Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-11-24
CHAPTER VIII.

IdE hOLAOW 1nSc.
Frederick Sutherland was q man Of
finer mental balance than he himself
perhaps had ever realized. After the
first few moments of stupefaction fol-
lowing the astounding alternative
which had been given him he broke
out with the last sentence she probably
expected to hear.
"What do you hope from marriage
with me that to attain your wishes you
thus sacrifice every womanly instinctT"
She met him on his own ground.
: "What do I hope?" She actually
glowed with the force of her secret de-
sire. "Can you ask poor girl like me,
born In a tenement house, but with
tastes and ambitions such as are usual
ly only given to those who can crafty
them? want to be the rich Mr.. Suth-
erland's daughter, acknowledged or un-
acknowledged the wife Of one who can
enter any house in Boston rs an equal.
With a position like that can rise to
anything. l feel that l have the natu-
raj power and aptitude. have felt 1t
since was a small child"
"And for that he began.
"And for that" she broke In, 81 am
quite willing to overlook any dark spot
on your record. Confident that you will
never repeat the risk Of last night, I
am ready to share the burden of your
secret through life. If you treat me
we'll, I am sure can make 1t light for
you"
With a quick flush. an increase of
self assertion she had probably not an
ticipated, he faced her with desper-
ate resolution that showed how hand
some he could be If his soul once got
control CT his body.
Woman" he cried, "they were right.
You are little less than devil"
Did she regard it as compliment?
Her smile would seem to say so.
"a devil that understands men," she
answered with that slow dip Of her
dimples that made her smile so danger
GUS. "You will not hesitate long over
this matter; week perhaps"
81 shall not hesitate at all. Seeing
you as you are makes my course easy.
You will never share any burden with
me as my wife"
Still she was not abasled.
"It is a pity" she whispered, 'it
would have saved you such unnecessa-
~ struggle. But week is not long to
wait. am certain Of you then. This
day week at IL o'clock, Frederick"
He seized her by the arm and, lost TO
everything but his rage. shook her with
q desperate hand.
"Do you mean it?" he cried, sudden
horror showing itself in his face, not
withstanding his efforts to conceal 1t.
~ mean it so much," she assured
him, that before I came home just
now paid visit to the copse over the
way. A certain hollow tree where
you and I have held more than one
tryst conceels within it's depths pack
age containing over $1,000. Frederick.
I hold your life in my hands"
The grasp with which he held her re-
laxed. A mortal despair settled upon
his features, and recognizing the i'm
possibility Of further concealing the ef-
feet Of her words upon him, he sank in
to a chair and covered his face with
his hands. She viewed him with an air
Of triumph, which brought back some
Of her beauty. When she spoke. it was
to say:
IF you wish to join me in Springfield
before the time I have set, well and
good. am willing that the time Of our
separation should be shortened, but 1t
must not be heightened by so much as
a day. Now, If you will excuse me,
will go and pack my trunks"
He shuddered. Her voice seemed to
cut through him like knife.
Drawing herself up, she looked down
on him with q strange mixture Of pas
sion and elation-
"You need fear no indiscretion on my