Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-19
BROTHER S1LAs.
BY ETA w. PIERCE.

his red face with his handkerchief
"At a ball one always gets knocked
about like a ninepin. Sit down here,
Miss Fox. How is 1t that you look
so cool and white? All the other wo-
men are like Holsters, but you remind
a fellow of a day-lily and that sort of
thing. BY Jove! before the season is
over you'll slay your ten thousand like
the man in Scripture"
May 1 trouble you to go and look
for my FAM" said, with feigned con-
Germ. 81 have left 1t in the ballroom
He went.
Having escaped sentimental tete-
Ia-tete, seated myself in a rustic chair
among the daphnes and orchids. 1 felt
weary and a little depressed. The
light, softened by colored shades, fell
down upon me with subdued radiance,
the scent Of helietropes filled the warm
air.
Scarcely had l drawn my first breath
Of relief when l heard a rustic behind
neighboring tier of plants, and
figure stepped out Of the shadow there
and stood before me. 1t was the same
person that 1 had seen in the corridor
a few hours before-the young man
from the florists.
One glance at his wild, Jealous,
ilivid face was enough. I recognized
him. sprang to my feet.
You in this house!" 1 cried, in
wrath and amaze.
YEA" he answered, falling into the
old Shaker mode Of speech-he seemed
laboring under some intense excite
ment. 'I wanted to look once more
on your beauty wanted to see you
in your silks and Jewels. You have
had a grand night of triumph, Sister
Esther. For hours have been watch
ing you afar off, whirling in the arms
Of other men, smiling on other men,
while they praised your fair, cruel face.
They will not praise 1t tomorrow"
There was a strange menace in his
voice. He thrust one hand into his
breast and held it there, as If grasping
a hidden weapon.
/ was no coward, but recoiled in
voluntarily.
What do you mean?"
"You, syren! For years you have
been my torment-my bane. my snare.
Shall 1 let you work the same evil to
other men? Nay. You have looked
scorn and hate on me often with those
handsome eyes, you have rallied at me
with those handsome lips, and now I
will take righteous vengeance upon
both. You shall have one chance to
save yourself-one only-recall the
words you said at our last meeting
promise to return my love, to be my
WIFE"
Before 1 could answer, the door Of
the conservatory was pushed back and
Hallam Kirke entered.
"Ah!" he said his brown face light
ing up at sight Of me, 81 have been
looking everywhere for you, Miss Fox"
Emboldened by his presence, I turn
ed upon Brother Silas.
You are beside yourself!" I cried,
haughtily. Leave the house at once,
or l will call the servants to thrust
you out!"
You will show me no mercy, them"
he hissed
mol"
Then will show none to you!"
1t was all the work Of a moment.
ran toward Hallam Kirke.
Save mel" 1 had just time to gasp.
At the same instant Brother Silas
drew his hand from his breast That
which he held was not a weapon, but
vial Of liquid, and, without a sound,
he hurled it's terrible contents straight
at my face.
Straight at my face; but. swift as he
was, Hallam Kirke was swifter. With
great cry; he snatched and pressed
down into his breast the lips and eyes
and peachy tints which that madman
had doomed to destruction.
Holding me thus sheltered, he stood
and received the deadly, burning vitrol
meant for me- felt him stagger back.
He raised one hand to his blinded eyes.
Esther, are you safe? Oh, darling,
are you safe?" he cried, in voice full
of mortal agony.
Yes, l was safe. l ran to the door
shrieking for help. A crowd was
around US in a moment; but Brother
Silas had already escaped. The house
Il a.. III H., .aif
| A few days after he was found with
his brother, the florist. arrested, exam
lined, pronounced Of unsound mind,
and conveyed to a private asylum
Mad! He had always been that, even
in the old days at Hadham.
And this was the end of the ball, Of
my night Of joy and triumph-no, not
the end. for in the wee small hours or
morning Mason came to the door, be-
hind which l sat, sleepless and miser-
able, and called me in terrified voice.
/ ran to Grandmother Somersets
chamber She was reclining in her in
valid chair on the tiled hearth dressed
for bed, just as had first seen her on
Ilne hight "HCIl DiON0''N '''N ~
Golden Square.
Her white head had fallen on her
breast, her bowed figure looked strange
and rigid l knelt by her side; / call
ed her name: I kissed the jeweled hand
that hung over the arm of the chair.
She did not answer; she did not heed
me-she was stone dead!
|
In her will she provided handsomely
!, for Marcia Johnsbury; but the bulk or
her property was given Internationally
to her beloved granddaughter, Esther
, Fox.
Again l was alone in the world, and
: put on mourning garments and Wept
. in unfeigned sorrow.
And Hallam Kirke-he had saved
my beauty, but ah! at what a cost to
: himself!
For a time it was feared that he