Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-07-31

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the other. You shall be my Harmon.
Henceforth, Harold Westcott is dead"
Ah, if she had understood the real
significance of her words!
II am glad to hear you say that. I
was afraid that you had become so ac-
customed to the old name that you
would find it hard to drop it,
She was thoughtful for a moment
II remember now that you always
signed your letters with your initials
only, and I have never known you to
use your first name"
ut may have been fad Of mine, but
others do the same, and, I added, urged
on by yearning I could not resist,
"you have not noticed anything differ
ent in me? I mean since before you
went abroad and after you returned
home so unexpectedly2'
"You know there was slight change
caused by your hurt But that is all
gone" she replied. with winsome ten
derness.
"And none since then?"
"Yes I have noted change-a
marked one too. "
"You have? Tell me what it is, I
insisted, with tremor Of dread.
81 thought when on the ocean that no
one could be kinder, more affectionate,
more chivalrous than my own Harmon
(she did not slip at the name), but after
you came to me, when you had fully re-
covered from your hurt, saw my mis-
take"
II am not quite sure I understand
you"
"Why, you were kinder, more affec-
tionate and more chivalrous than you
had been before. Do you understand
that, Mr.. Westcott?"
Was ever tribute more gracefully
made? The only reply I could offer to
the thrilling words was to draw her
again to me and kiss her.
During these delightful weeks and
months of my wooing one question was
ever present with me-should ! insist
upon telling the truth to my betrothed:
It has ever been cherished principle
of mine that perfect union makes it
impossible for either the husband or
wife to have a secret from the other.
Could I go through life without letting
her know the strange mystery in which
I had become involved without any
fault of my own?
I trust that I have told the reader
| a.1~-L &o oor-,roo hi,,, f1of on, an
honorable man, who would not be de-
tered from duty by any selfish though
! of the consequences. 1t was not that
which held my lips mute-that is, so far
as such consequences could affect me. 1t
was my love for Jeanette.
Suppose should succeed in convinc-
ing her Of the truth-and surely it was
in my power to do so-how would it af-
feet her?
She had been wooed and won by one
man, while a second stepped into his
shoes without any suspicion on her part
What though the first had proved him
self an unconscionable scoundrel? Would
not her affections wander back to him?
Could she transfer her love to me when
she learned my true personality?
Had Harold WStcott remained alive
there would have been no hesitation as
to my course. would have written her
letter explaining everything and in
closing his brazen avowal as proof upon
proof She then could have doubted no
longer.
Iwould not be the coward to intrude
upon her in her strange grief. Perhaps
the time would come when the way was
opened for me. But why dwell upon
that which never could be?
But Harold Westcott no more walked
the earth. He could not return to plague
those who were so much more worthy
than he What good, therefore, could be
accomplished by breaking in upon jean
ette's infinite confidence by revela-
tion that would stir her nature to its
profoundest depths?
This may have been cowardly reason
ing, but it was the best I could do.
Possibly would have reached differ
ent conclusion had there been some older
head with whom to take counsel, but
there was none. I had cut myself off
from all the associates of boyhood and
young manhood and was beginning to
drop those whose occasional company
was due to the mistake as to my person
ality. Among them all there was not
one to whom 1 could apply for counsel
in my strange dilemma.
One awful dread caused me to shlver
and catch my breath. 1t might be that
Jeanette would recoil from me. If she
did, would almost envy the fate Of the
real Harold Westcott who blew out his
brains at Monte Carlo.
And yet, remembering my avowal,
which she refused to receive, and the
many pledges that had passed between
us since then, she could not.
So it was decided to postpone the
matter until after our marriage, and
when that happy event took place my
conviction was stronger than ever that
it was worse than useless to tell the
story.
And SO my wife knoweth not the truth
to this day.
THE END.
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