Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-01-31

returned Immediately, and took her usus
place near the table, on which lights wei
placed, her embroidery in hand.
ri must make haste now with this" she n
marked. II may have shorter time to con
plete it in than I anticipated"
The evening passed as their evenings tt
gether commonly did. There was converss
tion, chiefly sustained by Madame Previll
and Helen, and, at the request of the forme
even little music. Helen played vel
thought not brilliantly. She had also swet
voice, and sang with much expression. VII
tor was passionately fond Of music, an
usually took his station near the piano, some
times turning over the leaves of the music
but on this occasion he remained at some di
tapce, as though afraid to trust himself to th
enjoyment of what he loved too we'll. I
stand by Helen, to watch her face as she sant
and occasionally to join in some familiar ali
had heretofore been source of keen plea'
ure to him but now be felt, Call this mus
soon be at an end. Why, then, should COZ
tinue to indulge myself in luxury whic
will be the more difficult to relinquish, th
longer I partake Of it?"
Helen was the first of the party to retire
After she had left the room, Madame Pre-
vile, approaching her nephew, kindly lai
her hand on bis shoulder. ....
,''My dear Victor,"' she said, in a gentl
tone, "this is heavy blow to US both"
"Don't let US speak of it now, Aunt" b
rejoined. "Afer little while, perhaps,
shall be able to bear it better"
II don't think, however, that you need de.
pair" she continued, "Helen is not the sor
of girl to be changed by an event of this sort
Her heart is constant and true"
"You speak as if had, or dreamed Of hav
ing, some claim upon her constancy," he re
piled, with dreary smile. "You forget tha
I am nothing to her beyond an ordinary &C
quaintance, or at least friend"
"Nay, am not so sure of that Victor; bu
she is still too young to think of love. 0
course you have said nothing to her?'
"Of course not; and equally of course, thi
Inheritance of hers is an effectual barrier Il
the possibility of my ever doing So"
81 do not see that" said Madame Previll
with energy. "You are not needy. Yo'
have competency, and, therefore, need no
fear having mercenary motives attributed tt
you. Helen. I am sure, would be the las
person to dream of such thing"
cay; but Helen is not the world. Besides
who knowsi Money changes people strange
ly. Perhaps she will not have been in pos
session of this fortune long, before she 40
quires worldly ideas. She will find that he
wealth gains her Aatterers and admirers, ane
in learning to be suspicious and dstrustful
may distrust even the most honest and sin
cere." "..r... ....r....
y "Helen will never become suspicious or dis
trustful," confidently rejoined his aunt. IL
is not in her nature to learn such lessons a.
you speak Of"
"Allowing that to be the case, you mus
still remember that have no grounds what
ever, upon which to build any hopes of hel
favor" answered Victor Il would give my
right hand now to have profted by the op
portunity which has all this time been mine
to have gained, at least, some idea of bel
feelings toward me; but it has slipped from
me now-forever"
Helen, am assured, will return to US al
soon as she is at liberty to choose for herself
said his aunt. believe me, Victor. these
people, among whom she is going, will never
usurp our places in her regard. When sh.
comes back to her old home, you will then bt
justified in revealing your true sentiments to
wards her, and I have strong hopes that you
will not have waited in vain."
"You talk idly, ma tante," replied Victor, 6
little bitterly. "Are you unsophisticated
enough, really to believe that, during tie foul
years which must elapse before she comes o.
age, amid new surroundings, and all the temp
tations of wealth, she will retain her present
ideasi For my part, I look forward to hel
marrying long before the expiration Of thai
time. Her hand will, doubtless, be eagerly
sought after, and what more likely than, amio
a crowd of suitors, that she should find one
pleasing to her fancy and her heart? No, il
is best for me that I should put this danger
GUS dream, in which I have had the folly tt
indulge, at once aside, and, if possible, forget
that I ever cherished it. 1t is my only chance
of peace"
He spoke with such force that his aunt die
not venture again to contradict him. Sht
thought that, perhaps, it might be wiser, in
stead of dwelling too persstently upon tbt
question now, to leave it to be settled by time
In her heart, she was inclined to wish Mrs
Mary Forester's legacy at the bottom of th'
sea. She did not believe that the happiness
of its recipient would be at all enhanced by
it, while it only threw difficulties and com
plexities about her arrangements for the fu
ture. 1t was her most earnest wish to se'
Helen united to Victor. She loved them botf
warmly, and felt that her nephew's characte
and disposition were such as must assure th'
happiness of any woman whom he might sue
ceed in winning for his wife. She believed
that, with sufficient time and opportunity
Helen would have learned to regard him a
he desired and what more natural than fo
them to continue to live with her in the ole
chateau, (Which they both regarded as the
home and of which Victor would become tn
possessor at her death) Frightening it will
their presence, and throwing a halo of con
tentment and joy around her declining days
IF VAS q vision upop which she bad long l0vet