Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-01
this Beautiful White Devil one nearl

ryat and Clark Russell. Others ave,
that she's not a woman at all, but 6
man disguised in woman's clothes. But
the real truth, I'm inclined to fancy, il
that she's the daughter of drunken ole
desperate, once an English naval man.
who for years made himself terror in
these seas. !"
When I heard him thus commit him
self, I looked across at Allie, half ex
pecting that she would lose control o1
herself and annihilate him upon the
spot. But save little twitcbing round
the corners of her mouth she allowed nc
sign Of the wrath that I knew was rag
ing within her breast to escape her. Ir
a voice as steady as when she had in
quired the way to Whampoa's garden
that morning she continued her ques
tions.
"I'm really quite interested. And
pray what has this-what do you cal
her-Beautiful White Devil done tt
carry on the family reputation"
Again Ebbington saw his chance,
and, like the born yarn spinner he was.
took immediate advantage of it.
"What has she not done would be the
best thing to ask. She has abducted the
sultan of Surabaya, the rajah of Tavoy,
Vesey of Hongkong and half a dozen
Chinese mandarins at least. She has
robbed the Vectis Queen; the Ooloomoo,
and that with the governor Of Hongkong
on board; stopped the Oodnadatta only
three months ago in the Ly-ee-moon
pass, when she went through the bull
lion room to the extent of over mil
lion and half, almost under the cruis-
ers' noses.
"But what mission does she accom-
plish with this vast wealth when she
has accumulated it, do you think, Mr..
Ebbington?" said the quiet voice OF
Mrs. Beecher from the depths Of her
chair. "Does she do no good with it at
all?"
"Good!" that wretched being replied,
quite unconscious of the trouble he was
heaping up for himself. "Why, she
never did ha'porth of good i'll her life.
No, I'll tell you what she does do with
it. 1t is we'll known that she has rem
devious somewhere in the Pacific, q
tropical island, they say, where scenes
are enacted between her cruises that
would raise bushes on the cheeks Of an
Egyptian mummy"
"You are evidently very much preju-
diced against her," answered hotly.
"Now, / have heard some very different
stories, and with all due respect to you,
Mr.. Ebbington"-
But fortunately at this juncture my
presence of mind returned to me, and, a
servant approaching to take our empty
coffee cups, I was able to seize the op-
portunity and bring my riotous tongue
to halt. When the boy had gone, Allie
turned the conversation into another
channel, and after that all was plain
sailing once more. To add to our enjoy
ment, about 10 o'clock another servant
came to inform Mr.. Ebbington that a
gentleman desired to see him in the
smoking room, aud accordingly, bid
ding us good night, he went off to in
terview him. Mrs. Beecher then made
an excuse and retired to her room, leav-
ing US alone together.
"Alie," said reproachfully, "if
anything had happened just now you
would have had only yourself to blame
for it. That mans insolent lying was
more than could stand. In another mo-
ment if that servant had not come in l
believe should have lost control Of my
self and ten chances to one have ruined
everything. Why did you do it?"
because I wanted to find out how be
was in the habit of talking about me.
That was why"
"But do you think he was really in
earnest? May it not have been only a
mask to prevent any one from suspect
ing that hs is your agent in this placer
"No. He meant it. Of that there can
be no doubt. The man, can see, for
some inscrutable reason hates the real
me with his whole heart and soul, and
the treachery he is preparing now is to
be his revenge. Couldn't you hear the
change, the grating, in his voice when
my name occurred? All, Mr.. Ebbing-
ton, my clever man, you will find that
it is very foolish policy on your part
to quarrel with me. "
"When do you mean to make the at
tempt to capture him?'
"On Friday evening-that is, the day
after tomorrow. The new admiral will
be here on Saturday morning at latest,
and must anticipate him, for 1 have
learned that Ebbington received note
from the authorities this morning, def
nitely fixing the hour for the interview
at IL O'Clock. He need make no arrange
ments, however, for he won't be there. "
lit will be an awful moment for him
when he realizes who you are. l would
not be iu his shoes for all the gold OF
India
"You would never have acted as he
has done, " she answered softly, turning
her head away.
This was the opportunity for finding
out what she intended concerning my
self, so 1 drew little closer to her.
"Alie,'I said, "the time has now
come for me to ask you when you wish
to say 'Goodby' to me. l have done my
professional work for you, and on Fri
day 1 shall have assisted you to the very
best of my ability in the matter OF this
wretched fellow. What am I to do them
Am 1 to say farewell to you here OF
what?''
Her voice had almost falter in it as
she replied: