The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-20

bold venture, an earnest word might
win the prize, but the arm hangs. the
project lags, the lips are dumb in the
presence Of q possible negatioa. To
such what might be ever holds more
terrors than what Is.
And thus the native hue Of resolution
Is sicklied DER with the pale cast OF thought,
And enterprises Of great pith and moment,
With this regard. their currents turn a"ry
And lose the name Of action.
Eyariste Oakfell was thus affected. He
had rushed into dissolute ways to profit
by the evil talents of his brothers foe.
He had recklessly embarked in Quille-
bert's perilous and piratical commerce
to enrich himself. He had ruthlessly
spurned the love of lion hearted Uc-
man to be untrammeled in the pursuit
Of shrinking maiden. Without COM
junction he had traded with villain
for the proofs Of guardians infdelity
to his trust in order to coerce the sub
mission of the ward. Unfinchirgly
had he suppressed the true will Of his
brother and propounded forgery to
render defenseless her whom that
brother had loved and sought, to pro-
tect.
All these had he dared and done
and had experienced no rrepidation or
sting Of conscience. But that to which
they had reference only. that to which
they were designed as mere aids, ap-
palled him. His mind by day and
night reveled in imaginings Of joyous
life with Estelle his welded wife. A
hundred times he set forth determined
to make his bliss assured and returned
with void yearnings AL nothing more.
He dared not hear refusal from her
pale lips. Could he brave that the
course Of cruel duress and compulsioD
he had prepared would be easy, swift
and grateful to his temper. But his
vanity shrank from her rejection. He
sought to convince himself that she
would not, could not. say the dreaded
word, and yet he knew she had loved
Horace and feared she would be loyal
to that love. Though armed with the
instl.umentalities for forcing her con-
sent, he was unable to expel the un-
auieting belief that the frail, gentle
girl was in character such as Carlyle
describes his wife, In her bright ca
reer she had more sorrows than are
common. but also soft invincbility, a
clearness of discernment, noble 10y
atty Of heart, which are rare"
Impatient, frettirg, chating at his
timorousness, be nurtured his design
upon Estelle--it was destitute Of the
tenderness and generous warmth Of
love-uatil it became mania. Yet he
fingered. held back, deferred the test Of
his fate. not noting the fight of time.
The d.rge of the Confederacy was sung
at Appomattox. and still he halted.
But another spirit more masterful
than his rebelled against this prncras-
tination.
"Do you know the war is ended? 2"
said Quiilebert. appearing at "IEsper.
ance" for the first time during bis resi-
dence in the parish.
"Yes," Evariste replied uninterest-
edly.
"Then the period has come when
must wind up my affairs here and 20
back to France. for time at least, If
not permanently" Quillebert contin-
ued. "Some of my Christian neighbors
are jealous to have the United States
authorities pry into my business. My
absence will not facilitate them"
"Well. Constant. how can | speed
you?"
"Settle our business first. owe you
5000 on the last cotton sales. Which
do you prefer, the money or the abso-
lutte transfer Of those two Latiolais pa
pers?"
'"you said you would give me those
papers"
II said I would put them at your
service free Of charge, but you have
never called on me for them, and l
have 10 assurance you will ever use
them for the purpose which induced
my promise. That brings us to the
second thing you must do to speed my
departure"
"What is that?"
"Marry the Latiolais girl"
"What bearing has that upon your
staying or going!"
HThis-I have made uD my mind that
Laure must 60 with me-"
"As your wife," inquired EVar!ste,
aroused.
"Not at first: later, perhaps" replied
Quillebert. But she knows too much
about my business to be left here"
"True enough" Evariste said. But
what has my marriage to do with
that?"
Everything" Quillebert said en-
phatfcally. Il am not fool. I can