Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-04-27

expect favorable hearing from you 80 eoon.
But feel too anxious to have my mind put
at rest, to wait longer, even at the risk OF Of
Tending against conventionality-and our
former intimacy must plead my excuse.
Olive, have loved you for years-since be-
fore left home. Will you give me any hope
that this love may be returnedp
I did not even offer to take her hand, but
stood looking at her as I spoke, trying to read
her answer in her downcast face. She had
grown very pale, and did not lift her eyes.
She did not seem startled or surprised, but l
noticed that her hand trembled as if she was
inwardly sgitated, while endeavoring to seem
calm. Once or twice thought she essayed
to speak, but failed and at las. l said
solve, if you have any pity for me, do not
keep me in suspense!'
The growing passion in my voice appeared
to startle her then. Again the ftful color
crossed her face, and she gave swift, half
frightened glance. I bent forward now and
took both her hands in mine. They auttered
with faint, resisting movement for an instant,
and were still. I do not know what we're my
next words. poured forth my whole soul in
a torrent of earnest, eager, trembling appeal,
not pausing to choose my sentences, and speak
ing, no doubt, incoherently enough in the
depth of my feverish anxiety, but my fervor
could have left her in no uncertainty as to the
reality of my love. Again stopped, and
waited breathlessly for an answer. Again the
answer sought seemed to tremble on her
lips, yet fail to find utterauce.
"Olive, do not torture me-" I cried. "Give
me one word of hope-only one! Answer,
yes or no." ...." .-..a. ....
Her face dropped like lily on its stem.
"Must I answer now-so soon? she faltered,
in broken tones.
"Yes-yes," I replied, unrelentingly. "Now,
now must know my fate. I cannot endure
to be kept in suspense" .,.....
SWELL, then, will answer you," and sud-
denly raising her head, she looked into my
face. eyes, it shall be as you wish"
"Olive! my dearest my own!-"
Butin that instant, as would have drawn
her towards me, she glided from my arm and
was gone-Aeetly, silently, she vanished from
my sight, almost ere the words left my lips.
A delirious ecstacy, however, filled my heart.
I had won her-she was pledged to be mine.
could desire nothing more. I was even glad
of brief solitude, in which to indulge, un-
disturbed, the joyful thoughts which agitated
my mind. My dearest wish was fulfilled, and
the prize I had coveted, yet feared to hope
for, was fairly in my possession. seemed to
tread on air. I could hardly trust my own
senses, so unreal appeared this newly.created
joy. .<.
I scarcely saw Olive again before she left.
I did not see her at all alone, though strove
for an opportunity of doing so. l was half
ts.is, Ct
tance to allow any one to suspect our engage
ment until after she was gone. As we parted,
I said to her in low tone
II will come up in day or two to see you,
and then this concealment can be ended"
She made no answer, but flushed deeply
and turned away. I met Rudolph's eyes at
that moment bent inquiriugly upon US both.
There was some suspicion in his glance, l
thought, but he did not betray it otherwise,
either then or when we were alone.
Invent to see Olive, as had told her would
and found her alone, Miss Storr having gone
to spend the day with sick friend. | enter
ed the house full of ardent and delightful ex-
pectation, my heart glowing at the thought of
our meeting; but as she entered the room, the
paleness of her looks and her downcast, timid
air seemed to throw chill of anxiety and dis
appointment over my joy.
solve, dearest, you are not vel" said,
as drew her toward me, while she suffered,
but did return my embrace. Her cheek was
cold, and her little hand trembled in mine.
eyes, am well," she answered, in con-
strained voice.
"Then are you sorry have come? or
what?"
"Sorry" she repeated, changing color;
"why should I besorry? 1 must appear very
rude, to make you think that"
"You do not seem glad; at any rate, not
glad as am to be with you
81 am always glad to see you, Of course"
she rejoined, still in a nervous, embarrassed
sort of way, that Jared painfully upon me.
In few minutes, however, she seemed to re-
cover herself, and looked and spoke more ma
turally, exerting herself to talk with some de-
gree of animation but I was silent and trou-
bled, feeling the lack of something I had
hoped for, and wondering if it was her nature
to be thus unresponsive and cold.
"Have you told Miss Storr Of our engage.
ment, Oliver" presently asked.
"No," she answered, in low tone; II have
not spoken of it."
"You will tell her now, will you notf or
allow me to do sol"
$50 soon 7" she answered, hesitatingly.
"Why not? Do you object to having it
known? Every one ought to know. I have
not mentioned it, of course, even to Rudolph,
because Ihad not yet received your permis-
sion to do so; but see no use in making
mystery of it. The fact is, Olive, I am anx-
ious that it should not be long engagement
though perhaps I am premature in speaking
of that. But you will not make me wait very
long, will your"
Il can't discuss that yet," she hurriedly re.
piled. "You should not expect it."
"Should not2 Well, l suppose you are