Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-03-01
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is totally gone, and his body 80 feeble that l
doubt whether it will be many weeks before
he sinks into his grave. I will take you to
see him, and you shall judge for yourself of
the truth of what have told you. 1t is my
belief that he has been brought to this state
by remorse for his crime but have had no
opportunity of arriving at the true state of
his case, for he has had no IL ID intervals at
all since first saw him." ...
After some farther conversation, the Earl
took his leave, having quite won the heart
as we'll as the respect of his quondam enemy.
The jailer was considerably surprised at be-
ing informed, by the noble visitor, that in
few hours he would receive official orders for
the prisoners release, as there was no cause
of offence against him, the whole matter hav-
ing been satisfactorily explained; and before
evening, Andrew Kennedy was once more
free man. -.... .r .t.. ....
The parish was astounded, and somewhat
scandalized, at this summary dismissal OF an
affair which had caused 80 great stir In the
little community at the time of its occurrence ;
but the Earl was too great man to have his
wisdom or his judgment questioned, and his
decision, of course, had to be accepted without
demur. 49,:
One day DR.. Manning rode over to Glen
Cottage with important news. Wllbertons
mind seemed suddenly to have regaIned its
balance. He had spoken connectedly, dis.
cussing his situation in lucid manner, and
had expressed wish to see Lord Desborough,
to whom, he said, he had much to say. go.
"And its my belief, my lord, that if you
delay coming over, your chance will be lost
said the little doctor. "He's sinking now,
pretty fast. doubt very much if he'll last
more than couple of days longer, or week
at the farthest-" 49,
The Earl of course Immediately obeyed the
summons. He found Wilberton, as the ply
sician had described him, in very feeble
condition. Indeed, his voice was so low and
faint that at first, when he spoke, it was scarce
ly possible to distinguish what he said.
II did not think, Mortimer, that the day
would ever come when would voluntarily
seek an interview with you" he muttered, as
the Earl, touched with compassion at his for.
lorn appearance, offered to take his emaciated
hand. "But death is coming near, and | can.
not depart hence without unburdening my
conscience of the load it has borne so long"
He stopped to take breath, and with sha-
king grasp conveyed glass Of some renova'
ting mixture to his lips. ...
"Speak to me freely" replied the Earl.
"You cannot suppose that alta time like this.
I would cherish any feeling of anger against
you, no matter how great the injury may
have sustained at your hands, .>.s. -. "a
Betrayal of trust, destruction Of your
hopes" said Wilberton; "can all this be tor.
givenr'
"This, and more too. There is q deeper
offence than either of these. which you have
left unnamed" said Lord Desborough grave
". "An offence, Wilberton, for which you
must seek forgiveness elsewhere than from
me-"
SAY, know what you mcan," replied the
other. "You believe that I murdered that
poor girl, don't your"
"And did you not2" asked the Earl with
searching look. ;,a". %" "sr" -"
Listen; I'll tell you how it was. Here, on
nv death.bed, you need not fear that shall
not speak the muth. met her in the orch
ard. I did not ask her to come there. She
was afraid of me, because / had been rough
to her once before. In those days thought
it no harm to take liberty, if I could, with
q girl of inferior rank, if she would let me;
but she was not one of the common sort. /
saw she had taken sort of hatred to me
and wanted to plague her, out of revenge.
I'll swear to you, Mortimer, had no worse
thought than that" -
He stopped again to take breath, for he
was desperately weak, and seemed exhausted
even by these few sentences, which he spoke
pantingly, with long pauses between.
"As I was saying, met her-quite unex-
pectedly-aud determined to amuse myself
at her expense. When she saw me, she turn.
ed and tried to 90 back, but held her by
the arm and said she should not leave me.
She threatened to tell you, when you came,
how had treated her. And l said-God
forgive me-that knew you did not mean to
come"
"You told her that!" exclaimed the Earl.
"Yes-out of folly, you know. wanted
to see how she would take it. She just laugh
ed at FIRST, in sort Of quivering way-she
did not believe it; but when repeated it,
and told her she had better let me take her
under my care now, since there would be moth
ing else for her to do, she began to look wild
and pitiful. / can see that look now-and |
saw that had made her doubt don't know
what made me 60 ont was the Gend, l sup
pose. I was sorry for her, too, but | could
not help following up the beginning l had
made"
"Poor Katie" muttered Lord Desborough
between. his clenched teeth. For the mo.
meut, pity for the dying man before him was
lost in more tender pity, at the memory Of
the confiding, innocent girl 80 wantonly tor
tured and deceived.
Wilberton's hollow eyes rested pleadingly
on his face "You said you would forgive
me, Mortimer" he muttered in broken tone.
"Remember how have been punished; re-
member how sooD shall be called to account
in the next world"
"Go on" said Lord Desborough in low
Tone "Let me hear all"
Eyes, will. But must rest for q minute
or two first. Oh this terrible sinking here"
He pressed his wasted hand upon bis chest,
closing his eyes as he did so and as he leaned
his head back against the pillow which sup.
ported him-for he was propped up in an easy
chair-his face looked so white and corpse
like that it seemed hard to realize, but for
his struggling breath, that he yet lived. Pres
emily he reused himself again, and went on.
"As was saying, some devilish impulse
prompted me to carry on my game. 1 in-
vented long rigmarole, pretending that the
summons you had received to 20 to your faith
or was all hoax, and that you only wanted
a pretext to abandon her-and that | had