The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-13
CHAPTER Y.
TIE SECRET OF THE OLD BUILDING.

Meanwhile poor little Oracle Gar
land, fairly launched upon the world,
total stranger in great city, alone and
pennilcss in the night, hurried away
from the only shelter she might claim,
rs though her immortal soul depended
upon the haste she made.
Naturally she chose the most bril-
lIantly lighted thoroughfare, instinct
ivel Y seeking protection in her forlorn
Hight. 1t was not yet late, and tho
street was well fiiIcd with people pass
ing to and fro, none of whom needed
her in the slightest degree. Therefore,
she trudged on, buried in her own bit
ter thoughts until she found herself
surrounded by the flare and clatter Of
Third avenue.
Here II group of showily dressed, i'll
bred men accosted her, hut she bent
her head, and hurried on, crossing the
avenue, aud following the street rs it
leads to the river.
Presently the lights began to twinkle
farther apart, the houses dropped off,
amd were succeeded by large fenced in
closures for storing lumber; even the
lin" of cross-town horse cars ceased,
and ut last the river; its broad bosom
dimpling darkly, and rejecting here
and there an occasional light, which
served but to ucccntuate it's gloom,
spread out leCorc her.
She walked to the edge of the pier,
and in sheer exhaustion leaned upon
one of the massive spiIcs.
Beneath her she could hear the water,
swollen by the risen tide, tapping and
sucking in and out with restful, mystic
sound. She listened, and looked of
over the swiftly flowing plain to where,
across the star-lit night sky, fragments
of black clouds driftcd before the wind.
Two great tears wcllcl from tho
depths of her beautiful eyes and fell
upon her beautiful hands.
ooh, why should | not die and end
all herc?" she murmurcd, coming to a
realizing sense of her surroundings
with II start; "who cares for me now,
and what have to live for?"
And the stars twinkled at her with
kindly eyes, and the refreshing wind
pufted in her fcvcrisi face, raising the
soft brown hair upon her brow with
friendly touch.
mo, no! don't look at me so; don't
carcSs me- she cried, addressing the
stars and the wind in a wandering way
"you only mock me! Show me where
I can lay my head in safety tonight
and / will believe yoi."
Then her eyes sank to tho mnrIing
river, and its gurgling voice seemed to
say:
"Hcrc is rcst!"
If she had been found next morning
floating dead uron those peaceful
waves the newspapers would have said
that she had, in all probability, com
mttcd suicide in moment of mental
alteration. And if they had said SO
they would have spoken truly, since,
for the time being, the poor, distracted
child had taken leave of her senses.
1T is safe to- say that within two
minutes there would have been q
splash in the river, and another soul
launched upon that unknown shore
whence there is no returning; such
would have been the case hut for the
unexpected interference of fate.
With her eyes fixed upon heaven
her hands clasped, a~last. desperate pc
tition for mercy trembling upon hel
lips, Oracle was about to take TIN,
plunge, when presto! darkness en-
vclopcd her, some sitting material en-
wrapped her in its tolds, and while
She felt herself raised i'm strong arms
she heard an excited voice pant:
I've got her! Quick, lend me {
hand"
Then there was scurrying of feet
the rattle of oars being quickly manned
the sensation of being carefully laid
in the bottom of n boat, and then
total oblivion.
When ut last she recovered her con
| SciOusncSS she discovered that th.
sitting material that had bcrcft her o
her breath had been removed and la>
in soft folds about her: that the stars
still blinkcd above her the fresh wind
famed her face. while upon either side
of the river the lights of the two cities
were flashing past as the boat drifted
down upon the ebbing tide.
More than all this, she noticed the
dark figure Of II man resting upon his
oars at her feet, while she vas con.
scious that his companion sat i'm the
stern at her head. AS they were speak.
ing, she held herself as quiet as n
mouse, and bent every energy to di
vine what fresh doom was in store fol
hcr.
"Wcll. what are YOU going to dc
! about it," growlcd the fellow at tn,
I oars.
burned if know !" was the response
from the stern.
"Its vour own fault. You've made q
b"astlv mistake and deviljsh fool OF
voursclfp