The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-06
Xxx NEW SERIES.


crossed the room and stood before her
From bantering his manner changed TO
eager savage earnest.
Grace Garland, he said, "you are
IN my power; body and soul you are
mlnel Do you agree to that.
Il agree to nothing" was the half
audible response, until know what
| you mean to do"
| me-"
"When?"
Tonight"
"Where?"
ITO such place rs see fit to carry
you"
.! refuse to SO with your
You refusep,
"Yos, 1 refuse. You arc free to do
your worst"
Eye to eye, tho unequal combatants
were measuring their strength
Myeworst is to tell tho man you love.
Vas ~ s'f,sduurn- ukt,, uuJ Ine snaft
struck home. For moment she
wavercd, but in the next she mastered
herself sufficiently to retort:
Tell him what you please. had
rather be despised even by him than by
myself"
Iou uCty mo then
"1f my wish TO preserve my self
respect is defiance, I defy you."
Maddened, yet fascinated, by her self
command, Boydcn cried:
is 1t to be war between ms? Have
caro- how you answer mol"
1T must be war;" Oracle said steadi-
ly, since there can be NO nencn."
He took step nearer her as
brenthcd:
What if I were t" tell you that I
loved your" :.
II should not believe yuu."
But il ! promised yon marriage?"
Tho very thought is.nn insultT
Hc drew back, white with rage.
SO DO i'll" hc hissc,l; II give you
twcnty-four hours To reconsider what
you have snid. IL mt the expiration of
That time you do not agree to my terms,
shall lodge yom in the Tumbs for the
murder Of Orrin CliIliurd!"
lie wont to tho door. and laid his
hand upon the knob
Bear i'll mind" ho said. that il you
attempt to escape, you will all the
a'oncr fall into my hanlsl"
And with these words Ia. lett the
loom and The hous,.
While this scene between vcp,ur. uud
dare was in progress, Mrs. Arnim hml
returned unexpectedly, and had let her
self into the house with II latch .koy.
without attracting the attention of tho
pair in the studio.
Hearing their voices, sl,s faucie,l
that Rupert must have returned during
her absence. SO she went to- the kitchen
to attend to certain matters before re.
tiring. The sharp closing of the street
door soon caught her listening car, and
upon going into the hall To ascrrtutu
the cnusu, wnTc w,rs ngr Rnfprfse 60 ffnSiS
the passage deserted, which was at
nnce n:a;,:tc.;! by ;;eans o! Hrightly
burning gas.
With some curiosity she = wopen
the door of tho studio aud Iouked in.
Tho lamp shed its soft radiance every
where, Gracio's work lay on the chair
whcrosllc Ind left it, but the room, like
thu hall, was tenant!ess.
Strange" murmured the good
woman, pausing unon the threshold,
"it is rather late for them to go to
walk"
Scarcely were tho words of her lips
when key grated in tho latch, the
door swung open. and her son stood
before hcr. He did not greet her rs
was his wont. but came i'm, closed the
door and double locked it. SO quick
were his movements that she failed to
note how blanchcd was his face, how.
diluted werc his eyes.
"Ruperti" she exclaimed in surprise,
what have you done with Grac;op"
Nothing, mother" came the low re-
sponse.
did she not go ont with your"
"No."
"Why, where is the child?"
He was hanging mp his coat and hat,
and 30 managed tn keep his face
averted.
"She is probably in her room, {" he
said, presently; "will you be good
enough to step up and scc, and if she
is there ask her to come down to mo for
moment before she retires."
He passed OH into tho studio. and
Mrs. Arnim dutifully mounted tho
stairs and raped ut Gracie's door.
"Gracie, are you there2" called the
good woman.
"Yes, Mrs. Arnim," oame the low,
sweet voice.
Have You retired?"
"Not yet"
Arc you still dressed?"
"Yes."
"Will You come down to the studio
Rupert wants to SEQ YOU"
For answer, the door opened, aud
Oracle came forth upon the landing.
There was no light mp there on the
second floor, or Mrs. Arnim would
have been terrified ut the change that
had taken place in the girl, for, rs she
slowly descended the stairs, laying fast
hold of the rail, and met the radiance
of the gas in the lower hall, she showed
face SO wan, 80 haggard and petrifed
with suffering. rs to bc scarcely recog-
nizable.
Upon reaching the foot of the stairs,
she crossed the hall and entered the
studio, pausing just within the open
door, In the attitude of criminal
awaiting sentence.
Rupert Arnim stood before the fire.
| place with his arms tightly folded upon
| his breast. He was as pnllid ns She