Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-06-10
The Sturp Teller,
TRYING HER POWER.
81 can hold him against the world ~

81 hold him against the world!'
The speaker was tall girl with a dark
face from which eyes full of witchery look
ed out. She had lips which were now
slightly compressed, as she finished the SEN
tence.
81 would not be so sure, if were you,"
was the response from the other person,
who stood on the path which led to the
road from the country house behind them.
The two girls had strolled down the walk
in the crisp winter sunlight, and they look
ed as unlike as two people could we'll be.
Julia Stallo turned her head with quick
imperious movement, as she exclaimed
"Why would you not feel sure, since l
am sure? Do you think would give my
promise to man who did not adore me?''
sBut men may adore at one moment and
be Indifferent the next" returned Miss
Branch, stopping to twist more closely
about her head the blue fluffy mass of wool
which protected her from the cold.
"The man whom love will not do so, "
was the quick reply.
Miss Branch who was four or five years
older than the magnificent brunette beside
her, looked at her curiously, in silence,
for time.
Miss Branch was small. One at first
would have said she was very plain, but
one might discover that her face possessed
a wonderful power of expression; there
might be concentrated spark in her eyes
that would possess force in whatever way
she chose.
After pause, she said, quietly:
81 would imagine it would be easy for a
man to be faithful to creature like you.
Is Mr.. North coming to-day?"
"Yes."
II think you make great mistake in
loving any man so much. All! what is
that?'
The exclamation was caused by the sound
of something rushing through the shrub
berry of evergreens at the right of where
the two girls were standing.
Julia Stallo shrieked little, and shrank
to one side, and at the same moment, a huge,
dark-colored dog dashed out from the cedar
hedge. His head was down, his mouth
scattered foam, his eyes emitted sparks.
While Julia, who had sprung away, had
gone directly in the path of the infuriated
animal, Miss Branch, who had remained
where she had been standing, was several
yards from him.
The brute was going on with that unsWerv-
ing leap which is so terrible to see, and he
had passed Miss Branch, who had not NOV
ed, toward Julia Stallo, who seemed petri-
fed with terror in the spot where she stood.
''For Gods sake, jump out of the way ~
cried Miss Branch, shrilly. "He will not
turn !"
If fJulia heard her, she gave no sign; she
was incapable of moving.
Miss Branch could not stand quietly.
There was dash of physical courage in
her which enabled her to spring forward,
slipping off the crimson shawl from her
shoulders as she did so and then Haunting
it full in the face of the wild eyed animal,
who moved one side and wavered in con-
fusion, while Julia Stallo sank down to the
ground in heap, and her white face was
like the face Of the dead, save for the pro-
truding eyes of horror.
The dog, bafled for the moment, and un-
certain, now turned toward Miss Branch.
Useless for her to try to run, she clasped
her hands and stood still.
Only for breath of time, however. The
sound of a footstep on the frozen gravel it
might have been heard by the girls, if they
could have heard anything.
The footstep was that of some one run.
ming furiously. The figure of a man ap'
peared. He had a,pstol in his hand, and
though there was terrible fear in his mind
that he might not aim correctly, he could
not hesitate.
The flash, the report of the pistol, and the
dog rolled over on his side, with moan,
his teeth set fast in the skirt of Miss Branch's
dress.
1t was to Julia Stallo's side that the man
sprang, hardly glancing at Miss Branch,
who coolly drew penknife from her pocket,
and, STOPPING, carefully cut her dress away
from the grip of the dying dogs teeth.
'That, suppose, is Mr.. North," she said
to herself, looking at him attentively, as he
bent on one knee over Julia, whose senses
had come back to her sufficiently to enable
her to recognize her lover. eyes, evident,
ly he loves her. wish she had not been SO
sure of him. It is such temptation to
prove her words false"
This was what the quiet-looking girl was
thinking, as she again wrapped her shawl
about her and walked slowly down the
path.
In few moments she heard her name
called, and pausing and looking back, she
saw the two coming toward her.
When they were little nearer the man
hurried forward, and, raising his hat, said
in tone which was not quite steady:
81 do not know what you will think OF
us. I confess 1 was, for the moment, capa.
BILE of thinking only of Miss Stallo. You
will forget that, know. cannot tell you
how grateful am to you?"
"Indeed! Why?" asked Miss Branch.
Although her words were abrupt, the
voice in which she spoke them was far from
being so. There was silky softness in il
that Julia Stallo had never heard before
and which made her look quickly at the
girl who had spoken them, while pain
that was almost like knife thrust, sudden
ly went through her heart.
Miss Branch had only glanced at Mr.
North as she had replied, and he had not
given any thought to her, so profoundly was
he absorbed in the danger which had SC
recently threatened the woman he loved.
When the two turned away again Miss
Branch turned into another path and walk
ed rapidly toward the house.
There was q flush on her cheek and a
sparkle in her eyes, that gave her an aspect
altogether different from that which she
bod xyorn N honr hpf0ra