Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-10-09
The STORY Teller.
THE FASCINATING WIDOW.
A TRAGEDY IN A LUMBER CAMP.
ct will kill YOU, Horace Bates !"

Thew WeZe Oscar FOrtlne ana dor'
ace Bates, the former booking clerk
for the big lumber firm of Wolverton
& Savers. Bates was the foreman OF
the shanties, and ranked Fortine, al
though the latter was by far the more
intelligent man of the two.
The two men had quarreled, osten.
sibly over the discharge of friend OF
the bookkeeper's, but really, as every
body in camp knew, over pretty
widow, whose presence had graced
Sayers's camp during the last week.
Fortunes face was bleeding. He
had been knocked down by the FORE
man, and, realizing that he was no
physical match for the burly Bates, he
had swallowed his anger for the time,
giving expression, however, to his feel
ings in the words opening this nara
tive.
Six days later the slender book
keeper was avenged.
The body of Horace Bates was found
in the edge of the woods with bullet
Lin his brain. Murder had been done,
and suspicion, amounting almost to
conviction, was fixed upon oscar
Fortine.
The bookkeeper was away at the
time the crime was discovered. Hugh
Warden, a friend of Bates, took charge
of the camp and ordered everything
necessary to be done. Warden was a
tall, dark-browed man of unsocial
disposition, not at all liked by the
logging crew.
It seemed natural enough, however,
for him to take charge of the camp,
since he was a distant relative of the
senior member of the firm, and man
of considerable business ability.
"Where is Oscar ?" questioned the
new foreman of Grace Millen, the
pretty widow heretofore mentioned.
"I'm sure do not know" she re-
piled, with wonder-open blue eyes.
II think you do," retorted Warden,
rudely. "He was last seen with you.
Has he run away to escape arrest ?"
The black eyes of Warden searched
the face of Mrs. Millen earnestly.
That he suspected more than his words
implied was evident. Her face, grew
pale, and for one brief instant she
seemed embarrassed.
"Why should he fear arrest?" she
asked, family.
because of the murder of Hod
Bates"
A sudden dash of color futtered to
the cheeks of the widow.
"Was he murdered, Hugh ?' she
asked, with assumed calmness.
ayes there can be no doubt of that.
Fortine was with you late last evening.
You need not deny it; I saw the little
tableau by the brook, madam
"stop, Hugh, stop!" she interrupted,
with fierce, angry gesture.
"It is useless for you to attempt to
shield him, madam" Warden went on,
in a low, tense voice. ~ have not
been blind; I have seen it all, and 1
tell you he shall hang. You have been
imprudent the man is a villain. You
must have no more to do with him
his doom is sealed. Tell me where
this lover of yours is, Grace Millen."
He seized her plump arm and held
it so closely that she screamed with
the pain. Her blue eyes took a fierce
defiance into their depths on the in.
slant, however, and she jerked free
from his clutch with low, angry cry.
II will tell you nothing, sir, moth
ing. Oscar is not guilty of this crime.
I warn you not to appear against him .
I shall hate you if you do"
But Hugh Warden was not to be
moved Ly a woman's threats or wo-
mans tears on an occasion like the
present. He quilted her presence,
and set about looking up evidence
against the murderer. But little was
found, however. Nevertheless, the
new foreman felt justified in procur-
ing the arrest of Fortine.
He went to the nearest town, swore
out warrant. and put it into the
hands of az officer. This was week
after the death and burial Of the late
shanty foreman. Fortine was found
at a dance, in company with Grace
Millen.
When placed under arrest he laugh
ed, as if amused.
"You will find this serious affair,
Oscar" said Warden, grimly.
"But was the foreman actually muir
dered? I thought he shot himself"
said Fortine. ~ rather guess this
spite work of yours will fall on your
own head in the end, Hugh Warden" !"
The look that Fortunes fair friend
gave the foreman rather stirred him.
There was something vindictive in it,,
even though her red lips laughed in
unison with her lover.
"You are playing desperate game,
Warden" whispered she in the fore
mans ear. "Why do you hate Oscar
so? You shall live to regret it."
At the examination of Oscar Fortine
for the murder of his foreman several
witnesses testified to the quarrel be-
tween the accused and Horace Bates.
1t was wellknown among the men that
the accused was insanely Jealous of