Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-09-02

you want"
"Thus urged, and all being ready, Captain
Bowlby .olemnly asked the patient if he un'
derstood what was required of him. A mo-
mentary frightening of the eye was answer
sufficient. and none doubted but that the au'
thor of .he crime would soon be exposed.
But, ala! the will was stronger than the
power; FIR when the General had painfully
traced few letters, the pen fell from his
hand, his eyelids closed, and he passed into
state of complete Inconsistencies. m
"And what were the letters written The
culprit's fate bangs upon them. Here they
are, S TIE. What pity there are only
three; and yet-when the Captain read out
in firm, clear voice S T E, all eyes involun'
.arily turned on Stevenson, as though there
could be no doubt that he was the man, and
these three letters were as good as whole
name. And so it proved for on reference
to the ships books and passenger list, no
other name was found (either Christian or
surname) beginning with Ste. Nor was this
all for Just at this moments man entered the
cabin, bringing the missing box, which he
stated had been found hidden behind Ste
venson's bed. Examination showed that the
lock was broken and the will missing. So
convinced was Captain Bowlby by this evil
dence, that he exclaimed in stern tones {:
Lieutenant Stevenson, retire to your cabin,
and consider yourself under arrest for the
remainder of the voyage 1t was done. and
the once gay, and still noble-looking Walter
Stevenson was led away suspected thief and
murderer.
"But did every one believe him guilty :?
Not so. Need say that the exception was
the one whose opinion he priced more than
all the rest-namely, his beloved Rose AS:
sured of her belief in his innocence, and
strong in his own consciousness, it mattered
little to him what others thought; and so
when he passed from the cabin his eye quail
ed not, nor did his tall form lose one inch Of
its height.
II must now in very few words pass over
more than month. The good ship had
steadily pursued her way, and was rapidly
approaching the end Of her voyage. No
event of importance had occurred since the
scene depicted above. The old General, con-
trary to all expectation, gradually became
stronger; but alas as his bodily health i'm
proved so did it become the more manifest that
his mind was gone. The blow on the head
had been too much for him, and though his
life was spared, and his strength, comparative
ly speaking, restored, yet it was only to be an
imbecile; simple and harmless, it is true,
but none the less an imbecile. Stevenson,
confined to his cabin, had-as much as pru-
dence and her duties to her father allowed
been cbeered by visits from the noble girl.
These visits were necessarily few and short,
but still they were sufficient to assure him OF
her undying love and confidence. She could
not but confess that appearances were very
much against him, and that dark cloud over
shadowed him yet she could not for mo-
ment believe that he, whom she thought the
very embodiment of all that was good, could
be guilty Of so foul crime What tongue
can tell the pleasure these sweet assurances
gave to Stevenson! Supported by them and
his own inner consciousness, he could defy
the rest. The evidences against him might
be clear, and his chances of refuting them
apparently very small, yet his trust in God
was never shaken he knew there must be
another explanation of the evidence, and he
believed in due time the explanation would
"Snch was the position of affairs when the
Stirling Castle arrived in the Thames.
Stevenson was taken before the magistrates;
and upon the evidence already narrated, was
formally committed for trial, some of the
principal passengers being bound over to ap-
pear when called upon. l will not attempt
to describe the parting between the lovers;
it was hard to bear; hard for Rose, although
she was going to comfortable home, sur
rounded by friends but how doubly hard for
Stevenson, who was not only parted from his
hearts idol, but was going to felon's cell
with stigma on his name. What wonder
that he was overcome, that his courage failed
him, that he fairly broke down. But over
this l draw a veil; Ranhoods tears are
terrible to see, and can only flow from
hearts agony.
q "Rose, 100, was fearfully Frustrated and al
most heart-broken but like brave little
woman, as she was, she collected herself, and
knowing her lovers safety depended on her
exertions, she set herself firmly about the
task. Now it happened that Rose had god
father, with whom she had been great ia.
vorite before she went to India. This was
Dr.. Bailey, man of considerable .repute in
his profession. AS girl, Rose had always
been accustomed to take her little joys and
griefs to him, sure ofa welcome. No wonder
she should fly to her most valued friend. She
did so; and there sitting at his feet, as in old
and happy times, she told him all-told OF
Stevenson's nobleness and worth, of his love
for her, blushing the while-of her love
for him. Then she spoke of the murder OF
the old servant, and her voice trembled as she
told of the horror Of that night; then she
passed on to speak of the suspicious against
Stew. son not one fact did she conceal; but
her vol., was no longer low and trembling,
but firm and indignant that any should so
Judge him. But how quailed her heart when
she looked up and saw the grave and doubt
full expression on the good doctors face and
when he repeated her words and reminded
her of the will, of Stevenson's presence in the
cabin, of the empty box found in his room,
and above all, of the writing by the General,
all pointing so conclusively to Stevenson, she
saw at once that he also believed her lover
guilty. For moment her own heart and her
faith almost failed her, and she, too, felt in.
clined to yield to the weight Of evidence.
But shaking off the feeling with shudder,
as though 1ome noxious reptile had touched
her, she ~ ured out such passionate flood of
eloquenc, in defence Of her lover, that the
doctor, catching her enthusiasm, was compell-
ed to yield to her powerful conviction. See'
ing this, Rose fell on his breast, and in a pas
sionate burst of tears, kissed him and called
him her good kind friend.
"When they were little calmer the doctor
said: Although we may believe him inno-
cent yet our belief will not save him unless