Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-01-01
PROLOGUE II.
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mans bedroom in hotel in Neufchatel.
The old man was sitting up on his
bed, propped by pillows, and his wrin'
kled, parchment colored skin looked
yellow and dingy against the snow
white bedclothes. His voice was quav-
ering and thin, but his black, beady
eyes shone with a light that seemed all
the stronger and stranger by contrast
with the weakness of his withered body.
"It's good news, Lola-reai good
news. I hope the brute is really deadP'
The hate with which he spoke Of the
dead man lent unwonted energy to his
voice, while his lean, crooked fingers
gripped the bedclothes with a gesture
suggestive Of his feeling.
"I wish I'd been with you, girl, to
have made sure. Imps like those can
tumble over cliffs, and yet the devil
finds soft place somewhere for them
to fall. If I'd been there" he added
grimly, "I'd have had him found by
those who'd have made sure he was
dead"
"He Is dead, father. never fear. I tell
you I went back and staid at the hotel
close to the place for ten days, making
cautious inquiries everywhere. If he
had escaped, I must have heard Of it. "
The old man was silent moment,
muttering and mumbling and shaking
his head.
"But you don't know it, Lola. You
haven't found his carcass.
"Well, be is dead to me at any rate.
Our paths shall never lie side by side
again. He never held me at all, as you
know, save for my fear for you. am
not afraid Of such thing as that. "
She tossed her head with gesture OF
contempt.
mark my words, we shall never
hear Of him again." she added.
81 shall not, child" said the old
man. THAT'S why I sent for you"
The girl rose impulsively at this, and
taking her fathers hand kissed it and
then kissed his face and smoothed some
of the white locks which had strayed
down from under his skullcap over his
forehead.
He suffered rather than enjoyed the
caress and shook his head with half
petulant movement of impatience.
"You ought to be glad I'm going to
die at last, Lola" he continued. 'I've
been an unconscionable time over it,
but that fool of q DR.. Lubin says can't
last now more than week or fort
night more, and if I do 1 can't get out
of bed. WHAT the deuce is the good Of
living, I should like to know. Gagged up
in hole like this, and in bed, and not
able to have scrap Of decent food or
q drop of wine, nothing but cup Of
nasty stuff that might be pig swill for
all I know? If that's the case, the SOON
or I 20 after Pierre the better. only
wish / could let you know that he's
there safe bound. We shan't be far
apart over there, I expect" he added,
with a smile that made his wrinkled
features inexpressibly ugly.
Lola said nothing.
~ hope you don't think I'm going to
make fool of myself about dying" he
said querulously, noticing her manner.
"You wouldn't have me turn white
livered and send for pack Of priests
and pretend to wipe out all the record
of full life we'll lived and well enjoy
ed with the can't of half an hour! Pshl
But there! That'll do about myself. I'm
thinking more about you. What will
you do?"
81 have made no plans yet, father. I
have only thought so far that you and I
would be much happier together now. !"
"Then it's time you did think, that's
all. Your face and form are good
enough to win you half kingdom if
you only use them properly, and your
pluck-well, it's as stanch as mine.
You'll 60 far if you choose. Only mind
don't try to 60 too fast"
81 don't want to talk of myself"
II don't care what you want" was
the testy reply. II do, and mean to.
Listen. Drop the name of that Internal
scoundrel and act as though that part of
your life had never been lived. Play
the beautiful ingenue. Be my daughter,
Lola Crawshay, once more, and as soon
as I'm dead do what those cursed rela-
tives Of mine would never let me do
go back to England. They'd have stopped
my allowance if I'd gone back, but when
they see you in the garb Of the mourn
ing probably dressed for the
part, mird-they take you in as sure
" as you will them. I've written let.
ter for you to the only one among 'cm
who ever showed she had heart, old
Mrs. Villyers, and if you play your
cards as my child ought to you'll make
her home yours and her introductions
be the means of starting your CAM
paign. She's so deadly dull and rell-
gious that the world will cash her intro
ductions at sight to any amount just as
banks will Rothschild's checks. I've
thought all this out, expecting that
you'd probably run away from that
brute as soon as was in my coffin, and
I've written down here list of all your
eligible relatives, with such hints as
occurred to me of the best means of get
IlAX
M Ey4lBn E4t =
AESzaS 81