excepting her
husband) Ellen was the last whom cared to
see just then. However, there she was, and
there was no help for it, so down to the parlor
I went.
found her strangely quiet and subdued.
She scarcely answered my greeting, and looked
at me with an expression of countenance that
I could not fathom.
"Something is the matter with her, too" |
thought "Is everybody bewitched, to-day p
However, exerted myself to entertain her,
and did, at last, succeed in getting up some.
thing like conversation between U.s. By
and by, luncheon was announced, and rose
to lead the way to the dining-room.
81 cannot etay to luncheon" she said, quick
ly. 81 don't feel like eating anything to-day.
Go and get yours, Rosamond, and then come
out with me a little way. I have something
to say to you"
"What an idea, Nelly |" I rejoined. "Come
and take something; don't you feel we'll :"
"Not very-I have had headache since yes
terday."
Then come upstairs to my room and lie
down. You will not he interrupted, for Dr..
Wardlaw has gone out"
II know he has" she rejoined, with pecu-
liar look. "But I do not wish to lie down,
thank you. I came out, thinking that exercise
would be good for me, and | wanted to see
you, particularly, also"
"In that case," said I, "I will 60 with you,
whenever you wish it; for, to tell the truth, l
am not hungry either"
Don't hurry yourself on my account, she
replied. "You need not stand on ceremony
with me, you know
Her manner was so odd, though her words
we're commonplace enough, that | could not
repress feeling Of uneasiness. | looked into
the dining-room to tell James to clear away
the things off the table, as no one wished any
lunch, and then ran to get my hat. In few
minutes more Ellen and I were walking to-
gether along a little path that led from the
back gate to the woods.
She walked rapidly, keeping little ahead
of me, until we came to the very spot where
her husband had met me few evenings be.
fore. Then she sat down on the log which
had chosen as my resting place after he left
me, and motioned me to a seat beside her.
"Now Rosamond," she commenced after a
minutes pause, II have secret to tell you.
I am going home"
"Going home p I echoed, in surprise. "On
q visit, do you mean?"
"Ostensibly, yes but in reality am going
for good and all. 1 shall not come back here
again"
"Is your husband tired of farming already?"
questioned, more and more astonished.
"Not that know Of; but am tired of the
place, and everything else. | shall leave him
here"
Leave him here!"
eyes. lam going to leave him altogether.
"Nelly!'' cried, in amazement. "What
do you mean?"
II mean" she answered, speaking slowly,
and looking in another direction, as if to avoid
my gaze, that he is not fit for me to live with
any more. Rosamond, his pretence Of caring
for me was all a sham."
I turned cold. Had she, then, discovered
what had resolved to keep secret?
She went on in the same carefully suppress
ed tone, keeping her eyes fixed on something
far off, as she spoke
81 have suspected this for some time but
it is only quite recently that have convinced
myself of the TRUTH 1 have not even spoken
to him on the subject. l merely told him last
evening that wanted to 90 home to see man,
ma, and he gave me leave to 60. | shall not
ask his leave for anything again. If possible,
1 shall avoid seeing him again, when I am
once away from here"
"But Nellyl" I faltered, "what do you
mean-what is it that you accuse him OFF"
"If you do not know" she answered, point.
edly, "there is no one who does"
I was silent, and sat trembling.
"This evening week ago." she continued,
witnessed a scene, or a part of scene, be-
tween you and him in this very place. NoD
do you need any farther explanation?"
"If you witnessed that scene," | cried, ca
gerly, "you know, at all events, that was
not to blame. am in no way answerahle for
his conduct, as you must be aware. On the
contrary, would have given worlds to be
able to overcome this unlucky infatuation on
his part"
81 don't blame you," she answered, in the
same unmoved tone 81 blame myself for my
miserable folly in ever trusting him."
"But oh Nelly, can't all this trouble be
recti6ed somehow, without your leaving him ?"
said l. "What will aunt Mabel say?"
81 can't help what anybody says. think
ought to consider my own feeling first"
"But everybody will know it, and talk about
it,"
"They may talk, if they choose. The dis
grace is not mine, but hts"
was silent. I felt it to be dreadful state
of things, and did not know what comment
to make.
Presently Ellen commenced again.
"You pity me, Rosamond, dare say" she
said, in low tone. "You think me very un-
fortunate, no doubt"
k,1,:,, 1o, hop