Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-12-08

seizing the check his father held out
to him and making rapidly for the
door. II will be back before mid
night" And he flung himself down
stairs just as the front door opened and
Wattles stepped in.
"Ahm exclaimed the latter as his eye
fell on the paper futtering In the 9TH
er's hand. 81 expected money. not pa
per-"
1.-The paper is good" answered Fred
erick. drawing him swiftly out of the
house. 1T has my fathers signature
upon it."
"Your fathers signature%
eyes"
Wattles gave it look, then slowly
shook his head at Frederick.
"Is it as well DONE" said he. las the
one you tried to pass off on Brady"
Frederick cringed and for moment
looked as If the struggle was too much
for him. Then he rallied and eying
Wattles firmly said:
"You have a right to your distrust
but you are on the wrong track. Wat.
ties. What l did once it would be i'm
possible for me to do again. and hope
may live to prove 1t. As for that
check. will soon prove its value In
your eyes. Follow me up stairs to my
father"
His energy-the energy Of despair
no doubt-seemed to make an impress
sion on the other.
"You might as we'll proclaim your
self q forger outright as to force your
father to declare this to be bis sigma
ture." he obseryed,sE s.s
~ know II" said Frederick.
"Yet you will run that riskT
EFF you oblige me"
Wattles shrugged his shoulders. He
was a magnificent looking man and
lowered in that old colonial hall like a
youthful giant.
81 bear you no Ill WILL" said he. "If
this represents money. am satisfied.
and l begin to think it does. But lis
ten, Sutherland. Something has hap
pened to you. A week ago you would
have put q bullet through my head be-
fore you would have been willing to
have so compromised yourself. think
know what that something is. To
save yourself from being thought
guilty of a big crime you are willing to
incur suspicion Of small one. It's a
wise move, my boy, but look out! No
tricks with me or my friendship may
not hold. Meantime l cash this check
tomorrow" And he swung away
through the night with grand opera
selection on his lips.
Frederick looked like man thor
pughly exhausted when the final echo
of this hateful voice died away on the
hillside. For the last 20 hours he had
been the prey Of one narrowing emo
ton after another, and human nature
could endure no more, but demanded
rest.
But rest would not come. The posi-
ton in which he found himself be-
tween Amabel and the man who had
lust left was of too threatening ma
ture for him to dwell upon any thought
save how to avoid the doom menacing
him. Hiding himself In his room, he
sought way of escape. But one pre-
sented itself. 1t was cowardly one,
but anything was better than to stand
his ground against two such merciless
antagonists as had arisen in his path.
So he resolved upon flight.
Packing up a few necessaries and
writing a letter, which he left on his
table to be given to his father in the
morning, he made his way down the
stairs of the now darkened house to a
door opening upon the garden. TO his
astonishment he found it unlocked. but
giving little heed to this in his excite
ment he opened it with caution and,
with a parting sigh for the sheltering
home he was about to leave forever,
stepped from the house he no longer
felt worthy to inhabit.
His intention was to take the train
at Porchester. and that he might
reach that place without inconvenient
encounters he had decided to make
use as far as possible Of the path
through the fields. This led him north
and along the ridge that overlooks the
road running around the base Of the
hills.
But he did not think of this or indeed
Of anything but to step on quickly,
for it was too desirable for him to
leave on the early morning train for
him to forfeit this chance Of doing this
by any unnecessary tagging. But he
was not destined to take that or any
other train out Of Porchester at pres.
ent, for when he reached the fence
dividing Mr.. Sutherland's grounds
from those of his adjoining neighBor
he saw drawn up in the moonlight just
at the point where he had intended to
leap the fence the form Of woman
with one hand held out to stop him.
1t was Amabel.