Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-03-31

been mean and ardly-that my word
and bearing had been hateful and contemp
tible-that there was not the slightest groun(
for my feelings, but l was too proud to con
fess it, so I approached and kissed her fore
head, and asked her to forget the matter.
l met Benton in the street frequently at
ter this, and was wicked enough to rejoice IL
his woe.begone appearance. was stirred
to this partly by the fact that he had once Of
twice called upon the family, and had beer
treated with the most considerate cordiality
The fact was, loved Jane almost madly
and somehow | could not bear to have any
other nan think of her.
Cards were distributed for the wedding
and one was s:nt to Mr.. Benton. But this
gratifed my malice. 1t seemed cruel to in
vite man to fitness the consummation of the
ruin of his no, es; so | was pleased! doubt
ed whether he would come but he was there
so calm and gentlemanly that | could not
help feeling how mean was in his presence
and this, Of course, did not help the matter
was now more offended wi ith him than ever
| could almost have quarreled with my wife,
even on the wedding night, because she treat
ed him with such marked attentions. | de-
termined at any rate that would cure her
liking for him, and was almost maddened to
hear her express the hope that he would not
forget her when she should become settled in
her new home.
A few weeks passed away, and he called at
my house-at my house! And Jane very
coolly informed me of it. hope you had
a pleasant time with the gentleman, said,
dryly. | saw the fire fash in James eyes as
she replied, Mr.. Benton is al,oays pleasant.
There was an emphasis on the word "always'
that offended me. l will not tell more Of
that foolish scene. Enough, that | was thor
oughly discom6tted, and came out of it
hating Benton the more, as was convinced
that he was a better man than myself |
could not bring myself to command my wife
not to see him, without single reason, so
took my satisfaction in behaving like bear,
and making her miserable for week.
Some days had passed away when one
evening party of merry friends came in, and
James bridal array became the subject of
conversation. A lady of the party expressed
a wish to see some article Of ornament belong
ing to the bridal dress. Jane endeavored to
change the conversation. | saw that she was
troubled, but repeated the lady's request.
She replied the article was not at home. |
inquired of her whom she had lent it to. She
replied that she had not lent it; and her lips
trembled, and her cheeks burned as she said
it. The ladies SEW that something was wrong,
and Immediately turned attention from the
subject.
But was aroused. In my excited and
suspicious state Of mind, fancied hundred
things, and somehow they were all associated
with Benton. | determined to ascertain
where that article had gone. First, took
occasion, during my wife's absence from the
house one afternoon to ascertain that there
was not single article of her bridal attire
in the house. | knew that the whole would
make formidable package, which she could
never, or would never, have carried away.
Who did carry it? Somebody, probably.
who belonged in the house. called the
girl whom you met at the door, and asked
whether she carried from the house lately
package or a band-box belonging to Mrs.
Kennedy. She colored deeply, and acknowl-
edged that she had. | inquired as to where
she had carried it. She was very humble,
and deprecated my displeasure, but very
positively declined to tell me. coaxed her,
undertook to bribe her and threatened her,
but all to no purpose. Not ifI we're to cut her
in pieces would she tell me.
My suspicious were thoroughly aroused,
and | believed rom the bottom of my soul
that the detes' able Benton somehow was
connected with he matter. 1t now became
me to put on smooth and afectionate ex.
terror, for had a secret to fathom. re-
ceived Jane, on her return, with the old
fondness, and we passed an evening full Of
misery to me, but overfowing with happi.
ness to her. Where to begin investigations,
| could not tell. l WAS afraid the servant
would tell Jane of our Conversations but,
as she thoroughly loved her mistress, she
promised that if I made no difficulty about
it she would not tell her.
| had no resource now but to watch. The
next day, instead of going to my Office, l
took cigar in the reading room of the
hotel, and seating myself by window that
gave me view of my residence, l kept my
eye on the door. l had sat there perhaps
half an hour, when James most intimate lady
friend (Miss Kate Stephens) went tripping
down the street and entered the house. A
few minutes passed away when she and Jane
emerged; both were bonnetted and cloaked.
| slipped out and followed them at a dis.
tance, through half dozen Streets until at last
they turned in at an open doorway. | marked
the number and then went to my Office. |
was iu fever of excitement. That was evi-
dently no place for ladies to call. That door
opened into blind looking stairway. There
was no name on the door.
The next thing for me to ascertain was the
name and character of the persons occupying
the rooms above. went to my dinner as
usual, and played the careless and happy to
the best of my ability. My wife was in a
gay mood, and seemed almost hatefully
charming and brilliant. l kissed her and
bade her good evening, pleading business as
my excuse for leaving her alone. My steps
almost involuntarly took the direction of the
morning walk. was moving briskly along
when discovered a familiar figure before me-
l knew it was Benton the moment | fixed my
eyes upon it. unconscously took his pace,
keeping at safe distance, and followed
street over street by that same path upon
which had followed my wife. AS we ap-
preached the suspected door l fairly held
my breath. My blood curdled, and every
hair on my head seemed to rise with appre-
henson. | was not mistaken. He mounted
the steps, and turning on his heel, coolly
paused to pick his teeth as ground mine to-
gether and passed by.
could not yet bring myself to the humili.
alton of douLting my wife's truth to me. The
fact that her friend accompanied her certain
ly did not tend to this conclusion; but the