Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-01-16

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he aoas lytaeq on the sitting room lounge.
looking Veru weak and exhausted.
fection remaining between James and
myself. but if l am to shed that half
light over your home, which Is all |
can promise and all that you can hope
to receive. then keep me from all in
1uence but your own. That this In
time may grow sweet and dear to me is
my earnest prayer today. for you are
worthy of true wife. AGATHA.
DEAR JoHN-I am going to be mar
ried My father exacts 1t. and there
is no good reason why l shall not give
him this final satisfaction. At least |
do not think there Is, but If you or your
brother differs from me-
Say goodby to James from me. |
pray that his life may be peaceful. ]
know that it will be honest.
AGATHA.
DEAR PHILEMoN-My father Is worse.
He fears that If we wait till Tuesday
he will not be able to see us married.
Decide. then. what our duty Is. am
ready to abide by your pleasure.
AGATHA.
The following Is from John label to
his brother James. and Is dated one
day after the above:
DEAR JAMEs-When you read this, |
will be far away. never to look In your
face again unless you bid ME. Brother.
brother, meant it for the best. but
God was not with ME. and have made
four hearts miserable without giving
help to any one.
When | read Agatha's letter-the
last, for more reasons than one, that |
shall ever receive from her-I seemed
to feel as never before what | had
done to blast your two lives. For the
first time realized to the full that
but for me she might have been happy
and you the respected husband Of the
one grand woman to be found In Por-
chester. That | had loved her so
fercely myself came back to me In re-
proach. and the thought that she per-
haps suspected that the blame had fall
en- where it was not deserved aroused
me to such a pitch that took the sud.
den and desperate resolution Of telling
her the truth before she gave her hand
to Philemon, and never paused till |
reached Mr. Gilchrist's house and was
ushered into his presence.
He was lying on the sitting room
lounge, looking very weak and ex-
hauSted. while on one side Of him stood
Agatha and on the other Philemon,
both contemplating him with i'll con-
cealed anxiety. had not expected to
find Philemon there, and for moment
suffered the extreme agony of man
who has not measured the depth Of the
plunge he Is about to take, but the
sight of Agatha trembling under the
shock Of my unexpected presence re-
stored me to myself and gave me firm
ness to proceed. Advancing with
bow, spoke quickly the one word
hnl fhnn fn
have done you great wrong, and
am here to undo it. For months have
felt driven to confession, but not till
today have | possessed the necessary
courage. Now nothing shall hinder
me-" said this because saw in both
Mr. Gilchrist and Philemon a disposi-
ton to stop me where was. Indeed
Mr. Gilchrist had risen on his elbow,
and Philemon was making that plead
ing gesture Of his which we know so
we'll Agatha alone looked eager.
what is it?" she cried. 81 have
right to know" l went to the door,
shut it and stood with my back against
it. figure of shame and despair. Sud-
lAc SOhlSSSlol poi - iioia tiiS'
Agatha" said l, "why did you break
with my brother James! Because you
thought him guilty of theft; because
you believed he took the $1,000 out Of
the sum intrusted to him by Mr.. Orr
for your father? Agatha. it was not
james who did this: it was |. and
James knew it and bore of my misdo-
ings the blame because he was always
| loyal soul and took account of my
weakness and knew-;llaS. too we'll
that open shame would kill me-"
1t was a weak plea and merited no
reply. but the silence was so dreadful
and lasted so long that | felt first
crushed and then terrified. Raising
my head. for l had not dared to look
any Of them in the face. | cast one
glance at the group before me and
dropped my head again. startled. Only
one of the three was looking Mt me. and
that was Agatha The others had their
heads turned aside, and thought, or,
rather. the passing fancy took me. that
they shrank from meeting her gaze
with something Of the same shame
and dread | was myself suffering from.
But she! Can ever hope to make you
| realize her look or comprehend the