The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-15

and tho snow lay firm and hard on the
ground. bnt he put Maude's shawl
around ner, and mado her 60 out on the
lawr with him.
She shuddered at the touch Of the
w.nd; he wrapped his afms around her,
and there was warmth instead OF cold.
"Maude," he said, II love you Ii
there any need of my telling you ?"
She knew there was not, but she did
not Say so. q u = p, ~ IS
) "Slauds, I am f.:a.sst. 1 was sent
hither to meet you. / have needed you
all my life long, but the time had not
como before God sent me now. Ibelieve
il fully. You are mino-I am yours. Nc
earthly power can take ycn away from
1me. Torfhe time and Tor, eternity we
'are ohe" - ~ RE9g s
She began "Mr. Wheatcliff-"
my name is George. Gail me by it.
Yor are Maude, and not Iiss Ashley, To
me-"
She went on, unheeding his passionate
interruption. "
George, have little history TO re.
late To you. There must be no clouds
between us-no secrets. Once l loved
another"
'No, dear Maude, you did net love
him; you never knew the meaning of the
word love until VIC met"
She crimsoned slowly, her heart &C.
knowledging the truth.
~ was engaged TO Paul Winchester
The time Of our marriage was. fixed s.
He was to come to me on the evening
tfain;of cars. An accidcntSogcl rfadsS
many weta killed; he.was missing. xAnd
he has nefer been heard of aincc.p SS &
"Yes, know the whole story have
heard it q dozen times since I came
here. But that makes no difference
You are mine. And though Paul Win.
chester should rise from the grave and
claim you, would still keep my right !!
She clung to hiE, weak and trembling
A shadow foil between them and thu
moon.
Maude looked up. A figure, gaan
and spare, in solemn black, its ghastly
face bathed in the liquid moonlig ght, it,
profile cut clear against the purple sky
its head in the attitude Of attention, ant
its whole individuality Winches
ter.
Maude stood frozen motionless. Ever,
faculty was absorbed in gazing on tha
ghostly apparition.
Following the direction of her strained
gaze, Wheatcliff turned, but the phan
tom vanished in group of hemlocks
and his eyes met only vacancy, Lighted
by the pale moonlight. ~"
Maude's entreaties induced Wheatclif
into the house-nor would she suffer hin
to depart until the dawn began to redde,
the eastern sky. She was oppressed b,
terrible fear-vague and nameless, bu
none the less terrible.
Wheatolif was no tardy wooer, ant
before he left her that night the wedding
day was fixed, and diamond CLEANED
on her finger in token of her betrothel
The night before the day set apart fo
the bridal, Aaade sat alone; ht midnight
in one of the great parlors of ASHLEY
Hall. There was subducd light in he
eye and bright glow on her cheel
which was not all owing to the red fire
light that fell around her.
Wheatcliff's kisses were vet warm or
her lips--she felt yet the lingering charu
of his presence. There was The chair ht
had just eat in,. the, bunch of scarle
fIuchsies he had brought her-and there
was ono of his gloves lying on the carpe
where he had dropped it. She picked 4
up and Ed6ohed tito her lips.S SN
The7doof opened softlyGo yeYs kbA
ly she Sas only dimly iconscious Oes somt
approaching presence. and she did mo-
look up until u heavy hand pressed hel
shoulder.
She stood face to face with Paul Win
chester. He folded his arms and re-
garded her with stern and gloom.
'SMaudo Ashley, is this iii co,d,ssttasumcy4 ,cto,dssttsm y4r'
he asked, pointing to the ring on hel
finger
q aaSa ss3j il b py witness, Paul, :, ! thopgP'
"And had you known the contrary
would it have made any difference
Answer me truly. do you love tbis man ?,
q Saint rosy flush brokei alowiy oTel
her face. He was answered.
-4Enougb, Maude.,: /, am satisfeti.J-
Life viii be worth little, to me now. But
I must tell my story aud obtain your par.
don. Nay, do not refuse to listen; it ii
the last favor shall ever nsk of you.-
Before ! ever saw you, Maude, I was
married. Early, in life j met ana fancied
q young girl ia oneof tue, Middle States
the daughter of my landla6y. She was
a fair, simple girl, and.I married her. !
wearied of her full soon, anc she had
never loved me. She had taken nv
name only because her mother favored
the alliance. We parted at last with
high words, and came North. I pro-
yided her witlhall the money she needed
and when cur little girl was born 1 set.
tied upon her G life annuity. just before
I met you saw notice of nv wife'a
death in o newspaper. ] was free, for the
child had died some months Ipfeyiousl5.
When z cav. you, loved Fferg thd firss
time, and after I was raised to the heigLt
Of felicity by your acceptance, I could
not get courage to tell You This secret oi
my lite. feared your high, pure soul
would shrink fsc:n The man WHO haj
once, In nalne ct least, belonged to an.
other. So kept Il hidden. Sometime
I would tell you, Iaaidlf;zsometjmss ghsu
train on31hatnighf do 1enain to Ashley
Hall. Judge OF my consternation when
I tell yon, that entering the car est
down beside my uwn wife ! The recog-
milton was mutual, and / think Aiice
was quite as deeply Mortified as myself
It appears that the obituary had referred
to % cousin of hers bearing the aame
name, and hence my mistake. The mo-
ments that passed until I felt the stua-
hi&g gsKh6kibf t.shs s;Il sleA sE!a
river, were agonizing. The train knew
was an express, and did not stop until il
reached Ashley, sOfic6,iFse 7 could hki
think of goingIthapefh fhep. The ssnident
put an end to all trouble. I leaped out
Of the flying CAY, and gaining the, land