Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-09-08
CHAPTER XVIII.

It seemed so weak to say to her, as did:
II thank YOU for what you have done for ME
tonight" added Immediately: DO you
believe inc Guiltys"
~ do not know"
81 am not. Pratt's wounds were both ac-
cidental and self-inficted, one by bullet
from his own pistol, the other by fall. ;"
1t was hard thing to say. AS the words
were spoken realized more clearly than ever
how improbable they must sound to others.
She was silent
You do not believe mef' said
EYES, no,0 do"
"Why nowt"
II don't know Perhaps it is because for
the last few months I have been so much
among deceit and lies that my mind became
trained to Lelieve anything"
'You do not seem like the Blanche Seton
of ten months ago"
"You mean, perhaps, the Blanche you knew
then, or rather US much as you knew of her, "
she replied
II don't understand YOU"
~ don't understand myself. wish did.
You thought me perfection then, did you
not?' she asked.
II thought you very near it; yes, and dc
now," answered.
"Well, l am not. I'm glad I've found ii
out. find can make great mistakes and
do very foolish things. Perhaps Two done
one lately"
How asked.
"ln lei ewing all heard OF you, in add
ton 10 what saw"
ttSo,v2 Whit did Won Spa3'
'My first sight Of you in California was in
Chinese Camp yonder, waltzing in a danes
house, your arm around the waist OF Mexi-
can girl"
Heavens and earth! The fandango hall
was open to the street-it might almost have
been in it so far as privacy was concerned
and this was the manner in which had
been put Oh free exhibition to Blanche while
on her way that evening from the hotel to
the Chinese Camp "opera house"
And for that reason you did not recognize
me in the box at the theatrer'
at is not my business on the stage to rec
ognize any one in the audience. People do
not pay their money to see an actress nod and
smile at her friends
How did you hear Of the charge against
me" l asked
1T was the talk at the hotel table, in that
camp where we played. There first learned
of my uncle'S whereabouts and his condition" !"
What did they say of meF
I'm substance, that your life and actions
were suspicious; that you 'loafel' a good
deal, as they expressed it, always had plenty
of money. and that no one knew how You
came by it, think, however, should not
have judge you SO quickly as 1 did had l
not seen You in the dance house"
"Why did that so set YOU against me"
"Thats a strange question for you to ask.
Perhaps it was because of jealousy-perhaps
contempt" sh, replied.
l was silent. She con inued: "Never mind
that now. My fault is the greater. want
to see it all, and You must help me. Did not
my manner toward you at the store tho
other day excite more prejudice than ever
against You among the miners!"
II think it did"
81 thought So" said she ~ began to see
and feel it very soon. Well it shows
womans power for good or ill--in this case
for ill-an,l men call us the weaker sex.
What caused the quarrel between you and
my uncle!'
"He intruled himself on ground belonging
to me and Bro,ncr."
81 gather from my uncles rambling, de-
lriou' talk that he imagines the ground in
question no. to be yours legally. Is that soH'
1T is"
"Then why did you oppose himT'
because thought the circumstances JUS
tificd it. 1t is ground for which no legal
provision is yet made for holdings"
"Then how can you hold it'll"
'Only by the unwritten law Of this land
at present-the law of might"
"The same law by which your recently dis
missed friends from yonder hollow acted"
was her answer.
You would make good lawyer" said.
81 think should. But have you not placed
yourself in all awkward position"
"Yes, either have or fate has for me-"
"What do you think my fault has been in
this matter:" she asked.
II don't know that there is any. think,
had you known the temper of Bull Bar, you
would not unconsciously have brought the
prejudice against me to the boiling point by
cutting ME as you did at the store. before so
many people. That, on your part, was caused
by ignorance I think, though, that you
might first have sought ME out and heard
my story before judging me-" said
II should have done so. 1t was great
mistake ANY mOre" she asked