Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-01


quamagon the next day, and 1 would
not 60 until I had seen him. There had
been a misunderstanding. got the SUIT
tons to drive me out while mother sup
posed me at the Laurents', and Mr.. Jer-
rold promised to meet me east Of the
bridge and drive in town with US, and
I was to send him back in Graves
buggy.
"He had been refused permission 10
leave the post, he said, and could not
cross the bridge, where the sentries
would be sure to recognize him, but as
it was our last chance of meeting he
risked the discovery of his absence, new
er dreaming Of such thing as his pri-
vate rooms being inspected. He had a
little skiff down in the willows that he
had used before, and by leaving the
party at midnight he could get home,
change his dress, run down the bank
and row down stream to the point, there
leave his skiff and climb up to the road.
He met us there at l o'clock, and the
Suttons would never betray either of us,
though they did not know we were en-
gagged. We sat in their parlor quarter
Of an hour after we got to town, and
then twas time to 60, and there was
only little 10 minutes walk down to
the stable. had seen him such very
short time, and I had SO much to tell
him." Chester could have burst into
rapturous applause had she been an ac-
tress. Her cheeks were ahame, her
eyes full of fire and spirit, her bosom
heaving, her little foot tapping the
ground, as she stood there leaning on
the colonel's fence and looking straight
up in the perturbed veterans face. She
was magnificent he said to himself,
and in her bravery, self sacrifice and in
dignation she was. ''It was then after
2, and I could just as we'll 60 with him
somebody had to bring the buggy back
and Graves himself hitched in his
roam mare for me, and I drove out,
picked up Mr.. Jerrold at the corner,
and we came out here again through
the darkness together. Even when we
got to the point I did not let him 60 at
once. 1t was over an hours drive. 1t
was fully half past before we parted
He sprang down the path to reach the
riverside, and before he was fairly in
his boat and pulling up against the
stream I heard, far over here some
where, those two faint shots. That was
the shooting he spoke Of in his letter to
me, not to her, and what business Colo
mel Maynard had to read and exhibit
to his officers letter never intended for
him I cannot understand. Mr.. Jerrold
says it was not what he wanted it to be
at all, as he wrote hastily. so he wrote
another and sent that to me by Merrick
that morning after his absence was dis
covered. 1t probably blew out Of the
window, as these other things did this
morning. See for yourself, captain. "
And she pointed to the two or three
bills and scraps that had evidently only
recently futtered in among the now
neglected roses.
"Then when he was aroused at re.
veille and you threatened him with
punishment and held over his head the
startling accusation that you knew Of
our meeting and our secret he was nat
urally infinitely distressed and could
only write to warn me, and he managed
to get in and say goodby to me at the
station. As for me, was back home by
8 O'Clock, let myself noiselessly up to
my room, and no one knew it but the
Suttons and old Graves neither OF
whom would betray me. had no fear
of the long dark road. I had ridden and
driven as child all over these bluffs
and prairies before there was any town
worth mentioning and in days when
my father and I found only friends-not
enemies-here at Sibley."
"Miss Beaubien, let me protest
against your accusation. It is not for
me to reprove your grave imprudence
or recklessness, nor have the right to
disapprove your choice Of Mr.. Jerrold.
Let me say at once that you have none
but friends here, and if it ever should
be known to what lengths you went to
save him it will only make him more
envied and you more genuinely admired.
question your wisdom; but, upon my
soul, I admire your bravery and spirit.
You have cleared him Of terrible
charge"
A most disdainful and impatient
shrug of her shapely shoulders was Miss
Beaubien's s only answer to that allusion.
The possibility Of Mr.. Jerrold's being
suspected of another ENHANCEMENT was
something she would not tolerate.
"I know nothing of other peoples af-
fairs. simply speak Of my own. Let
us end this as quickly as possible, cap
tain. Now about Saturday night.
Mother had consented to our coming
back for the german-s enjoys seeing
me lead, it seems-and she decided to
pay q short visit to relations at st.
Croix, staying there Saturday night and
over Sunday. This would give US a
chance to meet again, as he could spend
the evening in st. Croix and return by
late train, and I wrote and asked him.
He came. We had a long talk IN the
summer house in the garden, for mother
never dreamed of his being there, and
unluckily he just missed the night train
and did not get back until inspection.
1t was impossible for him to have been
at Sablon, and he can furnish other
proof, but would do nothing until he
had seen me"
"Miss Beaubien, you have cleared
him. I only wish that you could clear
every one"
81 am in nowise concerned in that
other matter to which you have allud-
ed; neither is Mr.. Jerrold. May say