Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-08-02

lutely crushed my own feelings, and asked
Mrs. Price if she knew the nature of the com
munication Mrs. Freeman had received.
"No," she said mo one does-not even the
master himself. We have been too busy at
tending to Mrs. Freeman to think about any
thing else"
Quietly followed her up stairs to where
my darling lay, as white as the pillow beneath
her. Mr.. Talbot was sitting at the head Of
the bed, looking miserably worn and anxious
Mrs. Freeman's eyes were unnaturally large
and bright, and the painful catching of hel
breath at once convinced me of her critical
condition.
"Oh Mr.. Preston" she exclaimed, when
entered, II am so glad you are come! They
wont let me speak-and 1 must tell some one
or I shall go mad. 1t is all quite clear now
he is coming back to me, without suspicion OF
blame, my own Ted, my dear husband. l
know you will be glad to hear of my happi'
ness-you have always been 80 kind"
"Of course" muttered Mr.. Talbot, springing
from his chair-"the letter-Ted's writing,
and he hurried from the room.
And I, looking at the sweet face before me,
saw that close struggle between life and
death was at hand, and, feeling all the happy
hopes of the last few months fading with each
word, answered, quietly
"Your happiness must always be of interest
to me, my dear Mrs. Freeman, and congrat-
ulate you on your present cause for rejoicing
but you must let me talk to Mrs. Price lit
tie now, while you try to get some rest"
Having told her the news, she seemed more
contented and quiet, and after some few d.
rections went down stairs, feeling as though
I had lived life in that quarter of an hour
of deep, bitter sorrow, but determined, Heav-
en- willing, to fight with and overcome this
love which had now become sin.
Mr.. Talbot was standing in the dining.
room, q letter in his hand, and his face ra-
diant.
Read that, John Preston" he said, pushing
it across the table; "you have been great
comfort to the poor thing in her trouble
'tis but right you should share the rejoicing" :"
"This letter is addressed to Mrs. Freeman"
I said-"I would much rather not"
"Nonseuse, nonsense" exclaimed the i'm.
petuous old man-"read it.; tits but few
words"
Slowly and reluctantly, as though about to
strike my own death.blow, I took the sheet
from its himsy envelope, and read
MY OWN DEAR W1FE-Virtue for once Is tri-
umphant, and vice hideth its head. James Bur-
ton has been taken and convicted for murder !;
and, concluding that he might as we'll be hung
for a sheep as a lamb, he has confessed to his
share in the Bulls robbery, and completely clear
ed me; 80, my darling, am only waiting to re-
alize and then for merry England and your
sweet face! Love to uncle Ben. Tell him
sha'n't want to run away from him and the mill
any more; have had enough of rowing to last
my life. Just time to save the mail! How I
long to see you! Your devoted husband,
EDWARD FREEMAN.
I placed the letter in its envelope again,
and laid it on the table. I never see for
eign envelope even now withouta vivid mem.
ory of the misery I then felt. Mr.. Talbot,
talking to himself in disjointed sentences,
was pacing the room in too excited state to
notice my abstraction.
$50 the boys coming back to live like q
Christian in the land of bis fathers! Ah, l
knew how it would end. Poor girl! She
always said it would come right! Well,
John Preston, isn't it greats it not grand :
Now you know why we have never talked OF
poor Ned. Thank Heaven the disgrace is
wiped off the old namel How about my lit
tie girl up stairs, eh? Ah we'll, she'll have
another doctor soon-Ned will soon put her
right You don't look the thing. Have a
glass of wine NoH Then stay and eat
some dinner with me. Well, you know BEST"
and so the hospitable old man literally talked
me out of ear-shot
Oh fool, dolt that have been, blindly to
accept that view of matters which pleased me
most, without assuring myself Of the truth of
what heard All me, / was punished now
for my credulity. For many nights went to
my sleepless bed cursing my fate, hating my
kind, and wondering why heaven dealt so
harshly with me, until everybody asked
"What has come to John Preston lately :?
He looks quite an old man" The agony Of
those few days lined my face and bent my
back more than ten years work would have
done. Strive as I would-and l did strive
my fate was too heavy for me. The daily
visits to Mr.. Talbot's tried me almost beyond
endurance. -,.
When Mrs. Freeman awoke from the stu.
por which had succeeded the excitement, her
only inquiry was rs to the arrival of the next
Cape mails, and I sat quietly by and listened
and felt as murderer in my heart. I must
have broken down if this had lasted much
longer. Once more wearily dragged myself
into the presence of that other mans wife
whom I still loved. On this occasion she was
better, and, with hard set smile, listened
to her rapturea on the prospect Of Ned's
speedy arrival, and my poor, breaking heart,
kept time to the music of her voice, as | held
her hand in mine, and resolved to find some
one to take my practice for time, that l
might 90 away and fight against my weakness
by myself.
AsI listened lazily to her little purrs of
delight, heard, as in dream, an echo OF
her voice in the hall below, and my poor worn
out brain feebly endeavored to argue that l
must be asleep in the land of dreams to hear
her thus in two places at once. passed my
hand .wearily across my forehead, and deter
mined to leave Clokesham on that very day,
for surely my reason must be giving way to
play me such tricks
"Are you not feeling we'll this morning 2
she asked, observing my action.
The personal questionable necessity tor
reply-roused me.
Eyes, quite we'll, thank you"
I could speak-then l was really awake |!
Could it be that was going mad? Still that
echo came nearer and grew more distinct.
"Who is that I hear?" I at length asked,
fearing that she night tell me it was nobody,
but only my fancy
The handle of the door turned as she an
swered merrily-
"Oh, don't you know? Haven't you seen
my double? That is my sister, my twin sis
ter, Maud let me introduce you"