Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-06-07

Office hours. His face wasa good deal shad-
owed by the wide brim of his hat, the sun
had gone down, and the moon was rising
through an evening mist which much OBJ
scured it's brightness. 1t was indeed some
thing later than dusk when rJasper thrust
his boat under the shadow of an overEang-
ing willow, made it fast there, and landed.
He waited, listening, then he advanced eau
tiOusly over a moist and rather clayey lawn,
into which his feet sank an inch or two. He
was approaching a picturesque, ivy clad
house, raised upon terrace, with French
windows and veranda.
Hestopped suddenly, for he perceived in
front of him the figure of a man. Sir JAS
per crouched behind a thicket of rose bushes.
| He dabbed his moist forehead with his hand
kerchief; his heart beat noisily; he clenched
his teeth and closed his fist. He was anX-
ious, suspicious, angry. "rhere is another,
then, )" he whispered to himself, and he con-
tinued to watch the man in front of him.
But the mist was thickening, and it was be-
coming difficult to see things that were only
few feet distant. Cautiously Sir Jasper
crept from behind the thicket of rOsebushes
and drew nearer to the terrace. The man
had quietly mounted the steps and was
standing by the verandah. Sir Jasper peer
ed at him through the balustrades of the
terrace. "Is the man the reason why am
forbidden to approach herr" he asked him
SELF Then he added presently "No, this
man is not lover; he is thief"
The man had been trying the windows
one by one. All were closed. Then he
drew knife from his pocket, and tried, by
inserting itbeneath the locks Of the windows
to lift the latch that held them fast within.
In moment Sir Jasper's strong hands
clutched his throat and held him as in a wise:
The man uttered scream like a wounded
hare. Not that he was much hurt, but he
was extremely frightened.
| "Don't kill me-" he cried, in a weak,
scared voice.
"Villain, what are you doing here? You
would rob the house! Hush no noise!
The man was Godfrey Wenham. a mo-
ment, and he had recovered himself. He
shook himself free.
Glands off," he said. "You mistake me.
l am no thief. Are you one: 1t looks like
| it.n
"You were trying to force these windows. "
II am not answerable to you for what L
did or tried to do"
"You are a trespasser."
"And what are you: What is your right
| to be here? Take care what you do. Stand
away from me-" .,
"At any rate, l will know who you are"
"You shall knOw>yhat l choose to tell
you-no more no less. Take care, say
again. am armed, and I'll fire upon you,
AS he spoke he drew pistol from his
breast and pointed it toward Sir Jasper.
"It is my turn now," said Godfrey Wen
ham. "Who and what are you? Why are
you here? Areyou Mrs. Bertram's lover:"
AS he spoke his pistol was suddenly thrust
aside. Sir Jaspers hands were upon his
throat again, and he found himself shaken
like mouse in the jaws of cat.
"Villain, tell me who you are, or I'll
wiring the life out of YOU"
"If you must know, I am Mrs Bertram's
husband" he gasped.
"Liar" cried Sir Jasper, and he flung
the man away from him and could hear his
body crash against the balustrade OF the
terrace, but he could scarcely see him, the
mist from the river was now so dense.
then came the flash and the report of a pistol.
Sir Jasper felt himself hit, or, at least,
sharply grazed by bullet. There was
burning Sensation in his shoulder, and he
could feel the blood lightly trickling down.
Godfrey Wenham had 1eaped or fallen
from the terrace. His footsteps could be
heard moving about the dew-sOdden lawn.
But he seemed to move as though uncer-
tain of his path, now turning this way now
that. The moon was now wholly hidden.
The mist was so thick that even the river
was invisible. Suddenly splashing noise
was heard.
"God help the man. he must have fall
len into the river" said Sir Jasper.
One of the French windows was opened,
and Mrs. Bertram, bearing lamp, appear
aI 10 thprl
of absolute terror upon her face. "What
has happened? Is it you Jasper:--and
wounded 2" she screamed, for the blood had
run down his sleeve and was crimsoning
his hand.
"It is a scratch only" he explained.
'sThe scoundrel's bullet just grazed my
shoulder. My poor Gertrude, l am afraid
all this has alarmed you terribly and you
know my darling, you look very ILL.,"
"Jasper, have suffered SO much," she
said and then she gave way, burst into
tears, and hid her face in his bosom.
He kissed and carcssed her tenderly.
Presently she started and shuddered:
"This must not be-" she cried. "But you
shall know all, Jasper. l ought to have
told all long ago. Indeed, always meant
to tell you all before I allowed myself to
call you husband. But it was a painful
story to tell. Do not blame me that tried
to keep it from you as long as could"
"Let us not speak ofthis now. You have
gone through SO much. You look worn out
with fright and fatigue. But one word
only. That william declared himself your
husband"
"It was the truth, Jasper"
"My poor Gertrude!"
Then she told him all. Her story did
not quench his love for her in the slightest
degree; indeed, perhaps, he now loved her
more than ever. His sorrow and pity for
her came to increase the sum of his affec-
ton. He left her at last, and returned to
the Anglers Retreat on the road; the river
was unsafe because of the mist. The SER
wants had been reused and measures taken
to meet the unlikely event of the return of
Godfrey Wenham to effect an unlawful en-
try into the house. The police were inform
ed that an attempt at burglary had been
made at Mrs. Bertram's house by the river.
Lastly, Sir rJaspersought the help of asurgeon
and had his wounds dressed. 1t was not
serious the surgeon pronounced, but, as Sir
Jasper declared, it was certainly unpleasant.
Presently an inquest was held upon the
body of man found in the Thames, en-