Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-03-04
z A N ITA,
THE CIRCUS GIRL.
CHAPTER XVIII.
BY MRS. HENRY DEAS.

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ESCAPE.
When Zanita reached her chamber, she
flung herself down upon sofa, and burylng
her face in cushion, gave way to paroxysm
of tears. A variety of conflicting emotions
agitated her breast but of these the strongest
were deep, bitter indignation and wounded
pride. Never, in her life before, had she been
subjected to the modification she now endured;
and her outraged feelings rose up in torrent
which seemed to sweep over and almost ami
hilate her with their uncomfortable force.
When, after time, she succeeded in par
TALLY regaining her composure, she began to
cast about, in her mind, what mode of action
she should pursue To remain here was i'm
possible. Difficult as she knew it would be for
her to effect an escape from the house, by
some means or other, she resolved to DO So
Oh! for wings, to fly away at once, far, far
beyond the reach of those who had so basely
betrayed her trust. But while daylight lasted,
she could not venture on an attempt. When
the friendly darkness came to her aid, then
she might hope to be successful Meanwhile,
little consideration convinced her that her
wisest policy would be to conceal her true
feelings, and even, if possible, to feign de-
sire for reconciliation with Mr.. Lase!le, in
order to throw him off his guard, by renewing
his hopes of winning her consent to his pro-
posal. To this end, though not without a
great effort, she resumed, as far as was prac-
ticable, her wonted calmness of manner; re-
moved the traces of her tears, and attiring
herself with her usual care, went down, at the
accustomed hour, for tea.
Neither Mr. Lasele or his sister, except for
being rather more silent than usual gave any
sign ofanything extraordinary having occur
red. They were kind and attentive in their
manner to Zanita, and she, though she in
wardly shrank from receiving their attentions,
forced herself to do so with equanimlty, and
even to reciprocate them with a smiling face.
Mr.. Lasele looked at first surprised, then
perplexed, and finally his ordinary gayety and
ease of manner returned, as the conviction be-
gan to possess his mind that Nita had repent
ed of her folly, and had decided to yield to
his wishes. The young girl perceived, with
inward selfgratulaton, the success of her
plan. 1t might be a step toward her still far
ther success, though as yet that was still rath-
er a forlorn hope.
When they parted for the night, Mr.. La
selle, holding her hand in his, said, while he
looked earnestly into her face
"Nita, you left me in anger this afternoon.
Tell me are we friends again.
Eyes, sir" she replied, looking down.
"And I am forgiven?"
Eyes, sir
"And you will reconsider your rash answer
to me, will you not?"
Eyes, SIR" she managed to say, though
with more difficulty than before.
"That is my own dear little Nita Now
you have made me happy again. l have been
wretched all this evening, child, in the con-
sciousness of this breach between us; but now
it is healed up forever. We will never quar-
rel any more, will we, my fairy queen?"
81 hope not, sir
"Good-night, then-buona notte, cara Nita L!
Sleep we'll, and may the visions that hover
about your pillow be as golden as the future,
which my prophetic eye discerns stretching
away before us both!
THAT future we will never share together,
muttered Nita to herself, when the door closed
between them-as she fondly hoped, forever.
Fearing that Mrs. Anthony might take a
fancy to visit her chamber after she he'd re-
tired, as she occasionally did, Nita undressed
and went to bed as usual. 1t was we'll she
had taken this precaution, for she had scarce
ly put out her light when Mrs. Anthony en-
tered, on the pretext of having forgotten to
get something she wanted out of certain
closet adjoining the room. She kissed Nita
good night, and then Withdrew and the
young girls ear caught the sound of key
being turned, though so easily and cautiously
that none but person on the alert, as she
was, would have detected it.
"She has locked me in" Aash"! across her
mind, and her heart beat Vs.. lie conviction
that she was suspected, Notwithstanding her
efforts to disarm all suspicion, and that she
would have to be doubly careful in her move
ments, in consequence.
She lay long awake, listening, with ears
strained, to catch the faintest sound, to detect
any movement about the house. She heard
about eleven o'clock, Mr.. Laselle ascending
the stairs that led to his room This apart
ment, and also Mrs. Anthony's, were, fortu
nately, both on the side of the house opposite
the one she occupied. From her own room
however, egress seemed impossible 1t was IN
the third story, above the garden, with no
piazza, orprojection Of any kind, within reach
of the window. If her door was fastened
outside, the practicablity ofan escape through
that, was cut off; and indeed, even had that