Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-11-25
CHAPTER XIV.
STILL IN THE DARK.

A fortnight elapsed, during which several
visits passed between Ellen and myself, and
Stephen came with her once, by invitation, to
dinner. DR.. Wardlaw made them one for
NAL call. Beyond this, there was no inter-
course between the two gentlemen, whose dis
positionS, .ootoo and habito oil unliho,
and who could, therefore, derive but little
pleasure from each others society.
One day received from Ellen the follow.
ing note:
"MY DEAR RosAMoND: stephen is obliged to
20 to town for few days. to attend to some partic
1lar business. AS will be very lonely while he
is gone, cannot DR.. Wardlaw spare you to stay
with me until his return? hope he can, for
shall be afraid to stay alone, and 20 not know
any one else whom could ask. Besides, ofcourse,
I would enjoy having you the most. Stephen
leaves tomorrow morning. Please let me have
an answer at once Affectionately yours,
Z. V. HoLCoMBE"
"P. s.-Tell your husband will take excel
lent care of YOU"
showed the note at once to DR.. Wardlaw.
"That is nonsenee," he said. "Of course I
cannot spare you. Write and ask her to
come here instead"
hesitated. Somehow felt an ndistinctive
dislike to the idea of admitting Ellen to the
sanctity of my home DR.. Wardlaw noticed
my hesitation.
"Well, what is the matter?" he asked.
"Don't you want her to Gomez"
81 confess don't, particularly" answer
ed candidly.
"Do you wish to 60 to her, instead? p
"Oh no; would not 60 on any account" F"
"Then, don't see how you can avoid ask
ing her. You must not refuse her request
without giving her the option of coming here
instead
81 suppose not" I admitted. I wrote the
note, and despatched it by the bearer of hers,
sending one of my own servants along to
bring an answer to the invitation, which l
felt pretty sure would be accepted. was not
mistaken in the supposition, and about noon
on the following day she came overland was
duly installed in the guest-chamber, which l
had prepared for her reception.
Let me explain here, that it was neither
personal dislike to Ellen, nor any lack of hos
pitabe feeling, which had made me unwilling
to ask her to stay with US. 1t was, rather, an
underlined dread of some possible evil conse-
quence resulting from her visit. I knew that
there was, as the saying goes, "a skeleton in
our cupboard" and | was most fearful lest she
should find out its existence. Nay, more, |
felt shuddering horror in the thought that
she might 90 still farther than this, and that
her hand might be the one to reveal it to my
eyes. I had brooded over this unknown Sc
cret until l had grown morbid on the subject.
The idea of it haunted me day and night. and
while l often reproached myself for being
silly and weak, could not divert my thoughts
from the unhealthy channel in which they
had began to flow. l was careful, most espe-
cially in DR.. Wardlaw's presence, to betray
nothing of this secret uneasiness. On the
contrary, since my last failure to obtain his
confidence, had assumed unusual cheerful
ness of demeanor, which / believe blinded
him as efectually as desired it should.
Two or three days passed unmarked by any
noticeable event. At last, one evening as
Ellen and were sitting together in the par
lor, DR.. Wardlaw having gone out as usual,
my companion exclaimed
"Rosamond, want to ask you question,
but you must promise beforehand not to think
it impertinent."
every we'll" said 1, II promise"
"Of course you need not answer if you
don't want to but to tell you the truth, my
curiosity has been excited. Why does Dr..
Wardlaw absent himself so mysteriously every
evening, just at this time?"
was glad we we're sitting in the freight,
which was not bright enough to reveal the
flush which felt suffuse my face at the ques-
ton. 1 resolved to treat it as lightly as pos
sble.
"My DEAR" said I, II am too dutiful wife
to exact from my husband an account of all
his actions so am sorry cannot enlighten
you in regard to this particular. l suppose
he has a fancy to take exercise after dinner,
contrary to the old saw which bids US
After dinner sit awhile"
"Oh! does he 60 out? thought, perhaps,
he liked solitude, or at any rate no company
but yours, and that my presence drove him