Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-03-04
imperil them by countenancing your wild


'sDo you deny" he asked, after mo-
mentary pause, 'that you received letter
| from a person in New York, informing you
that she knew of the existence of this child,
at the time that she was living with some
people named Jones, who pretended that
they were her parents, but who had really
taken her from dying vagrant in an aims
house, and who kept her for two years, until
the man was arrested for burglary and sent
to jail?" :. .,o.:oou. uon,;od
Magdalen. 81 never received such letter
as you describe"
"Upon your honor:"
"Upon my honor"
"Then I have been misinfOrmed. At
any rate, you will acknowledge having had
an interview with Sophy Merton, during
my absence from home" -.
"She was here once Whileyou were away"
'And you had conversation together"
Eyes, we had"
"In regard to Dolly"
"Partly in regard to her. What of it?"
"This much, that you found her to be also
acquainted with some of the very facts L
have mentioned; but that you, instead of
confirming them, assured her she was en-
tirely mistaken, and sent her away under
the impression that there was no founda-
tion for the reports she had heard"
Magdalen was silent for moment.
"It appears to me-" she said then, "that
there was eavesdropping going on of which
I was not aware. Am l watched and spied
upon in my own house 2"
''There was no eavesdrOpping, Magdalen; ;
but after Sophy Merton left you, she saw
Mrs. Fairfax, and had talk with her."
Magdalen made an impatient movement.
81 s. oil frOr,, haC nIr1Cr RI nY16
Frederick. / wonder you can be so easily
duped. Here is a mystery made about
nothing. AS I said before, you have no
proofs of Dolly being Mrs. Fairfax's child,
but you let all these people impose upon
you, and persuade you into believing what
they wish"
"Will you show me the letter you receiv-
ed, Magdalen ?'
lido not even know what letter you re-
fer to. l have received numerous letters
in the last fortnight"
every we'll, said Burton, rising. had,
of course, no idea of meeting with such de-
termined opposition on your part. lam bit
terly grieved and disappointed at the course
YOU have chosen to pursue, but I shall try
and accomplish my object withoutyour aid,
since that is denied me-"
He arose and left the room.
That night was crisis in Dolly's illness.
All the family were assembled in her room,
and the stiffness of death reigned in the
house. Magdalen had stolen in unperceiv-
ed and taken her station in far corner of
the room. 1t had been whispered outside
among the servants that the child was dy-
ing, and hearing the whisper, she had found
it impossible, after wandering restlessly
about for awhile to avoid going in.
The child lay quiet, breathing peacefully.
The blinds were partly open and the moon
light shone into the room. Its pure, cold
and soothed its tumult. After all, what
was she fighting and striving for? She
leaned her head wearily upon her hand and
mused. "They were all against her." she
said to herself. They would surely win the
battle in the end. What was the use of
her keeping up the unequal contest? And
then if Dolly should die!
A low moan came from the little sufferer.
There was an uneasy movement among the
watchers around the bed, and Mrs. Fairfax
laid her cheek down on the pillow, close to
the child. Magdalen rose unperceived and
slipped, as noiselessly as she had entered,
stay.
An hour later, Burton joined her in the
library, where she had taken refuge. She
looked up at him quickly.
"She is BETTER" he said, regarding her
gravely. 81 think the danger is past"
Magdalen burst into tears, and drawing
an envelope from her pocket, she laid it on
her husbands knee.
"Here is the letter." she said, half in
audibly.
"Magdalen !-and you denied getting it !"
'It is not what you described it to be.
What said was only partly untrue. But l
don't want to make any confessions, nor ask
any forgiveness. l have just changed my
mind, that is all-and am glad that Dolly
is going to get WE'LL" She conquered her
involuntary weakness and turned proudly
away.
Burton took the letter to the light and
read it eagerly. 1t was what he had waited
and sought for in vain-the connecting link
in the imperfect chain-the proof so anX-
iously desired of Dolly's identity, which it
established beyond a doubt. After reading
it over until he was quite convinced of the
completeness of its testimony, he put it care
fully away and went to his wife's side.
"Magdalen-1 want to say word to you.
Don't keep aloof from me now; let this
coldness be ended. am willing to cancel
the past"
She looked at him curiously.
"Frederick, l cannot understand you:
Have you no regret for whatyou have lOst?"
"You mean Dolly ?" he asked.
"No-I mean what would have been
yours if Dolly had continued your child in
stead of Mrs. Fairfax's."
"You mean the money. And you would
have sacrificed truth, principle, friendship,
for that! Poor child, you have escaped
from the commission of crime-you came
near yielding to a terrible temptation;, 1
shudder to think how near the edge of TIE
ohycc Won have hpnn frna1ipp RDt if is
over now, and you are saved"
EYES," she said dreamiy, 81 suppose it
is better So"
At the same instant film came over her
eyes. She pressed her hand to her heart,
reeled and fell. Burton carried her to
sofa, supposng she had tainted; but it was
a faint from which she did not recover, and
within an hour she had breathed her last.
1t was heart disease, the physicians said.
Some three years later gentleman, lady
and little girl embarked in a steamer for
Liverpool. These were Frederick Burton,
his wife (formerly his cousin Emily and
Hilda Fairfax, her only child. Mr.. Burton
had received a foreign appointment, and
they left home with the intention of max
ing Europe their place of abode for some
years to come.
Not long before they sailed, an odd look
ing old woman had called at their house
and requested an interview with ''the mas
ter" This proved to be none other than
Mrs. Jones, through whose agency Dolly
had been restored to Burton when in New
York. She came to ask for pecuniary aid,
'.just to give her lift" she said, ''as times
were so hard"
"And do you think you deserve to have
me give you lift?" asked Burton. You
may consider yourself very fortunate in not