The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-27
gnaersptt gntelligeuter'
ONE VoMAN's TREAcHERY.
CHAPTER I.
4 STORY OF A WHISPER

"When the sun sets, tomorrow, be at
the stile, by the cross. road"
The people were pouring out of st.
James Church; the chief church of the
large town of Marlborough. The organ
ist was playing some sad, fitful chords,
something from the Messiah; and under
cover of their melting sweetness, the au-
dacious whisperer, young and hand
some man, had bent forward to make
this appointment.
The two young ladies, to one of whom
he had spoken, were walking down the
aisle side by side. Dorothy Stevens, for
whom the whisper was undoubtedly an
tended, glanced up mute look OF assent
through her golden curls. But it
chanced that the other lady heard it too,
for her ears were subtle, and a dark
cloud drifted over the sunshine of her
face; her little hand clenched itself spas
medically under the rich lace OF her
shawl. She fell back a step, and glanced
coldly into the gentleman's face. He
was holding his hat in his gloved hand,
and he bowed tremendously as his eyes
met hers. at least, as tremendously as
one can bow, coming out OF church.
"Good morning, Miss Lawrence" he
said,. distantly; and just then they
emerged from the aisle to the. .yestibule.
/. Miss Lawrence held out tiny hand,
which he could not do otherwise than
take.
He released it Immediately, notwith-
standing her clinging touch, but the lit
tie hand was not to be so repulsed. It
fluttered to his arm, and rested there,
lust one finger being on the coat cuff. :.
sThere is such a throng," murmured
the lady in an entreating tone of apology;
and people never mind where they put
their feet. am sure my hounces will
be in rags" :,
Mr.. Hastings perhaps mathematical
first the crowd and next the perishable
f]ounces; but what could he do, save
take the girl under his wing3 Dorothy
looked back and saw him coming down
the steps with the beautiful heiress hang
ing on his arm in that frightened, ap-
pealing, eclinging manner, which she
knew so we'll how to put on. But Doro-
thy only smiled and nodded brightly
she felt perfectly secure in the love OF
Dean Hastings, after that sweet whisper.
Each of these three people, when once
in the open air, went their way home
ward in the mellow and bright October
sunshine. But not before Miss Lawrence
had detained Dean Hastings for chat.
care you particularly engaged this at
ternoon, Mr.. Hastings?"
eyes, / am. j am going out OF town
: at once to see sick friend, and shall not
be back before nine o'clock"
.eNine o'clock ?". she repeated, musing-
". "Well, that will be time enough.
Papa wishes to see you, if you can call"
dBut I-oh, very we'll" broke off Mr.
Hastings. "Tell him, if you please, that
I will endeavor to come"
Within the shade of her own chamber,
Annabella Lawrence threw off her hat,
and grasped at the lace collar around her
throat as if it were choking her. She
paced mp and down then, pausing before
the pier-glass, she bent forward, and
looked at herself long and earnestly.
Her dark hair was silky, her black eyes
flashed fire.
"Youth and beauty will work wonders
for their possessor. But what have they
done for me7 They cannot win for me
the love I need; the love he gives to
that pale, spiritless working-girl. All
it makes me sick to think of her 1
kpo,o he cares for her-and does he think
/ do not see that he cares not for me :
It is her fault. But for her, he would
turn to me and love me. Oh, Dean,
Dean. I love you! Why do You not see
it?-or do YOU see it, and yet will not re-
spond to it?"
She threw her arms mp with q passion
ate gesture of sorrow; and then bent her
head on her hands in pain.
.If find-if I fnd," she resumed,
lifting her pale face, "that he cares for
her seriously-that he neglects me for
her, swear that both shall sufer-he as
well SIS she. I-swear-itp
Anything more vindictive than the
/. tone of her emphatic words, than the ex-
preston of her pale face, was never seen
or heard. Bella Lawrence was not a girl
to be crossed lightly. Her face, sufi.
GENTLY beautiful when she was at rest or
in her tender moods, was half diabolical
now. Her great, dark eyes flashed
fercely, hot flush burned on her soft,
round, olive cheeks, and through her full,
red lips her sharp-pointed, white teeth
cleaned craftily. It was no fable that
in her school days she had been nick
named "the cat" and that her compan-
ions mad given her full credit for all
cats spitefnI nature when angered. She
and Dorothy Stevens had been educated
at the same school the one was rich
heiress, the other was to be- only gov
erness. Dora was in family now, and
Miss Lawrence condescended to speak to
her now and then when they met.
Bella walked to the window and stood
looking thoughtfully out. What love
ly scene it was!. The house stood on the
outskirts of the town; hill and vale lay
stretched out before her, and waving
woodlands tinted with autumn's lunri-
y.,led colors. Along the line of the
river, spires and clustered chimneys
marked the site of her fathers factories
-mile-stones on the road: to wealth. "It
is all NINE" she murmured. "It will be
mine in time, and I would give it all to
him with this" lifting her hand. II
would give ito him, and he rejects it."i
Yes; if Miss Lawrence could read
signs, OeaH 6astluSs Mouiu ACJoSV Aot
hand were it offered him. But she was
not sure; not quite. Again her quick
mood changed. The flush died out of
her cheek, and tears crowded into her
proud, dark eyes. "Dean, Dean, Iwould
give you the tenderest, truest love a
woman ever profered. Oh, why do you
despise it,"
And. yet, who was Dean Hastings?
Nobody. He was a gentleman by birth,
its true, but he had no means save what
he earned as one of the chief clerks in
this very .factory-that of Lawrence and
Lawrence. His cousin was baronet in
an adjoining country; and Dean was in
the best society that Marlborough af-
forded. -
$50 absurd, so incongruous," thought
Bella. "for him to notice that stupid gov